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Babette's Feast (1987)
"Babettes gæstebud" (original title)

 -  Drama | Music | Romance  -  4 March 1988 (USA)
7.7
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Ratings: 7.7/10 from 9,409 users  
Reviews: 90 user | 57 critic

In 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself. Although ... See full summary »

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Title: Babette's Feast (1987)

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Babette Hersant (as Stephane Audran)
Bodil Kjer ...
Birgitte Federspiel ...
...
...
Achille Papin (as Jean Philippe Lafont)
...
Svensk hofdame
Ghita Nørby ...
Narrator
Asta Esper Hagen Andersen ...
Anna (as Asta Esper Andersen)
Thomas Antoni ...
Svensk Lieutenant
Gert Bastian ...
Poor Man
Viggo Bentzon ...
Fisherman in Rowboat
...
Therese Hojgaard Christensen ...
Martha
Pouel Kern ...
The Minister
Cay Kristiansen ...
Poul
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Storyline

In 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself. Although they each are presented with a real opportunity to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay with their father, to serve to him and their church. After some years, a French woman refugee, Babette, arrives at their door, begs them to take her in, and commits herself to work for them as maid/housekeeper/cook. Sometime after their father dies, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Babette experiences unexpected good fortune and implores the sisters to allow her to take charge of the preparation of the meal. Although they are secretly concerned about what Babette, a Catholic and a foreigner, might do, the sisters allow her to go ahead. Babette then prepares the feast of a lifetime for the members of the tiny church and an important gentleman related ... Written by Ed Cannon <ecannon@mail.utexas.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

Certificate:

G | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

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Release Date:

4 March 1988 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Babette's Feast  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Gross:

$4,398,938 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

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Color:

(Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1
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Did You Know?


Quotes

[first lines]
[in Danish, using English subtitles]
Narrator: In this remote spot there once lived two sisters who were both past the first flush of youth. They had been christened Martina and Philippa after Martin Luther and his friend Philipp Melanchton. They spent all their time and almost all their small income on good works.
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Connections

Featured in Le cinéma passe à table (2005) See more »

Soundtracks

"Don Giovanni"
Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

Consuming passion?
9 January 2002 | by (San Francisco, CA) – See all my reviews

"Babette's Feast" proves that not all film theories and formulas are true 100% of the time. Here's a story where there is no life-or-death conflict, no raging anger, no violent outbursts. Nothing blowed up real good, and there is nothing resembling a chase scene. The conflict is about the ways in which people can be nice to each other. Their personal differences of passion or conviction are not as important as the ways in which they can connect with each other.

How shockingly refreshing.

There is an undercurrent to this film that gives it the feel of a Garrison Keillor monologue, in that it is built around people's personal foibles and quirks.

Even more refreshing is how "Babette's Feast" manages to be nice without becoming cloying, saccharine, facile, superficial or insincere. People's personal passions are portrayed not only from their own perspective, but from the perspective of the people they affect, with more realism than you usually get in film, yet also with sincere and infectious optimism.

If you don't come away from "Babette's Feast" smiling and feeling better, then you must have been distracted from giving it your full attention. This is one of those very rare films that you can recommend to everyone you know. It is truly in a class by itself. Like Mary Poppins, "Practically perfect in every way."

Utterly charming and subtly stunning.


28 of 31 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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