Babettes Gæstebud (Babette's Feast) (1987)

Recommended to me by a food critic following the release of Ratatouille (2007), he argued that the reason it was a success was because of the appetising appearance of the food involved. If it doesn’t look good, then the whole basis of the film collapses.

Babette’s Feast falls into that same category. It’s one of those gems that you’ve possibly never heard of but fall in love with instantly. Kind of like stumbling across Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Hud (1963) or Vernon, Florida (1982) late at night on TCM.

Featuring a multi-stranded narrative, the basic crux involves Babette (Stéphane Audran), a poor French refugee, arriving in a stranded Danish hamlet in the 19th century. She is employed and paid with food and board for her services as a maid/house keeper/cook to sisters Martina (Birgitte Federspiel) and Philippa (Bodil Kjer). Continuing to play the lottery ever since leaving France she wins and pleas with her employers to let her organise the upcoming feast, “a real French dinner” she exalts. The feast is in celebration of what would have been their father’s 100th birthday were he still alive. As the town’s pastor, we learn that he was the only force powerful enough to unite the people and who has been sorely missed ever since. Can her feast restore that community spirit?

It’s a beautifully told story featuring very sparse use of narration, dialogue in general and most significant, soundtrack. All this directs further attention to the visual details, most rewarded by the appearance of the food. When the goods/ingredients arrive all the way from France Philippa exclaims “surely that’s not wine”, Babette replies quite matter-of-factly “Clos de Vougeot 1845, from Chez Philippe, Rue Motorgueil”. Her face is priceless and so will yours be with the next shot, a live giant turtle just waiting to be cooked (you know, for the soup!).

If the preparation of the dinner doesn’t make you laugh then the feast itself will at least make your mouth water. Have I tickled your tastebuds? If so, I implore you not watch this on an empty stomach, you may fall victim to Windigo.