I contend that Gail and I saw this movie about 20 years ago. She disagrees. After watching it again, I still contend that we saw it in the mid 1990s and she still contends that we’ve never seen it, together at least. Who cares really. Just know that I love (and loved) this movie.
It’s an artsy flick about this puritanical set of Danish sisters in a small village who take on a maid named Babette who’s in exile from some Parisian political strife. Babette can cook and after she wins 10,000 francs in the lottery she volunteers to cook a celebratory meal to commemorate what would be the 100th birthday of the sister’s long dead father, the village holy man.
It’s a serious feast and dominates the whole second half of the movie. Babette is preparing this feast for many reasons. She certainly wants to repay the sisters for being so generous in giving her a place to live. But she also has to do it, because she’s an artist and it’s the ultimate expression of herself.
It’s funny. It’s sad. It’s uplifting. It’s inspiring. It should be on any top ten list for food movies.