Babette's Feast

Based on a story by Isak Dineson (Out of Africa), this lovingly detailed portrait of two spinsterly sisters and their maid picked up a well deserved Oscar for the Best Foreign Film of 1987. The Danish sisters, Martina and Phillipa, have forsaken all eligible suitors in order to carry on the work of their deceased father--once leader of a spartan Lutheran sect. When Babette, a Parisian refugee, is taken in by the sisters, she is given the cooking duties: which basically consists of making soup for the sisters and their religious compatriots. Years later, Babette wins a French lottery, and decides to repay the sisters' kindness with a splendid feast. Only, when the boatload of supplies start arriving--laden with wine, quails, and a turtle--the community shudders. Surely eating such a resplendent repast would constitute sin. As the rugged Danes spiritually gird themselves against what promises to be tasty treats (they will eat, but not enjoy), Babette's Feast soars to comic heights. Profoundly humorous, ultimately touching, this Danish gem is highly recommended. (Note: The video is also available in a dubbed version. The subtitled version, with its bold yellow lettering, is the one recommended.) (R. Pitman) [DVD/Blu-ray Review—July 30, 2013—Criterion, 104 min., in Danish, French & Swedish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and first on Blu-ray, 1987's Babette's Feast boasts a fine transfer and Dolby Digital stereo on DVD and DTS-HD stereo on Blu-ray. Extras include the 1995 documentary 'Karen Blixen—Storyteller' on the author (90 min.), a visual essay by filmmaker Michael Almereyda (26 min.), a 2012 interview with star Stéphane Audran (25 min.), a 2013 interview with sociologist Priscilla Parkhurst Ferguson on French cuisine culture (17 min.), a 2013 interview with director Gabriel Axel (9 min.), trailers, and a booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Mark Le Fanu, as well as the original 1950 story that was published in Ladies Home Journal. Bottom line: an Oscar-winning crowd-pleaser shines on high-def.]