Babette's Feast Panel Paper-Casey Tulley-Religion and Food

Films can often be classified as being from more than just a single genre.  Babette’s Feast is one of those movies.  While food obviously plays a rather important and outward role in the film, it can be seen that religion and religious overtones are ever present throughout the film.  The ways in which the characters behave and make decisions, how they interact with other characters, especially males, and even some of the meals they eat can be seen coming directly from a specific religious upbringing. Babette’s Feast is a great example of how food in film can be used in conjunction with other overarching characteristics to compliment and better convey the story and overall message.

The most overt sign that Babette’s Feast is a religious movie is that two of the main characters, Philippa and Martine, are the daughters of a man who was essentially the founder of a group of Christians who dedicated themselves to plain and simple lives, even in the food that they eat.  In the opening scene the sisters are shown delivering meals to some of the villagers. The simple pots are opened to reveal a basic broth, something that would be nourishing but adherent to the values their strict Christian father instilled in the community. The influence of both food and religion are further seen early in the movie as Babette is first introduced serving tea to a group of religious elders who are meeting and singing hymns. Babette is charged with preparing meals for the sisters and for the community for the sisters to pass out. Though she is very good at what she does she yearns for making more than the cod stew and bread.

Food and religion again come back in to play when it is revealed that Babette has won the lottery back home in France. With the extra money she decides to make a full French meal to be served at the village’s major celebration. Being that she is a servant to Martine and Philippa she must get their consent beforehand. They wanted to have a modest dinner, in keeping with how their group usually does everything, but eventually agree to let Babette cook a French feast for the people, using her winnings. As the sisters see the ingredients Babette is bringing in for the feast they begin to change their minds and worry that a meal of such magnitude will corrupt the pious people who will be attending. They tell the rest of the group to be cautious and all agree to attend the feast but to focus on something other than the food, intending to try not to taste it. A major contrast is shown at this point in the movie as the group arrives for a magnificent French feast in very drab clothing.

The major turning point in the movie, from a religious standpoint, involves the celebration meal. General Lowenhielm, a one-time suitor of Martine has returned to be with his aunt, one of the members of the religious sect. As he does not prescribe to the same religious convictions as the group he is attending with the general is enamored with the feast and begins recounting a tale of the best chef in Paris and the meals she would make. The general’s story mixed with the party wine helps to open up the conversation among party goers. The once stoic group of pious folks begins to reconcile with each other for past transgressions. The group is not changed so much in the foundations of their belief but it seems that the meal has opened the sect up to a bit more inclusion and understanding.

It is easy to see with a less than analytic eye that Babette’s Feast combines both religion and food to create the overall story. It is the blending of the two together that is so well done.  The way in which meals are prepared and the meals themselves are obviously passed down from the original leader of the sect in a very specifically religious way. Babette’s Feast is, therefore, a wonderful example of using food, in combination with other elements, to create a great story and entertaining movie.