Babette’s Feast
Participating in the WCL common meals survey made me reflect on the message in “Babette’s Feast,” a 1987 Danish film based on a story by Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). The film won Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards in 1988.
Babette is a refugee from political strife in 19th century France who seeks asylum at the home of two sisters (Filippa and Martine) who are looking after the elderly members of their late father’s religious congregation in Jutland. The congregants have lived a spartan life, existing on a lean diet of mostly porridge, root vegetables, and dried fish. In a flashback, we learn that the two sisters, who were very beautiful in their youth, spurned the attention of their suitors to look after their father and his congregation.
After 14 years of being the daughters’ housekeeper, Babette receives notice that she has won 10,000 francs in the French lottery. To show her gratitude to the sisters and the community for having taken her in, she announces that she will create and serve a “real French dinner” to all the people in the community, by now only about a dozen souls. She spends all of the 10,000 francs on the food, wine, china, crystal, and linen.
As the sumptuous ingredients and supplies arrive from Paris, the sisters begin to wonder if they should have agreed to Babette’s request. Surely, it must be a great sin to indulge in such sensual luxury. The congregants themselves express similar misgivings to each other and wonder if perhaps they should not attend the dinner.
Over the years, life in the community has not been altogether harmonious. People hold grudges over long-ago business dealings and seldom have a kind word to say about each other.
On the night of the dinner, everyone decides to go. Before the dinner starts, two of the old men begin to argue about a dealing they had had years ago, and other old grievances are brought up.
There is a visitor at the table, a famous general in the Army (the nephew of one of the deceased congregants), who, in years gone by, was Martine’s suitor. Of all the guests, he is the only one who can knowledgeably comment on the dinner. He praises the quality of each course, starting with the Amontillado served at the start. He states that the entire dinner reminds him of a dining experience he once had at Café Anglais in Paris, where the chef was renowned for her extraordinary culinary skills.
“Although the guests do their best to reflect the earthly pleasures of the food and drink, Babette’s extraordinary gifts as a Chef du Cuisine and a true connoisseur breaks down their distrusts and superstitions, elevating them not only physically, but spiritually as well. Old wrongs are forgiven, ancient loves are rekindled, and a mystical redemption of the human spirit settles over the table — thanks to the general elation nurtured by the consumption of so many fine culinary delicacies and sprits.”
Yours in community,
Richard
We can only aspire to such rich rewards, both sensually and spiritually, from our community dinners. This is certainly as inspiring story. Thanks, Richard.
Suzanne
Wait! You mean “eat, drink and be merry” isn’t aspiration enough?
I watched that film in the last few years. While I hope our community meals achieve some of the same social and spiritual benefits, I doubt that any of our cook teams will strive for such gastronomical accomplishments, nor, hopefully, will they spend so much of their lottery winnings.
Pat
With that inspiration, I can hardly wait to come to dinner at the Lodge! I remember going to that movie, and made the big mistake of not eating beforehand… and it was a loonnggg movie!