Original subtitles

BABETTE'S FEAST

Copyright A.S. Panorama Film International 1 987. All rights reserved.

In this remote spot there once lived two sisters...

who were both past the first flush of youth.

They had been christened Martina and Philippa...

after Martin Luther and his friend Philipp Melanchton.

They spent all their time...

and almost all their small income on good works.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Their father had been a priest and a prophet...

the founder of a religious sect...

who was well-respected, and perhaps also a little feared.

The minister had married late and by now had long been dead.

Every year his disciples became fewer in number.

But they continued meeting to read and interpret the Word...

and to honor the spirit of their master...

whose presence they felt was among them.

Jerusalem my heart's true home

Your name is forever dear to me

Your kindness is second to none

You keep us clothed and fed

Never would you give a stone

To the child who begs for bread

The two sisters had a French servant.

Her name was Babette.

This may seem strange for two puritan ladies...

living in such a remote, desolate place...

and it deserves an explanation.

Babette's presence in the house of the two sisters...

can only be explained through the hidden regions of the heart.

As young girls, the beauty of Martina and Philippa...

had been extraordinary, akin to flowering fruit trees.

They were never to be seen at balls or parties.

The young men went to church in the hope of seeing them.

Oh, Lord, allow thy kingdom

To descend upon us here

So that the spirit of mercy

May wipe out all trace of sin

Then we shall know in our hearts

That God lives here with us

And that Thou art dwelling

With those that trust in Thee

In the minister's flock, earthly love and marriage...

were considered to be of scant worth and merely empty illusion.

In this calling of mine...

my two daughters are my right hand and my left.

Would you rob me of them?

Nevertheless, these two beauties...

had upset the peace of heart and the destinies...

of two young gentlemen from the great world outside.

One was a young officer by the name of Lorens Lowenhielm.

He had led a merry life in his garrison town...

and had fallen into debt.

Attention!

Captain, sir! Twenty men accounted for!

Lorens! Get a grip on yourself.

You will spend three months at your aunt's house.

- The old lady? - Yes.

At Norre Vossborg?

In Jutland?

At Norre Vossborg Manor you'll have time to think...

about your conduct...

and to set about improving it.

Welcome to Norre Vossborg.

Come along. I will show you your room.

At this very moment he had a mighty vision...

of a higher and purer life...

without creditor's letters or parental lectures...

and with a gentle angel at his side.

With the help of his pious aunt...

he gained admission to the minister's house.

Don't just stand there, Martha! Fetch a cloth!

Mercy and truth are met together...

my dear brothers and sisters.

Righteousness and peace shall kiss one another.

He repeated his visits, but it seemed to him...

that each time he grew more insignificant.

Excuse me.

God's paths run beyond the seas...

and the snowy mountain peaks...

where the human eye sees no tracks.

Amen.

I am going away forever...

and I shall never, never see you again.

For I have learned here that life is hard and cruel...

and that in this world there are things that are...

impossible.

Where the other young officers spoke of their loves...

he was silent about his.

For, reliving it now, in the officers'mess...

and seeing it through others'eyes...

it appeared to him a pitiful affair.

Lorens.

How can a lieutenant of the Hussars...

allow himself to be defeated and frustrated...

By some pious "melancholics"...

who can't even afford the salt for their soup?

I cannot forget the picture of that lovely maiden.

You are a dreamer, Lorens.

I would prefer to be like you.

I will forget what happened on theJutland coast.

From now I shall look forward, not backward.

I will think of nothing but my career, and some day...

I will cut a brilliant figure in the world of prestige.

He married a lady-in-waiting to Queen Sophia.

At that time piety was fashionable at the court.

He knew how to apply words and phrases from the parsonage...

that were engraved in his memory.

We implore God's mercy.

We must carry out the Lord's tasks with love.

Do you remember that silent young man...

who appeared so suddenly, and vanished just as suddenly?

Yes.

Ayear later, an even more distinguished person arrived.

The famous singer from Paris, Achille Papin...

who had been performing at the Royal Opera in Stockholm.

Thank you, dear lady. You are so kind, dear lady.

Stockholm is a very beautiful town.

Scandinavia has a wealth of beautiful cities.

I travel much...

but what I yearn for most is to be alone.

I love silence.

Silence, and the sound of waves.

Then you should visit the coast ofJutland.

It is magnificent...

and totally unspoiled.

There you could get your fill of fresh air...

and you could rest.

I know a place.

You could stay with the grocer.

But Achille Papin fell into a kind of melancholy.

He suddenly saw himself as an old man...

at the end of his career.

Lord, our God Thy name and glory

Should be sung throughout the world

And every soul Thy humble subjects

And every wayfarer shall sing aloud

Thy praises

God is God even if all lands be deserts

God is God even if all life were ended

If the people should vanish and you, divine heavens

Will reign over the countless and play the harp so beautifully

Highest mountain and deepest vale shall vanish

Heaven and earth as well will perish

Each height and peak shall be no longer

But the Lord's glory shall rise again

In a thousand hearts

Almighty God...

Thy mercy ascends to the heavens...

and Thy righteousness reaches to the ocean's depths.

Here is a diva.

She will have Paris at her feet.

Good day, sir.

Good day.

I've come to your country for reasons of health.

I'm staying at the grocer's.

I'd be happy to give singing lessons...

to the young lady who lives here.

She has a lovely voice, and with some training...

she will sing like an angel.

That's important when one sings God's praises.

Are you a Papist?

Yes, Roman Catholic. Papist.

Come in, Monsieur...

Monsieur Achille Papin.

I spoke with my daughter, and I give my consent.

I am delighted. Thank you. Good-bye, sir.

Good-bye, Monsieur Papin.

Good-bye, ladies.

Good-bye, Monsieur.

- See you soon? - Yes.

Ah, thank you.

Very good.

You will be like a star in the heavens.

No one ever sang as well as you will sing.

You will be the only star.

The others will fade out by themselves.

The Emperor will come to hear you...

and so will the modest seamstress.

You have enough talent...

to distract the rich...

and to comfort the poor.

Well, Philippa, are you making progress with Mr. Papin?

Yes, Father.

A voice within me calls you

It calls you from my heart

Come now don't fight against it

It is the voice ofjoy

I tremble, yet I listen

I'm fearful of my joy

Desire, love and doubting

Are battling in my heart

Come, then, with me my beauty

Masetto still loves me

I'll make you a great lady

My soul weakens already

Come on, come on

Come with thy hand in mine, dear

I would, and yet I would not

Don't fight It will be fine, dear

I'm afraid of my own joy

Let us leave, my beauty

Come, then, with me my beauty

Masetto still loves me

You will be a great lady

My soul weakens already

Oh, come

Oh, come

Let us go

Yes, hand and heart uniting

Each other's love requiting

Love will unite us

Love will unite us...

Love will unite us.

Good day, Madame! Good day, Madame! La-la-la!

I do not wish to continue my singing lessons.

Please, Father, let Monsieur Papin know my decision.

The Lord's paths also run across the rivers, my child.

Kindly give this to your guest.

Yes, sir.

Good-bye, my life Good-bye, my heart

Good-bye, my hopes.

Achille Papin took the first boat from Frederikshavn...

back to Paris.

That's the house over there.

Many years later...

one September night in 1 87 1.

Come inside.

" Dear ladies...

Do you remember me?

When I think of you...

I recall the perfume of wild lilies of the valley.

Could the memory of a Frenchman who is forever devoted to you...

move your hearts to save the life of a French woman?

The unfortunate bearer of this letter, Madame Babette Hersant...

like my beautiful Empress herself...

had to flee from Paris.

Civil war has been raging in our streets.

Madame Hersant's husband and son were killed like rats.

She, herself, narrowly escaped...

the blood-stained hands of General Galliffet.

She has lost everything and dares not to remain in France.

A nephew of hers works aboard a ship bound for Frederikshavn.

He has arranged a passage for her.

She asked whether I knew any generous people in Denmark.

This evoked my memories of you that I have cherished.

For 35 years, Miss Philippa...

I have deplored the fate that kept your voice...

from filling the Grand Opera House in Paris.

When I think of you honored, respected and surrounded...

by a warm and happy swarm of children...

and when I think of myself... a lonely, graying old man...

forgotten by those who once applauded and adored me...

I feel that it is you who chose the better path in life.

What is fame? The grave that awaits us all.

And yet, my beautiful soprano of the snows...

as I write this I feel the grave is not the end.

In Paradise I shall hear your voice again.

There you will forever be the great artist...

God intended you to be.

Oh, how you will enchant the angels.

Babette knows how to cook.

Ladies, please accept the humble homage of a friend...

who was once Achille Papin. "

Madame...

I am afraid that we cannot employ you.

We do not have sufficient income...

to allow us to engage...

such an experienced housekeeper.

But I only want to work for Monsieur Papin's friends.

I will work without wages.

If you won't let me serve you...

I will simply die.

No. Stay with us.

Stay.

- Let it soak. - Yes.

You must soak it.

Yes.

Let it soak.

Let it soak.

Cut slices.

Bread.

Bread.

Let it soak.

A little ale.

- A little ale. - Ale.

Through a sieve...

like this.

- Ale-bread. - Ale-bread.

That's right. Then it cooks for one hour.

- It must be cooked for one hour. - Cooked.

- Good morning, Mr. Larsen. - Good morning, Madame Babette.

- Onion. - Two onions.

Two onions.

- Sugar. - Sugar.

- 20 skillings. - 20 skillings?

Twenty.

20 skillings.

Thank you. Good day, Mr. Larsen.

Good-bye, Madame Babette.

Good-bye.

Here you are.

Thank you, Babette.

Amazing. Since Babette came, we have more money than before.

Babette had now worked for the minister's daughters...

for fourteen years.

- Not fresh. - Not fresh?

My fish are not fresh?

They were swimming two minutes ago!

- How much? - 30 skillings.

- Twenty. - Thirty.

- Thirty. - Forty.

Thirty.

All right. Give us your basket and take them away.

Many thanks!

Those two for 30?

No! That's enough!

These cost 50, and that's that.

- Good morning. - Good morning, Madame Babette.

I'd like a small piece of bacon.

The last one I had was rancid.

I can't understand that.

In the land where I was born

Don't you miss France?

My only link with France is a lottery ticket...

that a faithful friend in Paris renews for me every year.

Not much of a link.

Thank you very much. Good-bye.

Good-bye, Madame Babette.

She's a clever one.

Yes.

These sins of your youth will be forgiven, Christopher.

Christ loved us and cleansed us of our sins with His blood.

Hallelujah.

You who seek Christ...

turn your eyes on the vault of heaven.

There you will see the signs of His infinite kingdom...

the eternal light.

" For Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory...

forever and ever. Amen."

And thank You, Lord, for sending Babette to us.

She helps our little sisters so they can devote themselves...

to those most wretched in Thy little flock.

As the years went by the minister's disciples...

became somewhat testy and querulous.

Sometimes small schisms would erupt among the congregation.

Even though it was a long time ago, Solveig...

I remember very well how badly you once treated me.

You remember that I treated you badly.

Well, I remember how jealous you were.

You were anything but nice to my poor mother.

Now let us all sing "Thy kingdom come, O Lord."

My good Paul, you cheated me that time; I've always known it.

"Always known it." Ha!

You can't even remember what you had for supper yesterday.

I remember perfectly well. I always knew you robbed me.

Well, now! May we have some peace and quiet?

Do you think my dear husband will forgive me for deceiving him?

Yes.

We were so young.

That's no excuse.

I was married to him. You made me do it.

Yes.

- But you wanted to yourself. - You tempted me.

Will God forgive me?

Or will my soul be tormented for what we did?

Of course not. God forgives everything.

Doesn't He, Martina?

My dear brothers and sisters.

You know that December 1 5th is the hundredth anniversary...

of the birth of our dear father.

Philippa and I have long looked forward to this day.

We wish to celebrate it...

as if our father we're still with us.

My sister and I are much grieved...

over the intolerance and disagreements among us.

Please remember...

that peace and brotherhood should reign here.

I've seen through you, Christopher. You are a sly one.

Hallelujah!

That is all for today.

It's from France.

Come in.

It's for Madame Babette Hersant.

- Thank you. - It's from France.

Yes. Thank you.

It's for Babette.

There's a letter for you, Babette.

Thank you.

Dear God!

I've won in the lottery!

1 0,000 francs!

Congratulations.

Congratulations, Babette.

Thank you.

Well, it had to happen.

The Lord gave and...

the Lord took away.

- Thank you for helping me. - You're welcome.

May I ask a favor, ladies?

Of course, Babette.

Sit down, Babette.

I would like to prepare the celebration dinner...

for the minister's birthday by myself.

But dear Babette, we didn't intend to give a dinner party.

My sister and I were thinking of a modest supper...

followed by a cup of coffee.

You know we never offered our guests anything more than that.

I'd like to prepare a French dinner.

A French dinner?

Just this once, I beg you. A real French dinner.

A real French dinner.

All right, Babette.

We agree, Babette.

I would like to pay for the dinner with my own money.

No, Babette. No. That's out of the question.

- We could not accept that. - No, Babette. We couldn't allow that.

Ladies...

have I ever asked you for anything?

Hear my prayer today.

It comes from my heart.

Babette is right.

It's the first time she asks us for anything...

and it's probably the last.

So be it, Babette.

- We agree, Babette. - Thank you.

I'll have to ask for a few days off...

to give my nephew some instructions...

concerning the dinner.

Ah, yes, your nephew.

It was his boat that brought you from France to Frederikshavn.

- Take some time off. - Of course, Babette.

I thank you, ladies.

She'll be leaving us soon.

Her heart is already in France.

We mustn't neglect our old people...

when we'll have to manage by ourselves.

- She'll be back in a week. - Yes, but for how long?

Thank you, Johannes.

Welcome back, Babette. Did you have a good journey?

Very good, thank you.

Did you make your arrangements and meet your nephew?

Yes. Everything went well.

I gave my nephew a list of the goods...

he is to bring me from France.

Careful!

All right.

Martina, I am rather worried about this.

I am not too happy about this French dinner either.

My little quails!

There she is.

Praise the Lord!

All the goods arrived safely.

What goods, Babette?

The ingredients for the dinner. For the French dinner.

Surely that's not wine?

It's Clos de Vougeot 1 845...

from Chez Philippe, Rue Montorgeuil.

We had no bad intentions.

Philippa and I merely wanted to grant Babette's wish.

We had no idea where it might lead.

And now...

we have exposed ourselves...

to dangerous, or maybe even evil, powers.

I cannot even tell you what you may be served to eat and drink.

What will happen to us?

Lord, grant us Thy mercy.

Oh. Forgive me.

Don't cry, Martina.

If you only knew how often...

I think of my father now.

I feel he's looking down at me and is seeing his daughters...

use his home for a witches' sabbath!

We shall not say a word about either food or drink.

Hallelujah.

For the love of our little sisters...

we promise, no matter what happens...

not to say a single word about the food or the drinks.

Not one comment will pass our lips.

The tongue.

The tongue, this strange little muscle...

has accomplished great and glorious deeds for man.

But it is also the source of unleashed evil and deadly poison.

On the day when we solemnly pay homage to our great master...

we shall use our tongues for prayer...

in gratitude for all he meant to us.

The Lord be praised.

Grant us Thy salvation.

It will be as if we never had the sense of taste.

Jerusalem my heart's true home

Your name is forever dear to me

Your kindness is second to none

You keep us clothed and fed

Never would you give a stone

To the child who begs for bread

Here is a letter from Mrs. Lowenhielm.

Thank you. Get yourself some refreshments in the kitchen.

This is from Mrs. Lowenhielm.

She writes that she has an unexpected visit...

from her nephew, General Lorens Lowenhielm.

He has spoken of our father with admiration.

She asks if she may bring him with her this evening.

We have had a message from Mrs. Lowenhielm.

Her nephew, General Lorens Lowenhielm, will accompany her.

So we shall be twelve for dinner, not eleven.

The general is with the Royal Swedish Court.

During his youth he lived in Paris.

A general.

Do not worry. There will be plenty for everyone.

This is for the turtle soup.

It is?

Hold that end.

Is there anything you need, Babette?

No. Everything is ready.

The candles.

Vanity.

Vanity.

All...

is vanity.

I have found everything you dreamed of...

and satisfied your ambition.

But to what purpose?

Tonight we two shall settle our score.

You must prove to me that the choice I made was the right one.

God's will be done.

Good evening. Thank you, Philippa.

Come inside where it's warm.

They're here.

Jerusalem my heart's true home

Your name is forever dear to me

Your kindness is second to none

You keep us clothed and fed

Never would you give a stone

To the child who begs for bread

Could many years of victories...

result in defeat?

Well! Here comes the general.

And our dear old Mrs. Lowenhielm.

She is one of the faithful.

Welcome to you all.

It was so good of you to invite us.

Thank you for inviting me.

Thank you for coming such a long way.

Good evening, Mrs. Lowenhielm.

Good evening, dear sisters. Good evening, dear brothers.

Please sit down.

Good evening.

- Good evening. - Good evening.

Come inside where it's warm.

Thanks.

Now we're ready to serve.

Babette says dinner is served.

Let us take our places at the table.

Remember, we have lost our sense of taste.

Let us pray, using the minister's own words.

May the bread nourish my body.

May my body do my soul's bidding.

May my soul rise up to serve God eternally.

Amen.

- Not a word about the food. - Not a word.

Like the wedding at Cana...

the food is of no importance.

We won't even think about it.

Amazing!

An amontillado!

And the finest amontillado I have ever tasted!

This is quite definitely real turtle soup.

And what a turtle soup!

Now, Erik, the champagne. One glass per person.

And fill the general's glass whenever it is empty.

It must be some kind of lemonade.

This is good.

- Here you are, sir. - Thank you.

But that's Blinis Demidoff!

And this most certainly is Veuve Clicquot 1 860!

Uh, yes, uh... I am quite sure it will snow all day tomorrow.

I shall never forget my first meeting with the minister...

and the sermon he preached.

I was a depraved and quarrelsome person.

I have tried to become a good Christian.

Do you remember what he taught us?

" Little children, love one another."

Little children, love one another.

Friends, I can assure you the minister's collected sermons...

are among the favorite reading of Her Majesty, the Queen.

In the large glasses.

Carefully!

This is good.

This is good.

Remember the time...

indeed, it was almost a miracle...

when our minister had promised to conduct a Christmas sermon...

at the church across the fjord?

For two weeks the weather had been so bad...

that no captain or fisherman would risk the crossing.

The villagers had given up all hope.

The minister told them if no boat would take him...

he would walk across to them on the waves.

And behold, three days before Christmas the storm abated.

A cold spell set in and the fjord froze from shore to shore.

And this had never happened before in any man's memory.

One day in Paris, after I had won a riding competition...

my French fellow officers invited me out to dine...

at one of the finest restaurants, the Cafe Anglais.

The chef, surprisingly enough, was a woman.

We were served Cailles en Sarcophage...

a dish of her own creation.

General Galliffet, who was our host for the evening...

explained that this woman, this head chef...

had the ability...

to transform a dinner into a kind of love affair.

A love affair that made no distinction...

between bodily appetite and spiritual appetite.

General Galliffet said that in the past...

he had fought a duel for the love of a beautiful woman.

But now there was no woman in Paris...

for whom he would shed his blood... except for this chef.

She was considered the greatest culinary genius.

What we are now eating...

is nothing less than Cailles en Sarcophage.

Hallelujah.

But this really is a Caille en Sarcophage!

Yes. That it is.

Man shall not merely refrain from...

but also reject any thought of food and drink.

Only then can he eat and drink in the proper spirit.

As our minister always said:

" Dear brothers and sisters...

the only things we can take away from this Earthly life...

are those we have given away."

Our dear sisters will be rich in the next life.

Erik!

No, no, no.

A good meal, eh, Aunt?

Yes. The gale has died down.

Water in the small glasses.

Here you are, sir.

Did you see these beautiful grapes?

"And they came unto the valley of Eshcol...

and cut down a branch with a cluster of raisins.

And two of them bore it upon a staff."

Mercy and truth have met together.

Righteousness and bliss shall kiss one another.

Man, in his weakness and shortsightedness...

believes he must make choices in this life.

He trembles at the risks he takes.

We do know fear.

But no.

Our choice is of no importance.

There comes a time when your eyes are opened.

And we come to realize...

that mercy is infinite.

We need only await it with confidence...

and receive it with gratitude.

Mercy imposes no conditions.

And, lo!

Everything we have chosen...

has been granted to us.

And everything...

we rejected...

has also been granted.

Yes, we even get back what we rejected.

For mercy and truth are met together.

And righteousness and bliss...

shall kiss one another.

Here you are, sir.

You rascal! You did cheat me with that timber you sold me!

Yes, dear brother. I cheated you more than you realized.

I knew.

But I played a trick on you, and you never knew.

Then I deserved it.

Is there more of the Clos de Vougeot, my lad?

Can the general have more CloJouvo?

Erik, leave the bottle in there.

After the coffee, in the small glasses.

And light the candles in the sitting room.

"Vie... ux... marc... fine... champagne."

May this meal have pleased you.

Thank you. Thank you.

God bless you, dear Solveig.

God bless you too, dear Anna.

God bless you, Christopher.

My brother!

Oh, watch the day once again hurry off

And the sun bathe itself in water

The time for us to rest approaches

O God, Who dwelleth in heavenly light

Who reigns above in heaven's hall

Be for us our infinite Light in the valley of night

The sand in our hourglass will soon run out

The day is conquered by the night

The glories of the world are ending

So brief their day So swift their flight

God, let Thy brightness ever shine

Admit us Thy mercy divine

Lorens.

It is time for us to go home.

The general and his aunt are about to leave.

- Thank you for the nice evening. - Thanks for your help.

I thank you.

I have been with you...

every day of my life.

Tell me you know that.

Yes, I know it.

You must also know that I shall be with you...

every day that is granted to me from now on.

Every evening I shall sit down to dine with you.

Not with my body, which is of no importance...

but with my soul.

Because this evening I have learned, my dear...

that in this beautiful world of ours...

all things are possible.

The clock strikes and time goes by

Eternity is nigh

Let us use this time to try

To serve the Lord with heart and mind

So that our true home we shall find

So that our true home we shall find

The stars have moved closer.

Perhaps they move closer every night.

Perhaps there will be no snow this year.

Hallelujah.

Oh, that was indeed a very good dinner.

They all thought it was a very good dinner.

At one time I was the head chef at the Cafe Anglais.

We shall all remember this evening...

when you are back in Paris.

I'm not going back to Paris.

You're not going back to Paris?

There's no one waiting for me there.

They're all dead.

And I have no money.

No money?

But the 1 0,000 francs?

All spent.

1 0,000 francs?

Dinner for twelve at the Cafe Anglais costs 1 0,000 francs.

But dear Babette...

you should not have given all you owned for us.

It was not just for you.

Now you'll be poor the rest of your life.

An artist is never poor.

Did you prepare that sort of dinner at the Cafe Anglais?

I was able to make them happy.

When I gave of my very best. Papin knew that.

Achille Papin?

Yes.

He said:

"Throughout the world sounds one long cry from the heart of the artist:

Give me the chance to do my very best."

But this is not the end, Babette.

I'm certain it is not.

In Paradise...

you will be the great artist...

that God meant you to be.

Ah, how you will delight the angels!

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