Age Recommendation: The movie is rated G, but the death of a sheep might bother younger children
I turned 11 years old in 1995. I consider that to be my last year of childhood, and one of the last movies to “define my childhood” was Babe. My mother took me to see it at the theaters and we both loved it. As I got into my teenage years, my love waned a little. Watching it just recently, however, brought me to the verge of happy tears. That is a testament to this movie’s timelessness, appealing to children and adults alike for over 30 years.
Babe is the first live-action film that convincingly showed animals talking. This was achieved seamlessly with real animals, animatronics, and CGI. These groundbreaking effects earned an Oscar, but the movie never calls attention to it. I also adore the cinematography by Andrew Lesnie1. The shot below might be my favorite. It’s disappointing that out of the 7 categories this film was nominated for (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay), cinematography wasn’t one of them.
In addition to the visuals, the audio contributes to the atmosphere. Right from the beginning, we are drawn into a storybook world with the enchanting theme music over the opening credits, the song “If I Had Words” (adapted from a movement in “Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78” by Camille Saint-Saëns, which I didn’t even know about until several years after seeing the movie; to me, it was just the “Babe music”). It’s used throughout the film, most notably when Farmer Hoggett joyfully sings the words then spontaneously does an Irish jig for his beloved pig, and at the triumphant ending. The refined narration by Roscoe Lee Browne, quoted above, sets the main theme: a little pig named Babe (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) transforms those around him through his sheer goodness. He’s the only one in his litter who says good-bye to their mother, momentarily separating himself from his siblings and thus getting picked up to be taken to the fair (escaping the inevitable fate of the other pigs to the meat factory).
He’s won by Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) who, despite his funny name, ironically doesn’t have any pigs on his farm. Even though the film takes place in contemporary times (the 1990s), Hoggett’s farm is a serenely old-fashioned environment, adding to the timeless quality of the movie. Babe meets the sheepdog Fly (voiced by Miriam Margoyles), who bluntly regards sheep and pigs to be stupid (studies have shown that pigs are at least as smart as dogs), but still kindly looks after him. An old sheep tells Babe that all “wolves,” including Fly, are mean and cruel, but he makes a decision to disregard it. As the narrator tells us: “...the pig promised himself that he would never think badly of any creature ever again.” He chooses to keep his heart pure, not allowing the cynicism and negativity of the world to gain a foothold. After Fly’s puppies are sold, he asks her if he could call her “Mom” to make her feel better.
After alarming Farmer Hoggett about some men stealing the sheep, Babe is trained to be a “sheep-pig.” This draws the ire of Fly’s stern mate, Rex (voiced by Hugo Weaving; yes, Agent Smith from The Matrix), who was supposed to be a sheepdog champion until he lost most of his hearing. Even though he escalates into violence, Rex is not a villain. (The closest thing this film has to a villain is the household cat. As a cat lover, I appreciate the narrator stating that there are plenty of perfectly fine cats out there.) Rex eventually opens his mind and heart, giving Babe critical assistance at the end. Contrary to the dogs’ methods, Babe learns that the best way to herd sheep is to stay true to his good nature, treating the sheep with kindness and talking to them politely. Ultimately, Babe’s disposition breaks the norms and helps break the barriers between the different types of animals. He even influences the people too. The film recognizes hardships and tragedy, but the outlook overall remains positive.
There are many delightful characters throughout the movie, like the singing mice trio and Ferdinand (voiced by Danny Mann), the “odd duck” that I have always been fond of. There’s also Mrs. Hoggett played by Magda Szubanski, whose single greatest acting moment is when her character realizes that her unusual husband has submitted a pig to a sheepdog contest. Her various reactions, evolving from despair into joy, are priceless (not to mention hilarious). Speaking of which, Farmer Hoggett would be my favorite. James Cromwell gives a warm, understated performance, which rightfully earned him an Oscar nomination. He is a good man who’s honest and goes to church, but let’s face it: Hoggett is also kind of a strange man. Even the animals look at him funny after his aforementioned dance. However, he’s strange in such a gentle, unassuming way that it makes him completely endearing. That makes his long walk from the stands to the field of the competition, as all the spectators laugh at him, almost painful to watch. It also makes Babe’s final victory into a rapturous moment when those same spectators immediately cheer. The narrator ends with these words:
“And though every single human in the stands or in the commentary boxes was at a complete loss for words, the man who in his life had uttered fewer words than any of them, knew exactly what to say.”
Farmer Hoggett: “That’ll do, Pig. That’ll do.”
Editor’s Note: Lesnie also shot The Lord of the Rings!
Re: The Editor's Note
I knew Lesnie's name was familiar but I didn't look up his filmography. Thanks for pointing that out. He later won his Oscar for The Fellowship of the Ring. That also reminds me that Rex's voice, Hugo Weaving, played Elrond in those films. The characters have similar attitudes but then change their minds.
Rex: You're just a pig. You can't be a sheepdog.
Elrond: You're just a human. You can't be with my elf-daughter.