Babe (1995)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Chris Noonan

Writers:

Dick King-Smith (novel)
George Miller (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

4 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

A little pig goes a long way.

Plot:

Babe, a pig raised by sheepdogs, learns to herd sheep with a little help from Farmer Hoggett.

Plot Keywords:

Pig | Farmer | Sheep | Sheepdog | Dog

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 17 wins & 17 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. July 9	4:30 PM	HBO
Tue. July 14	9:30 AM	HBO

Cast

Christine Cavanaugh	...	Babe the Gallant Pig (voice)
Miriam Margolyes	...	Fly the Female Sheepdog (voice)
Danny Mann	...	Ferdinand the Duck (voice)
Hugo Weaving	...	Rex the Male Sheepdog (voice)
Miriam Flynn	...	Maa the Very Old Ewe (voice)
Russi Taylor	...	Dutchess the Cat (voice) (as Russie Taylor)
Evelyn Krape	...	Old Ewe (voice)
Michael Edward-Stevens	...	Horse (voice)
Charles Bartlett	...	Cow (voice)
Paul Livingston	...	Rooster in Stall (voice)
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Narrator (voice)
James Cromwell	...	Farmer Arthur Hoggett
Magda Szubanski	...	Mrs. Esme Hoggett
Zoe Burton	...	Daughter
Paul Goddard	...	Son-in-Law

Also Known As:

Babe, the Gallant Pig

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Canada:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Hong Kong:I | Iceland:L | Malaysia:(Banned) | Netherlands:AL | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:G (certificate #33880) | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Country, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Kennedy Miller Productions

Trivia:

The talking pig is a combination of 48 real Yorkshire pigs plus an animatronic double. A makeup artist added toupee and eyelashes to each, and computer digitization manipulated pictures of the snout to make the pig appear to talk.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of Babe's competition, Farmer Hogget removes the leash which then reappears and disappears in subsequent shots.

Quotes:

Old Ewe: We've got something here that might be of use to our pig.
Sheep, Sheep, Sheep: Password! Password!
Old Ewe: Before we gives you anything, wolf, you'll be making us a solemn, promise.
Rex the Male Sheepdog: Yes?
Sheep: Treat us civil!
Old Ewe: Yes, you gotta treat us nice-like.
Rex the Male Sheepdog: I'll try.
Sheep: No biting!
Old Ewe: That's right, wolf must avoid biting us sheep at all costs.
Rex the Male Sheepdog: Alright, I'll try that too. I'll try.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "South Park: An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig (#1.5)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Cantique de Jean Racine

Positively Sublime

An extremely quirky film that you won't mind watching with the kids. Not full of sappy platitudes, this strange little tale of a pig that wants to be a sheep dog is extremely effective in it's message without hitting you in the head with it. No doubt because it wasn't made in Hollywood... we Americans have never been good at telling children's stories without being condescending and heavy-handed with the moral message.

The story takes place in some fairy tale amalgam of all the rural cultures of the English-speaking world - Sometimes it seems like England, other times Kansas, Australia, New Zealand, it's really never anywhere particular. The acting is superb, the animatronics are unrecognizable as such, and James Cromwell is superb as the taciturn farmer willing to give the little pig a chance.