Babe (1995)

I saw the Blu-ray of Babe on a library shelf a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t help saying “awwww”.  Fortunately, all of my colleagues know I seldom contain my enthusiasm when I really like something, so my little outburst of nostalgia went relatively unnoticed.  I have great memories of watching this movie with my kids when they were younger. 

Babe is a wonderful movie about an orphaned pig who moves to Farmer Hoggins’ Australian sheep farm.  When Fly, a border collie, must give up her pups, Babe becomes her surrogate child.  As the film progresses, Babe aspires to be a sheepdog under the wise tutelage of Farmer Hoggins and Fly.    Assorted shenanigans and a crisis on the farm serve as obstacles to overcome, and Babe triumphs.  The director used some superbly trained animals, with a few exceptions. It’s pretty amazing.  I won’t give away the story, but it’s witty and touching and entertaining to both children and adults – a G rated gem.

The movie received considerable acclaim from critics.  Babe won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and James Cromwell’s perfectly understated portrayal of the farmer earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.  It was nominated for a total of seven Academy Awards, including best picture, best director, and best screenplay.  Babe is available on DVD and Blu-ray through the Metro Library Network.