DVD Review: Babe (pig, dogs, sheep, sweet story about cooperation)

DVD Review:  Babe with James Cromwell (Universal Pictures, 1995, G, 92 minutes) (view the trailer here)

A Pig Plus a Slew of Dogs!

In the manner of everyone’s favorite - Charlotte’s Web - Babe is a modern-day classic fairy tale, filmed in Australia but probably meant to depict England in the late 30s or 40s.

And, of course, there are dogs in Babe or you wouldn’t see the review here on DogEvals! There are six adorable plump and klutzy little border collie pups, plus wise and comforting border collie mom Fly, and former champion border collie dad Rex who is a bit hard of hearing – and gruff – and all the barnyard animals who talk so realistically (for those of you who don’t like talking animals).

Mom and Babe in Conversation

Another ‘mom’ is a sheep – for our little orphan pig, Babe, who came to live with the Hoggetts because Farmer H won him by guessing his weight and because they decided to have duck a l’orange instead of ham for Christmas dinner. Whew! Does that make sense? (It will if you are a kid.)

Of course, we have all the dogs competing in the sheepdog competition and the three little field mice who introduce each chapter by ‘singing.’

Babe Turned ‘Ham’ into ‘Champ’

Tall, tall farmer Hoggett (who has to stoop going through doorways) shares the limelight with Babe. Both are entirely delightful – one, quiet and shy, and the other just learning about the world.

A warm and wise narrator plus the sweet little voice of the charming and gifted pig Babe carry the story from barnyard to sheepdog competition and from finally wrangling a waiver to compete to overcoming being the laughing stock of the sheepdog world and being honored with a Welcome Home Champ parade.

The entire viewing is hilariously tense, however. Fun for the whole family.

The Crux of the Plot

The lesson of sweet Babe is that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar (translation: you herd sheep better with sweet polite talk than with nipping and commands). And you can’t even tell the real sheep and horses and chickens from the puppet sheep and horses and chickens!

Your family will want to watch Babe at least once a year.

Next: Babe – Pig in the City wherein it is the farmer’s plump little wife who takes over the pig in the city