This past rainy Sunday afternoon my family watched the movie Babe, which I don’t think my husband and I had seen since it premiered in 1995; our boys saw it for the first time. Babe did not disappoint either audience. I am happy to say that the combined use of real animals and animation stands the test of sixteen years; the entire talking barnyard is still delightfully convincing. You may recall that the film was a critical and commercial success; it was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and it won the Oscar that year for Best Visual Effects. It also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical). I loved the timeless, fable-like quality of the set and the direction. The boys and I have read some of the other endearing animal tales by Dick King-Smith, upon whose Babe: The Gallant Pig the movie is based.

You probably remember the story of the young, orphaned, naïve pig, who finds himself alone at Mr. Hoggett’s farm. The resident border collie Fly soon takes him under her wing. As Babe’s unusual sensitivities and talents reveal themselves, Farmer Hoggett forgives the trouble the piglet sometimes finds himself in. Babe warns the farmer of sheep thieves on Christmas Day and saves much of Mr. Hoggett’s flock. Simultaneously, Babe’s abilities force his barnyard companions to reevaluate their own roles on the farm. (The house cat is of course the only one who does not come around.) When Mr. Hoggett assumes that Babe, when found with blood on his snout, is responsible for the killing of the matron of his flock, Fly the dog is motivated to speak to the sheep directly for the first time; only with their help is she able to save Babe from Mr. Hoggett’s shotgun.

Eventually Babe is allowed to work the sheep. Unbeknownst to Mr. Hoggett, they have taught Babe simply to ask them  politely to move, rather than herd them aggressively like the dogs, whom they refer to as wolves, do. Babe learns the valuable lesson that a little respect goes a long way.

Randy and I were particularly envious when Babe convinces the sheep that their worming medicine is not worth fighting. The ewes march one by one to the waiting farmer for their drench. Let me assure you that it has never been that easy to administer medication at Sharon Valley Shepherds!

At the film’s climax Babe astounds the flabbergasted audience at the National Sheep Dog Trials with his ability to herd sheep he has never seen before. Mr. Hoggett’s animals band together to save their master’s face: realizing that these strange sheep will not respond to a pig, the old dog Rex races home to get the secret password from the flock. For the first time he too speaks to the sheep, who eventually confide the secret ovine language. Rex races back to Babe, who then earns the reverence of the six ewes: they follow his polite requests to the finish. Babe and Farmer Hoggett earn the national title with perfect scores. The credits role, reassuring the audience that Babe has been saved from the dinner table.

That evening I eagerly headed to the barn for our evening chores. As I put out some hay as a treat, I tried the password once, and then again. Although I thought I saw a look of recognition in my old ewe Theo’s eyes, she didn’t say a word. I do think that Roland the Donkey clearly speaks the sheep’s language. They await his every command, often not venturing out of the paddock in the morning until he leads them.

The four members of our household all gleaned different messages from Babe. One said that the movie was about carnivores; another said that he did not want to eat his favorite bacon any more. The boys agreed that the movie was about a little pig, who went on big adventures and did great things. For me the film is about going against the grain and respecting on another. We can all go a long way, if we refuse to believe in stereotypes.

“Baa-ram-ewe. Baa-ram-ewe. To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true. Sheep be true. Baa-ram-ewe.”

Neither beast nor man has spoken truer words.

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