THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 9, 1995 TAG: 9508090037
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
``BABE,'' THE story of a little pig who goes a long way, foregoes the usual cuteness in favor of level-headed story-telling. It is a surprise summer hit that brings home the bacon amid a rash of so-called ``family'' movies that have only delivered the obvious.
Babe is a piglet, the runt of a large white Yorkshire litter, who sees her family hauled off to somewhere she perceives as ``pig heaven.'' They never come back. Of course, we know it's the slaughter house, but we aren't slugged more than once with the idea. It is to ``Babe's'' credit that it makes its points with something approaching subtlety.
Narrator Roscoe Lee Browne informs us that ``a faint sense of common destiny'' passes through the barnyard.
Babe is adopted by Fly, a border collie, even though Rex, Fly's all-ruling mate, doesn't quite approve. Rex rules the barnyard and encourages the animals to stay in their place and not disturb ``the way things are.''
Maa, the mother sheep, gives the piglet friendly advice. Ferdinand, a wisecracking goose, tries to stay off the Christmas table.
And, yes, they all talk. In fact, they gobble away.
The novelty of the talking animals wears off fairly quickly. After all, we saw both Francis, the talking mule, and Mr. Ed do their stuff. And the barnyard animals don't have expressive faces. They have lips that move and expressive voices, but they aren't going to win Oscars.
Fly and Rex encourage Babe to ``keep the sheep in their place'' by biting and herding them. Instead, Babe uses kindness.
There are lessons here about being an individual and going your own way.
The barnyard itself is a land of partial make-believe with James Cromwell as Farmer Hogget. (For once, refreshingly, here is a children's movie that doesn't feel it is necessary to have a cloying child actor become the companion of the star animal, as if grown-ups didn't exist.) Farmer Hogget is something of a kook; it is he who sees the possibilities in Babe.
Miriam Margolyes, who should have received a supporting actress Oscar nomination for ``The Age of Innocence,'' is the voice of Fly. Christine Cavanaugh brings an innocence and wonder to the voice of Babe.
For comic relief, there is a trio of mice who sing things like ``Blue Moon'' and the toreador aria from Bizet's ``Carmen'' between scenes.
The film, co-written by the same George Miller who created ``Mad Max,'' attempts to emulate the style of silent films, with title cards identifying different segments.
The Australian film has some 48 fast-growing piglets portraying Babe. The animatronics (used for many of the sheep scenes) are more obvious than they should be. Still, we are ready to cheer Babe and her dream of becoming a sheep dog. She's the little pig that could.
This little pig is going to bring home a hit. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
James Cromwell stars in ``Babe,'' the story of a pig that wants to
be a dog.
Photo
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Babe adores her adopted mother, Fly, a sheepdog.
Graphic
``BABE''
Rated: G
Starring:
James Cromwell
Mal's rating: Three stars
by CNB