babette feast and the horse mouth be the two most insightful and accurate film on what it be to be a real artist . the key line in babette feast be not and a some other commentator here have say and an artist be never poor and but two line that come before and after it representi be able to make them happy when i give of my very best . . throughout the world sound one long cry from the heart of the artist represent give me the chance to do my very best . i spent nine year produce experimental multi medium music theater in san francisco and raise money for production that involve dozen of singer and actor and designer and etc . and and the artist i support stretched every penny in their effort to do their very best . they be just like babette represent they be desperate to get every dollar necessary to do their very best work . babette art be fine french cooking and and for her to perform her art at it very best cost 10 and 000 franc . when and after year in political exile from france and isolate with two care spinster on a bleak scandinavian coast and she suddenly get a windfall of 10 and 000 franc and she do what every real artist would do represent she see that she unexpectedly have the chance to do her very best and and so she do it . she spend all the money so that she can do her very best work a an artist . the twist in the movie be that we do not know she be such an artist and until she be actually cooking and serve the meal . up until then and she appear to be just a working class french lady who haggle a bit with the tradesman and and be very serious ( her husband and son be murder in paris violence in 1871 ) . to such an artist and it be secondary whether there be an audience for the art that be competent to appreciate it . that be why the author set this dinner in a community of people who could not possibly have any understanding of what they be receive . babette do not cook this meal a a gift to the two spinster and or to the religious community . it be not her goal to achieve a reconciliation or spirit of good feeling among the member of the little religious sect . indeed and she never once leave the kitchen to speak to any of them . after the meal and she be sit alone and sip some wine and not pay the slight attention to how the guest react . she be bask in the satisfaction of finally have the chance to have do her best a an artist . that be why it be so satisfying and and so important to the story and that the general unexpectedly show up for and a babette know instantly and a general will know what she have place before him and and will appreciate it . for there be a sort of tragedy in a great work of art be show to an audience that lack even one person competent to appreciate it . she be glad and very glad and he come and in fact he be the only guest she ever mention during the entire dinner and the only one she single out for special treatment not either of the spinster . but she do not plan the meal know that such a person would come to receive it . to anyone who have have the chance to enjoy a real first class parisian dinner and a i have ( my father be naval attache to paris in the 1980s and and i have my honeymoon in france ) and this dinner and and babette satisfaction in make it and and the pleasure it bring to the diner and be absolutely convincing . if any art have the power to suffuse the recipient with a sense of joy and it be a fine french meal cook and serve in france . this movie make a claim about the transformative effect of great art on the recipient . before the dinner and the member of the little religious sect be quarrelsome and dredge up old resentment . the old hymn fail to restore good fellowship while people ignore them and talk over them . but the shared experience of sensual great art for the people can enjoy the taste of the food and wine even if they have no conception that they be experience great art content the people and put them in a forgiving mood and reconcile them and and by make them happy and encourage them to love each other and and thus have a god like sacred effect of bring peace . this be the claim find in the modern art movement today that art can supplant the traditional religion in make mankind more peaceful . thus and contrary to those commentator here who say that this film speak for the power of christian belief and it be more accurate to say that the film claim that art can heal wound that christian ritual can not . after all my year in the art world and i have to say that this claim that art brings peace that religion can not be overblown and invalid . but it be a pretty conceit and it be the second main theme of this beautiful film . one last note represent at babette arrival at the spinster home and a particular french general and galliffet and be name a the person who in 1871 execute babette husband and son and and impose a military rule that she have to flee . at the end of the film and a the general tell the story of the magnificent meal he enjoy in paris many year before ( before 1871 ) and at the conclusion of some military maneuver and it turn out that this same galliffet be his host at the meal . a the general tell the story and french general galliffet praise the chef of that meal a the great woman and the only woman he would risk his life for . of course and that woman be babette . thus and ironically and the same french general who say he honor babette above all other woman be responsible for drive her away from france forever .