- Film Review
- Reviewed By John Ferguson
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4 out of 5
This Australian family comedy, based on Dick King-Smith's book The Sheep-Pig, came out of nowhere to enchant millions around the world, converting many small children to vegetarianism in the process. The "babe" of the title is an orphaned piglet adopted by a family of Border collies who learns how to handle sheep under the patient training of soft-hearted farmer James Cromwell. The mixture of live action and animatronics brings the animals magically to life (the film won an Oscar for visual effects) and their voices are adeptly handled by Christine Cavanaugh (of Rugrats fame), Hugo Weaving and Miriam Margolyes. It's a delight from start to finish that will captivate children and melt the heart of even the grumpiest adult.
Plot Summary
Fantasy comedy starring James Cromwell. Babe, an orphaned pig, is raised on a farm by the sheepdog Fly. Although he is destined for the dinner table, Babe astonishes Farmer Hoggett and his fellow farmyard animals when he shows talent as a "sheep-pig".
Cast and crew
Cast
- Farmer Arthur Hoggett
- James Cromwell
- Esme Hoggett
- Magda Szubanski
- Babe
- Christine Cavanaugh
- Fly
- Miriam Margolyes
- Ferdinand
- Danny Mann
- Rex
- Hugo Weaving
- Maa
- Miriam Flynn
- Cat
- Russie Taylor
- Old Ewe
- Evelyn Krape
- Horse
- Michael Edward-Stevens
- Cow
- Charles Bartlett
- Rooster
- Paul Livingston
- Narrator
- Roscoe Lee Browne
Crew
- Director
- Chris Noonan
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