---
title: "Babe"
year: 1995
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/babe"
fi1m_id: "babe"
imdb_id: "tt0112431"
tmdb_id: 9598
wikidata_id: "Q720724"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 10
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:57.656808+00:00"
region: "PE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Babe (1995)

Directed by Chris Noonan · 1h 32m · Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Family

## Identity

Babe

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/babe
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** babe
- **IMDb ID:** tt0112431
- **TMDB ID:** 9598
- **Wikidata ID:** Q720724
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112431/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/9598, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q720724

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 82 from 10 reviews

*In a sentence:* A pig asks nicely, and suddenly everyone else’s management style looks rather suspect

> *Babe* is a funny, tender family film that takes its animals seriously without asking us to stop laughing at them. Chris Noonan earns the sentiment, though Nigel Westlake’s music occasionally insists on more than we need.

## Synopsis

Babe (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) is a piglet trying to find a place among the animals of a farmyard. Alongside Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) and Esme Hoggett (Magda Szubanski), the cast includes Miriam Margolyes as the voice of Fly, Hugo Weaving as Rex and Danny Mann as Ferdinand. Faced with firm ideas about what a pig can and cannot do, Babe approaches the other animals with politeness rather than force. His efforts to work with sheep challenge the farm’s expectations, where each creature’s upbringing helps determine how it behaves and what it expects of the others.

## Review

We recommend *Babe* warmly: it is funny about animals and unusually thoughtful about the ways they are taught to behave. Director Chris Noonan and his fellow screenwriter George Miller build a farmyard comedy around a piglet whose politeness challenges assumptions about what he is for. The idea is easy to understand, but Noonan finds enough differences among the animals to keep it interesting. Their upbringing matters to the story, including that of the creatures whose rules get in Babe’s way.

Christine Cavanaugh gives Babe a voice we can believe belongs to someone still learning how things work. His courtesy could easily become a tiresome lesson for children; her delivery makes it sound like a sincere attempt to understand whoever is in front of him. We were moved by that politeness. The piglet keeps treating the other animals as worth listening to, even when their expectations leave little room for him. Cavanaugh lets that decency sound ordinary, which is harder than making it adorable.

James Cromwell’s Farmer Hoggett is just as important to the film’s credibility. His quiet performance is a useful restraint in a film whose animal cast has so much to say. Miriam Margolyes as Fly, Hugo Weaving as Rex and Danny Mann as Ferdinand give the farmyard a pleasing variety of voices, rather than competing to be the funniest noise. We can recognise different temperaments without feeling that every creature has been assigned a single joke.

The mixture of live animals and animatronic doubles is persuasive because it does not demand to be noticed. Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie gives the livestock the attention usually reserved for human actors, and the animals remain interesting to watch even when they are not speaking. Roger Ford’s production design gives the farmyard the inviting orderliness of a picture book, which makes the animals’ fixed ideas about their allotted jobs feel quite at home there. The setting helps us understand why they expect everyone to stay in their place.

Editors Marcus D’Arcy and Jay Friedkin make the conversations feel like exchanges, with room for us to register a response before the next voice takes over. Their comic timing helps the effects disappear into the performances. At 92 minutes, the film has time for separate personalities without letting the farmyard become a procession of comic turns. Noonan keeps our attention on how these creatures understand one another, and on the trouble that follows when they assume too much.

Nigel Westlake’s score is the reservation. Its encouragement can grow so emphatic that it starts doing a job the performances have already done, and we occasionally wanted it to leave the pig alone. A quieter score would have let Cavanaugh’s small, courteous voice do more of the work. Noonan’s light touch elsewhere makes this easier to notice, though it never overwhelms the humour or our interest in the animals.

What we value in a family fable is the willingness to let children recognise unfairness without explaining every last bit of it to them. *Babe* does that, and its interest in manners never makes it priggish. The humour gives adults something to enjoy alongside the lesson, without requiring a separate set of knowing jokes. If a talking pig sounds too sweet for the evening, give this one the chance to speak.

*Fi1m score 88, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics are won over by Babe, and several sound surprised to be. Nine of the ten reviews are positive, and the praise gathers around the same two things: the way real livestock and animatronic doubles are cut together so that you stop looking for the join, and a script that treats its audience as adults. Several critics note that the story grows out of the animals’ characters rather than manufactured drama, and that the piglet wins by good manners rather than force. Chris Noonan’s direction, on his first feature, gets particular credit for keeping the effects in service of the story.

The reservations are few and specific. The New York Times finds the Rocky-style soundtrack overbearing. The one mixed notice, from The Guardian writing thirty years on, thinks the effects now look their age and the script wants zip, though it still calls the film a pleasant visit. That is as wide as the spread gets.

## Straight answers

**Is Babe worth watching?**

*Babe* is worth watching for almost anyone willing to sit through a family film about a polite piglet, and we scored it 88. It is funny about its farmyard and unusually thoughtful about how animals are taught to behave, with James Cromwell's quiet farmer keeping the sentiment honest. Our one reservation is Nigel Westlake's score, which sometimes insists on feelings the performances have already earned.

**How long is Babe, and what is it rated?**

*Babe* runs 1h 32m. It is a fantasy and drama film.

**Where can I watch Babe in Peru?**

*Babe* is streaming on Disney+ and Netflix in Peru. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Babe compare to My Neighbor Totoro?**

*Babe* and [*My Neighbor Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) are both patient, funny films about creatures and the young, and we recommend them side by side. *Babe* is the busier and more talkative of the two, a farmyard comedy with a clear point about manners, where *My Neighbor Totoro* moves more slowly and trusts wonder to arrive without explanation. Children who like a story with a lesson will take to the pig; those who prefer to look and wander will prefer Miyazaki.

**What should I watch after Babe?**

After *Babe*, try [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): Patient attention to childhood and creatures makes room for wonder without fuss. Then [*Paddington*](https://film.one/film/paddington) (2014, Fi1m 84): Another courteous outsider discovers how much trouble good intentions can cause; and [*The Iron Giant*](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant) (1999, Fi1m 88): A misunderstood outsider gives another family film good reason to argue for kindness.

### Reviews we read (10)

- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the farmyard adventure wildly hilarious and captivating despite its twee premise. They single out the meticulous blending of real livestock with animatronic doubles and the witty, delightful direction by first-time feature filmmaker Chris Noonan. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/babe-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a genuine sleeper and unanticipated treat that fulfills its modest aims with charming, carefree antics and beautifully effective effects that serve the story without drawing attention to themselves. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-04-ca-31488-story.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's charm, wit, and refusal to condescend to its audience, highlighting how it develops a story based on the animals' characters and upbringing rather than contrived melodrama. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/babe-1995)
- **The New Yorker**, Terrence Rafferty (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a lovely, stubbornly idiosyncratic fable of aspiration and survival that is much funnier and cannier than recent movies about human relationships. He singles out its refusal to live down to low expectations as a virtue embodied in the story of the piglet who wants to be a sheepdog. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1995/09/04/pet-sounds)
- **Variety**, Leonard Klady (85/100, inferred): The critic describes it as a dazzling family entertainment with enormous charm that utilizes breathtaking technical innovation and should win over big audiences. He singles out the unself-conscious approach of relaying events from the animals' perspective through animatronic wizardry and voiceovers. [Read](https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/babe-1200442122/)
- **Radio Times**, John Ferguson (4/5): This family comedy enchanted millions and converts children to vegetarianism with its magical mix of live action and animatronics. It is a delight from start to finish that captivates children and adults alike. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-s1d2ye/babe/)
- **Time Out**, BC (80/100, inferred): The merits of Babe lie in its source material, with the piglet succeeding through politeness rather than force in the sheep trials. It is charming, eccentric and very amusing. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/babe)
- **The New York Times**, Stephen Holden (70/100, inferred): The review finds the Australian children's film endearing for its light touch on a fable about individualism and conformity, while noting the seamless effects and imaginative voice casting, but criticizes the overbearing 'Rocky'-style soundtrack. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/04/movies/film-review-a-feisty-pig-with-aspirations-beyond-the-sty.html)
- **The Guardian** (60/100, inferred): The critic views Babe as a quaintly comfortable but dated relic of its time, a strange anti-Orwell farmyard tale whose antique effects and uncanny visuals feel of their era yet still offer a pleasant visit. It praises the Oscar-winning mix of animatronics, real animals and cinematography while noting the script lacks zip and the story's oddities. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/apr/10/babe-review-tale-of-the-talking-sheep-pig-a-charming-relic-of-its-time)
- **Collider**, Gregory Lawrence (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Babe a sumptuous, gentle, quiet and heartfelt classic. They single out its exquisite mix of real animals, Henson creature work and subtle effects that create an immersive world of talking animals with mythic pastoral visuals and a stirring score. [Read](https://collider.com/why-babe-is-a-perfect-movie/)

## Details

- **Director:** Chris Noonan
- **Director:** Chris Noonan
- **Screenplay:** Chris Noonan, George Miller
- **Cinematography:** Andrew Lesnie
- **Editor:** Marcus D'Arcy, Jay Friedkin
- **Music:** Nigel Westlake
- **Production design:** Roger Ford
- **Costume design:** Roger Ford
- **Producer:** George Miller, Bill Miller, Doug Mitchell
- **Cast:** Christine Cavanaugh as Babe (voice); Miriam Margolyes as Fly (voice); Danny Mann as Ferdinand (voice); Hugo Weaving as Rex (voice); Miriam Flynn as Maa (voice); James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett; Magda Szubanski as Esme Hoggett; Russi Taylor as Cat (voice)
- **Runtime:** 1h 32m
- **First release (Denmark):** 18 July 1995
- **Genres:** Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Family
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1995); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1995); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Winner, 1995)
- **Budget:** $30 million
- **Box office:** $254 million

## Where to watch in Peru

- Disney+: streaming, hd
- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-13.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1996: Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated); Best Visual Effects (won)
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film 1995: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film (won)

## If you liked this

- *Fly Away Home* (1996): Practical care for animals gives this family story its quiet emotional pull.
- *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: Patient attention to childhood and creatures makes room for wonder without fuss. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md)
- *The Red Balloon* (1956): A child’s attachment to an unlikely companion, told with patience and feeling.
- *Paddington* (2014), Fi1m 84: Another courteous outsider discovers how much trouble good intentions can cause. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington.md)
- *The Iron Giant* (1999), Fi1m 88: A misunderstood outsider gives another family film good reason to argue for kindness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-iron-giant.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/babe