Instead, Babe is trained to be a sheep herder, thanks to help from his doggie adoptive mother Fly (Miram Margolyes), and from Maa (Miriam Flynn), an elderly sheep. Suspense is created by villains who would like to see Babe fail. These include Rex (Hugo Weaving), the jealous doggie husband of Fly, and Dutchess (Russi Taylor), a spoiled and spiteful housecat.
How others will see it. Babe was a critical and commercial success. Most regard is an engaging but minor family film, ignoring its messages but appreciating its sweetness. Universal duly followed up on their surprise hit with a sequel, Babe: Pig in the City, that became one of the biggest flops of 1998. This shows that you can't put a star, such as Babe the pig, in an environment where he doesn't belong, such as the big city. Good thing no studio has tried Babe: The Black Pirate. Shhh, let's not give them any ideas.
How I felt about it. Babe was released about the same time as a different one-word movie starring a pig: Gordo, which I believe is Spanish for "not as good as Babe." I haven't seen Gordo, and I doubt I ever will. Its failure relative to Babe confirms that what makes Babe a wonderful movie has little to do with its pig subject.
Babe is funny, and heartwarming, but behind it all, there is a message or two or three. First and foremost, we have potential beyond our role in life. Babe's role was to be fattened and eaten. Instead, he became a sheep dog. The second message is, lead with respect and kindness instead of with threats and cruelty. Babe can get the sheep to jump through hoops because he asks them to politely. Amen.
The third message is pure Hollywood. Do you believe in miracles? This message is just sugar, tasty but perhaps ill-advised to follow up on. Pigs cannot fly, and they can't talk or be sheep herders either.
But messages #1 and #2 resonate, and this is why the story of a nice pig who makes good is such a winner. That, plus a clever script, good animation (you don't think the animals really talked?), and competent direction, editing, and cinematography. Animals, farms, and fields are photogenic, which makes the job easier. The producers were also shrewd (or stingy) enough to hire obscure actors to provide voices, so that the personas of moviestars would not interfere with the actual characters. Finally, casting James Cromwell was inspired. If he isn't the taciturn farmer with a heart of gold, who is?