In 19th century Denmark, two adult sisters live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church that is almost a sect unto itself. Although they each are presented with a real opportunity to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay with their father, to serve to him and their church. After some years, a French woman refugee, Babette, arrives at their door, begs them to take her in, and commits herself to work for them as maid/housekeeper/cook. Sometime after their father dies, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Babette experiences unexpected good fortune and implores the sisters to allow her to take charge of the preparation of the meal. Although they are secretly concerned about what Babette, a Catholic and a foreigner, might do, the sisters allow her to go ahead. Babette then prepares the feast of a lifetime for the members of the tiny church and an important gentleman related to one of them.
| Stéphane Audran | Babette Harsant |
| Birgitte Federspiel | Old Martina |
| Bodil Kjer | Old Philippa |
| Jarl Kulle | Old Lorenz Lowenhielm |
| Jean-Philippe Lafont | Achille Papin |
| Bibi Andersson | Swedish Court Lady-in-waiting |
| Ghita Nørby | Narrator |
| Asta Esper Hagen Andersen | Anna (as Asta Esper Andersen) |
| Thomas Antoni | Swedish Lieutenant |
| Gert Bastian | Poor Man |
| Viggo Bentzon | Fisherman in Rowboat |
| Vibeke Hastrup | Young Martina |
| Therese Højgaard Christensen | Martha - Father's Maid |
| Therese Hojgaard Christensen | Martha |
| Pouel Kern | The Minister |
| Cay Kristiansen | Poul |
| Lars Lohmann | Fisherman |
| Tine Miehe-Renard | Löwenhielm's Wife |
| Lisbeth Movin | The Widow |
| Finn Nielsen | Kobmand |
| Holger Perfort | Karlsen |
| Else Petersen | Solveig |
| Erik Petersén | Erik (as Erik Petersen) |
| Ebbe Rode | Christopher |
| Bendt Rothe | Old Nielsen |
| Preben Lerdorff Rye | The Captain |
| Hanne Stensgaard | Young Filippa |
| Axel Strøbye | The Coach |
| Ebba With | Löwenhielm's Aunt |
| Gudmar Klöving | Young Lorens Löwenhielm (as Gudmar Wivesson) |
| Tina Kiberg | Filippa (singing voice) |
| Per Nørgaard | Composer |
| Henning Kristiansen | Cinematographer |
| Finn Henriksen | Editor |
| Sven Wichmann | Production Designer |
| Peter Obeling Johannsen | Set Decorator |
| Annelise Hauberg | Custome Designer |
| Karl Lagerfeld | Custome Designer |
| Pia Myrdal | Custome Designer |
| Elisabeth Bukkehave | Makeup Artist |
| Sanne Dandanell | Makeup Artist |
| Grethe Holleufer | Makeup Artist |
| Birthe Lyngsøe | Makeup Artist |
| Bente Møller | Makeup Artist |
| Lydia Pujols | Makeup Artist |
| Aase Tarp | Makeup Artist |
| Lene Nielsen | Production Manager |
| Tom Hedegaard | Assistant Director |
| Arvid Berg | assistant property master |
| Ena Eisel | property master |
| Gary Møller | assistant property master |
| Torben Bækmark Pedersen | property master |
| Rikke Raben | assistant property master |
| Leif Stoltze | Carpenter |
| Hans-Eric Ahrn | Sound mixer |
| Karen Bentzon | production sound recordist |
| Michael Dela | sound |
| Carl Aage Hansen | sound |
| John Nielsen | sound |
| Bjarne Risbjerg | sound |
| Sonja Vesterholt | production sound recordist |
| Henning Bahs | Special Effects Coordinator |
| Michael Wils Jensen | lighting technician |
| Jacob Marlow | lighting technician |
| Peter Gabriel Mørch | Still Photographer |
| Gunnar Nielsen | Grip |
| Michael Sørensen | lighting technician |
