The Birdcage (1996) (Standard and Letterbox)

The Birdcage w/Robin Williams DVD 1997

By sabu  Jun 28, 2006

Pros: Williams', Lane's, & Azaria's interactive performances of three types of gay men dismiss the myth of their being one stereotype, or sex being a central concern in a gay couple's life.

Cons: Gene Hackman & Dianne Wiest fell way short of portraying the real violence of bigotry, discrimination, and supremacism that conservatives would have surely confronted obviously gay men with. The ending is unrealistic a fantasy.

"The Birdcage" is director Mike Nichols's hysterical replication of Broadway's smash hit comedy of 1978, La Cage Aux Folles. This time, comedian and actor Robin Williams is Armand Goldman and Nathan Lane is Albert, Goldman's lon...g time gay partner. Goldman owns a gay cabaret that he and Albert live above in South Beach, Miami. Albert is Armand's's leading transvestite show diva at the club. When Armand's son, Val (Dan Futterman) comes for a visit, he announces that he's getting married to a conservative Senator's (Gene Hackman) daughter (Calista Flockhart). Val asks his parents, Armand and Albert, to pass as a typical couple when the prospective in-laws come for dinner. Even though Val is very accepting of both of his parents, and views Albert as his mother, and Armand as his father, Val demands that they go in the closet for his girlfriend's parents visit (mother is Dianne Wiest). Armand and Albert learn that Val's prospective in-laws are a political couple running on a so called "family values" ticket. Albert's hysterical attempts to act straight and "manly" combined with Hank Azaria's t-totally out and flamboyant houseboy, Agador, are showstoppers of the film. Williams (Armand) is the understated one of the queer trio Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest play the square in-laws to a T until the media catches them socializing with the couple who live above, owns, and stars in the gay cabaret. I won't give away the ending because it's too cute! m_d.md.m_d Read more Less