The Birdcage
It stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple whose son (Dan Futterman) is set to marry the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of a conservative senator (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Dianne Wiest).Armand dislikes the idea of being forced into the closet, but agrees to play along, enlisting the help of friends and club employees to redecorate the apartment to more closely resemble a traditional household.Despite the success of the evening, trouble begins when the senator's chauffeur betrays him to two tabloid journalists, Harry Radman and his photographer, who have been hoping for a scoop on the Coalition story and have followed the Keeleys to South Beach.[3] In 1994, Nichols convinced John Calley, then the head of United Artists, who owned the rights to the original 1978 film version, to renew the option with him as a director and producer.[6] She also adapted the plot line about the potential in-law characters as a conservative Moral Majority politician and his wife, to address right-wing anti-LGBT sentiment that was in the news at that time.[14][15] Although filming primarily took place in Los Angeles,[14] exterior shots included the Carlyle Hotel in Miami Beach, Ocean Drive, and the Art Deco District.[19] In addition to Sondheim's contributions, Tunick utilized popular dance and disco hits, such as Donna Summer's "She Works Hard for the Money" and Sister Sledge's "We Are Family", along with Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine's "Conga".The site's critical consensus reads: "Mike Nichols wrangles agreeably amusing performances from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this fun, if not quite essential, remake of the French-Italian comedy La Cage aux Folles.[24] In his review for The Washington Post, Hal Hinson noted the film's subversiveness, commenting, "While politicians like Keeley talk a good game of family values, it's Armand and his nontraditional clan who have the stable home life."[28] McCarthy concluded, "Lane has all the showy opportunities as the ultra-feminine Albert, and this outstanding Broadway star, little seen up to now in films, makes the most of them, mincing, pouting, posing and cavorting to hilarious and heartwarming effect.Although the gay lifestyles on display here are decidedly old school, the characters' underlying fierce pride, along with the piece's resilient defense of an alternative family structure, will win over all but the most doctrinaire political standard-bearers.It's also a mischievously funny one: He does a fine job of integrating gag lines with semi-serious acting..."[30] In his review for The Advocate, Lance Loud commented, "Taking on the conservative agenda—more prevalent in our culture today than when the original film came out in 1979—The Birdcage goes beyond mere politics.Julie Newmar also featured drag queens and were released prior to The Birdcage, but did not achieve the same level of box-office success, and studio films centering on gay people to that point, such as Philadelphia, tended to focus on tragic stories concerning HIV/AIDS.[7][14] Academic Matthew Jones said that the arrival of The Birdcage, a comedy that celebrated being gay, "helped an audience traumatised by a decade of living day-to-day with the threat of disease and death to laugh again".[7] In 2021, Emily Maskell of the BBC wrote, "What is particularly astute about the film's comedy is the way in which it mixes its farcical hijinks with a satirical intent, taking aim at both homophobia and the crisis of masculinity, as it navigates the infiltration of conservatism into a liberal space."[7] Many critics have said that the film's resonance is due to its core theme of family, its depiction of a loving, long-term relationship between two men, and the parents ultimately coming together to make their children happy.
Mike NicholsElaine MayLa Cage aux FollesJean PoiretFrancis VeberÉdouard MolinaroRobin WilliamsNathan LaneGene HackmanDianne WiestEmmanuel LubezkiArthur SchmidtJonathan TunickUnited ArtistsMGM/UA Distribution Co.United International Picturescomedy film1973 playDan FuttermanCalista FlockhartHank AzariaChristine BaranskiNichols and Maymajor studioScreen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a CastBest Art Direction69th Academy AwardsSouth BeachconservativeRepublicanJewishcultural attachéthe closettabloid journalistsWe Are Familyinterfaith serviceTom McGowanGrant HeslovNational EnquirerTrina McGee-DavisOcean Drive1983 Broadway adaptationAllan CarrJohn Calleyoriginal 1978 film versionright-winganti-LGBT sentimentSteve MartinMrs. DoubtfireBroadwayA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumScott Rudinimprovisational comedyAdrian Lesterdrag showsMiami BeachArt Deco DistrictSoundtrack albumDance/clubAllMusicStephen SondheimFolliesDonna SummerShe Works Hard for the MoneySister SledgeGloria Estefan and Miami Sound MachineWilliam Tell OvertureCachaoNo Pain For CakesThe Lounge LizardsI Could Have Danced All NightMiami Sound MachinePrimal FearA Thin Line Between Love and Hatereview aggregationRotten TomatoesMetacriticRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesThe Washington PostHal HinsonDesson ThomsonOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyVarietyTodd McCarthySome Like It HotJames BerardinelliReelViewsJanet MaslinThe New York TimesThe AdvocateLance Loudeffeminate gay menBruce BawerGay & Lesbian Alliance Against DefamationGLAAD Media Awardmedia portrayal of LGBTQ peopleThe Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertTo Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarPhiladelphiaHIV/AIDSfarcicalsatiricalhomophobiamasculinityFathom EventsAnn RothBo WelchAcademy AwardsMarch 24, 1997American Comedy AwardsFunniest Lead Actor in a Motion PictureFunniest Supporting Actor in a Motion PictureFunniest Supporting Actress in a Motion PictureArt Directors Guild AwardsFeature FilmEdouard MolinaroBlockbuster Entertainment AwardsFavorite Supporting Actor – ComedyFavorite Supporting Actress – ComedyCasting Society of America AwardsBest Casting for Feature Film, ComedyJuliet TaylorChicago Film Critics Association Awards