The Birdcage
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMike Nichols
Screenplay byElaine May
Based on
Produced byMike Nichols
Starring
CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki
Edited byArthur Schmidt
Music byJonathan Tunick
Production
companies
Distributed byMGM/UA Distribution Co.
Release date
  • March 8, 1996 (1996-03-08)
Running time
117 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$31 million[1]
Box office$185.3 million[2]

The Birdcage is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, adapted by Elaine May, and starring Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, and Dianne Wiest. Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria, and Christine Baranski appear in supporting roles. It is an English-language remake of the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, which is itself an adaptation of the play of the same name. The film marked the first screen collaboration of Nichols and May, who had been a comedy duo in the 1950s and 1960s.

The film was released to positive reviews and was a significant commercial success, debuting in the number 1 spot in the North American box office and remaining there for the following three weeks. It is seen as a groundbreaking film as it was then one of few films from a major studio to feature LGBT characters at its center. The film's cast received notable praise and was awarded with the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction.

Plot

Armand Goldman is the openly gay owner of a drag club in South Beach called The Birdcage; his effete and flamboyant partner Albert is the star attraction of the club under the name Starina. They live together in an apartment above The Birdcage with Agador, an openly gay, equally flamboyant, Guatemalan housekeeper who aspires to be in Armand's drag show.

One day, Armand's son Val, who is a product of Armand's drunken one-night stand with a woman named Katharine, comes home to announce that he has been seeing a young woman named Barbara whom he intends to marry. Although unhappy about the news, Armand agrees to support Val. Unfortunately, Barbara's parents are the ultra-conservative Republican Senator Kevin Keeley and his wife Louise.

Kevin, co-founder of a conservative group called the Coalition for Moral Order, becomes embroiled in a political scandal when the group's co-founder and Kevin's fellow senator is found dead in the bed of an underage black prostitute. Louise and Barbara convince Kevin that a visit to meet the family of his daughter's fiancé would be the perfect way to stave off bad press, so they set out for South Beach.

Barbara shares news of her father's plan to Val. To conceal the truth about the Goldmans, she has told her parents that Armand is straight, named Coleman (to hide that they are Jewish) and is a cultural attaché to Greece. 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. Val and Armand attempt to get Albert out of the house, but when they fail, Albert suggests that he will pose as Val's straight uncle. Armand contacts Katharine and explains the situation; she promises to come to the party and pretend to be his wife. Armand then tries to coach Albert on how to act straight, but Albert's flamboyant nature makes the task difficult. Armand realizes his plan will not fool anyone. Albert takes offense and locks himself in his room.

The Keeleys arrive at the Goldmans' redecorated apartment; they are greeted by Agador, who is attempting to pass as a Greek butler named Spartacus for the night. Unfortunately, Katharine gets caught in traffic, and the Keeleys begin wondering where "Mrs. Coleman" is. Suddenly, Albert enters, dressed and styled as a conservative middle-aged woman. Armand, Val, and Barbara are nervous, but Kevin and Louise are taken in by the disguise.

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. While they research The Birdcage, they also remove a note that Armand has left on the door informing Katharine not to come upstairs. When she arrives, she unknowingly reveals the deceptions, leading Val to confess to the scheme and finally identify Albert as his true parent.

Kevin is initially confused by the situation, but Louise informs him of the truth and scolds him for being more concerned with his career than his family's happiness. When attempting to leave, he is ambushed by the paparazzi camped outside to take his picture. Albert then realizes that there is a way for the family to escape without being recognized. He dresses them in drag and they use the apartment's back entrance to sneak into The Birdcage where, by dancing to Sister Sledge's "We Are Family," they make their way out of the nightclub without incident. Barbara and Val are married in an interfaith service that both families attend.

Cast

Production

Mike Nichols was originally involved as the director of the 1983 Broadway adaptation of La Cage aux Folles, but was fired from the production by producer Allan Carr.[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.[4][5] Calley, a longtime friend of Nichols, said, "I asked Mike if there was anything we owned that interested him. And he said, 'You own a project that has one of the greatest comedy structures.' We got the rest of the rights, and he said he wanted to call Elaine and ask her to do it. The next day she said yes."[3]

Among the changes Elaine May added to the film's plot was renaming the character of Georges to Armand and Albin to Albert.[6] She also incorporated the plot line about the potential in-law characters being a conservative Moral Majority politician and his wife, in order to address right-wing anti-LGBT sentiment that was in the news at that time.[6][7]

Nichols envisioned Robin Williams and Steve Martin in the roles of Albert and Armand, respectively, but Martin turned it down as he did not think he would be able to bring the camp quality required for the part, and Williams did not want to play Albert because he had already played a flamboyant character in Mrs. Doubtfire.[8][3] When Williams decided he wanted to play Armand, Nichols settled on Nathan Lane as Albert. Lane had already committed to starring in a Broadway production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, but Nichols convinced producer Scott Rudin to postpone the musical so Lane could star in the film.[9] Gene Hackman said taking a role in the cast was an opportunity for him to return to his improvisational comedy roots.[10]

Nichols originally conceived of British actor Adrian Lester in the role of Agador, but reworked the role after he and Lester came to a mutual agreement that showing a Black person in the role of a housekeeper would connote racist undertones.[11] Hank Azaria, who was eventually cast, said: "I worked up different versions [of Agador]. One was more understated, barely obviously gay, almost a street tough. And one was the character that ended up in the movie. Both felt real to me—I had grown up with Puerto Rican street queens who were very effeminate and flamboyant and others who weren't. I tried both versions out for a friend who was a drag queen, asked which one he liked better, and got his seal of approval."[12]

Nichols did research for the film by traveling to drag shows in Chicago and Savannah, Georgia, with May and production designer Bo Welch. After going to a drag show in South Beach at Welch's suggestion, Nichols decided to change the film's setting from New Orleans to South Beach.[13]

Williams and Lane, both known for being comic improvisers, were allowed to improvise during weeks-long rehearsals before filming. Nichols and May took the best parts from the rehearsals as Nichols wanted to shoot the film like a play, without too much editing.[14][15]

Though filming primarily took place in Los Angeles,[14] exterior shots included The Carlyle Hotel in Miami Beach, Ocean Drive, and the Art Deco District.[16]

Though the studio had initial reservations about the film's politics, particularly its portrayal of conservative characters, Calley said, "Mike anticipated [the concerns] eight or nine months ago. He said, 'By the time the movie comes out, you won't be able to parody these guys anymore; they'll be parodying themselves.'"[3]

Soundtrack

The Birdcage: Original United Artists Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by
various artists
ReleasedMay 21, 1996
GenreDance/club, disco, R&B
LabelEdel America
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]

Three songs written by Stephen Sondheim were adapted and arranged for the film by composer Jonathan Tunick.[14] Albert's first song (as Starina) is "Can That Boy Foxtrot," cut from Sondheim's Follies. "Little Dream" was written specifically for the film, ultimately used during Albert's rehearsal with the gum-chewing dancer.[18] While Armand and Katharine dance in her office, they sing "Love Is in the Air", cut from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.[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".

Track listing

  1. "We Are Family" - Goldman Girls
  2. "William Tell Overture" - Stephen Goldstein
  3. "She Works Hard for the Money" - Donna Summer
  4. "Can That Boy Foxtrot" - Nathan Lane
  5. "Mi Guajir" - Cachao
  6. "Little Dream" - Nathan Lane
  7. "No Pain For Cakes" - The Lounge Lizards
  8. "Love Is In The Air" - Christine Baranski, Robin Williams
  9. "I Could Have Danced All Night" - Hank Azaria, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Robin Williams, Dianne Wiest
  10. "We Are Family (Reprise)" - Goldman Girls
  11. "Family Salsa" - Stephen Goldstein
  12. "Conga" - Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine

Reception

Box office

The Birdcage opened on March 8, 1996, and earned $18,275,828 in its opening weekend, topping the box office.[20][21][3] It remained on top for the next three weeks before being derailed by the openings of Primal Fear and A Thin Line Between Love and Hate. By the end of its 14-week run, the film had grossed $124,060,553 domestically and $61,200,000 internationally, eventually reaching a worldwide total of $185,260,553.[2]

Critical response

The film received positive reviews upon release. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 84% approval score based on reviews from 62 critics, with an average rating of 7/10. 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."[22] Metacritic reports a score of 72/100 based on reviews from 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[23]

Film critic Roger Ebert awarded the film three out of four stars, writing that while the material will be familiar to those who have seen the original 1978 film or its Broadway incarnation, "what makes Mike Nichols' version more than just a retread is good casting in the key roles, and a wicked screenplay by Elaine May, who keeps the original story but adds little zingers here and there ("Live on Fisher Island and get buried in Palm Beach - that way you'll get the best of Florida!")".[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. They are a family."[25]

In Variety, Todd McCarthy called the movie "a scream", adding, "Just as in their routines when they were a team in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Nichols and May are at their best with political and cultural humor. A reactionary politician is an easy target, of course, but the digs at Hackman's public image-obsessed senator are relentlessly clever and on the mark, as are the jibes at unscrupulous journalists. Final exchange of dialogue, involving Hackman's character, brings down the house in the manner of the famous 'nobody’s perfect' line in Some Like It Hot."[26] 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."[26]

James Berardinelli wrote in ReelViews, "The film is so boisterously entertaining that it's easy for the unsuspecting viewer not to realize that there's a message here."[27] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post described the film as "a spirited remake of the French drag farce [that] has everything in place, from eyeliner to one-liner."[28] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly called the film "Enchantingly witty."[29] Janet Maslin of The New York Times gave the film a positive review, especially praising Williams' performance: "...this is one of his most cohesive and least antic performances. 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."[31] He concluded the film's "underlying feelings of compassion, tolerance, and understanding are this Bird's brightest plumage."[31]

Criticisms from the gay community opined that the film contained broad stereotypes of gay people, particularly in its depiction of effeminate gay men.[4][32][25][9] In The New York Times, critic Bruce Bawer acknowledged that although "one of the movie's distinctive achievements is its plausible portrayal of affectionate friendship between a straight man and a gay man", it reinforces stereotypes that "homosexuals are marginal, superficial creatures with plenty of disposable income and relationships that aren't as solid as heterosexual marriages."[33] In response to the criticisms, Nichols stressed that the film is not meant to reflect the gay community as a whole, commenting, "Our jokes were about divas, about the theater, and about the stars. And some critics responded as if they were about gay people in general. That just isn't so."[34]

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) praised the film for "going beyond the stereotypes to see the characters' depth and humanity. The film celebrates differences and points out the outrageousness of hiding those differences."[35] The film was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.[36]

Legacy

The Birdcage represented a major turning point for LGBT representation in the media.[37][38][39][40] The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! 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 gay people to that point, such as Philadelphia, tended to focus on tragic stories concerning HIV/AIDs.[7][14] Academic Matthew Jones said 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 the film's resonance is due to its core theme of family, its depiction of a loving, long-term relationship between two men, and how the parents ultimately come together to make their children happy.[9] Nathan Lane commented, "Homophobia is still alive and well but there's something about that film that touches people because it's ultimately about family, what you do for your family, why you love your family even though they drive you crazy. Then ultimately — not to sound corny — it's about love. It's about love in both families and coming to accept one another in their differences."[9]

For the film's 25th anniversary in 2021, TCM and Fathom Events screened The Birdcage theatrically as part of their Big Screen Classics series.[41]

Accolades

Association Ceremony Date Category Recipient Results
20/20 Awards 2017 Best Costume Design Ann Roth Nominated
Best Art Direction Bo Welch Nominated
Academy Awards[42] March 24, 1997 Best Art Direction Bo Welch
Cheryl Caraski		 Nominated
American Comedy Awards[43] 1997 Funniest Lead Actor in a Motion Picture Nathan Lane Won
Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Hank Azaria Nominated
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Dianne Wiest Won
Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Christine Baranski Nominated
Art Directors Guild Awards[44] 1997 Feature Film Bo Welch
Tom Duffield
John Dexter		 Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards 1997 Best Adapted Screenplay Francis Veber
Edouard Molinaro
Marcello Danon
Jean Poiret
Elaine May		 Nominated
Best Art Direction Bo Welch
Cheryl Carasik		 Nominated
Honorable Mentions Mike Nichols Nominated
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards[45] March 11, 1997 Favorite Supporting Actor – Comedy Gene Hackman Won
Favorite Supporting Actress – Comedy Dianne Wiest Won
Casting Society of America Awards[46] October 15, 1996 Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy Juliet Taylor
Ellen Lewis		 Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards March 10, 1997 Best Supporting Actor Nathan Lane Nominated
Cinema Audio Society Awards 1997 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Feature Films Lee Dichter
Gene S. Cantamessa		 Nominated
GLAAD Media Awards[47] 1997 Outstanding Film – Wide Release — Nominated
Golden Globe Awards[48] January 19, 1997 Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical — Nominated
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Nathan Lane Nominated
International Monitor Awards 1997 Theatrical Releases – Color Correction David Bernstein Won
MTV Movie + TV Awards[49] June 10, 1997 Best Comedic Performance Robin Williams Nominated
Best On-Screen Duo Robin Williams
Nathan Lane		 Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards 1997 Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical Mike Nichols Nominated
Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical Nathan Lane Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy/Musical Hank Azaria Nominated
Satellite Awards[50] January 15, 1997 Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Nathan Lane Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical Gene Hackman Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards[51] February 22, 1997 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Nathan Lane Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Hank Azaria Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Hank Azaria
Christine Baranski
Dan Futterman
Gene Hackman
Nathan Lane
Robin Williams
Dianne Wiest		 Won
Writers Guild of America Awards[52] March 16, 1997 Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Elaine May Nominated

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Birdcage". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015.
  2. 1 2 The Birdcage at Box Office Mojo
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Weinraub, Bernard (March 12, 1996). "Birdcage' Shows Growth In Older Audience's Power". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Svetkey, Benjamin (March 29, 1996). "The Birdcage's success". EW.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  5. ↑ Harris 2021, pp. 479–479.
  6. 1 2 Harris 2021, p. 479.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Maskell, Emily (March 10, 2021). "The Birdcage at 25: a gay comedy that broke boundaries". www.bbc.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ Harris 2021, pp. 479–480.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Peterson, Margie (October 13, 2017). "Nathan Lane on enduring impact of 'The Birdcage': 'People still talk to me about it'". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ Advocate 1996, p. 66.
  11. ↑ Harris 2021, pp. 480–481.
  12. ↑ Harris 2021, p. 481.
  13. ↑ Harris 2021, pp. 481-482.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Bridges, C.A. (March 8, 2021). "25 years ago, gay families just weren't talked about. Then 'The Birdcage' hit the screen". The Gainesville Sun. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  15. ↑ Harris, Will (September 14, 2011). "Hank Azaria". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  16. ↑ Goyanes, Ily (September 29, 2010). "Celluloid City: The Birdcage Filmed on Miami Beach and at The Carlyle Hotel". Miami New Times. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  17. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. "The Birdcage". AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ Kimmel, Bruce. "The Birdcage". Sondheim.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  19. ↑ "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum". Sondheim.com. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  20. ↑ "'Birdcage' No. 1 at weekend box office". The Oshkosh Northwestern. March 11, 1996. p. 27. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ↑ "Weekend Box Office: March 8-10, 1996 Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 10, 2012.
  22. ↑ "The Birdcage (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  23. ↑ "The Birdcage". Metacritic.
  24. ↑ Ebert, Roger (March 8, 1996). "The Birdcage". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Hinson, Hal (March 8, 1996). "'The Birdcage': A Wingding of a Show". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  26. 1 2 McCarthy, Todd (March 3, 1996). "The Birdcage". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  27. ↑ Berardinelli, James (1996). "Birdcage, The (United States, 1996)". ReelViews. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  28. ↑ Thomson, Desson (March 8, 1996). "These 'Cage' Birds Sing". The Washington Post.
  29. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (March 15, 1996). "The Birdcage". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  30. ↑ Maslin, Janet (March 8, 1996). "Film Review: The Birdcage". The New York Times. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  31. 1 2 Advocate 1996, pp. 61-63.
  32. ↑ Vilanch, Bruce (April 30, 1996). "Battling Over The Birdcage". The Advocate. p. 51. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  33. ↑ Bawer, Bruce (March 10, 1996). "FILM VIEW;Why Can't Hollywood Get Gay Life Right?". The New York Times. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  34. ↑ Frutkin, Alan (August 20, 1996). "Mike Nichols". The Advocate. p. 104. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  35. ↑ "GLAAD Applauds 'The Birdcage'". GLAAD (Press release). March 5, 1996. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  36. ↑ "What to Watch: Thursday, September 1". GLAAD. August 1, 2011. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  37. ↑ Fallon, Kevin (November 20, 2014). "Out of the Birdcage: How Mike Nichols Made Gay Culture Mainstream". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  38. ↑ Jacobs, Matthew (March 7, 2021). "25 Years Later, 'The Birdcage' Is Hollywood's Most Monumental Gay Movie". HuffPost. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  39. ↑ Betancourt, Manuel (March 8, 2021). ""Men Smear!": Revisiting Seminal LGBTQ Comedy The Birdcage". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  40. ↑ Chiusano, Scott (March 29, 2016). "Hank Azaria on working with Robin Williams and the impact 'The Birdcage' has had on LGBT progress as the film turns 20". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  41. ↑ Kirk, Alexander (June 26, 2021). "'The Birdcage' returns to theaters for 25th anniversary". 9news.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  42. ↑ "1997 Academy Awards". oscars.org. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  43. ↑ "The Birdcage - Awards & Festivals". Mubi. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  44. ↑ "Winners & Nominees 1997". adg.org. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  45. ↑ "UPN | 3rd Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (March 11, 1997)". YouTube. March 11, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  46. ↑ "1996 Artios Award Winners". Casting Society of America. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  47. ↑ "GLAAD Announces Nominees of 1997 Media Awards". GLAAD. February 4, 1997. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  48. ↑ "Winners & Nominees 1997". goldenglobes.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  49. ↑ "1997 MTV Movie Awards". MTV. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  50. ↑ Snow, Shauna (January 16, 1997). "Awards News". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  51. ↑ Johnson, Ted (February 23, 1997). "'Birdcage' bunch wins SAG award". Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  52. ↑ Dutka, Elaine (March 17, 1997). "'Fargo,' 'Sling Blade' Win Top Writers Guild Honors". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.

Bibliography

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