This French farce lacks the energy and whimsy of the 1996 Mike Nichols remake, "The Birdcage." Perhaps it's a cultural difference, but the original "La Cage aux Folles" seems to take itself too seriously, and moments that were uproarious in the Nichols version aren't very funny here. I suppose some might say that Americans need their humor to be broader and more obvious in order to appreciate it, but whatever.
It's hard to understand now how bold this subject matter -- transvestites, openly gay lifestyles, etc. -- was for 1979, and that probably has played a large role in the life this film has had since (thanks largely also to the hit Broadway musical based on it).
I bet people who saw the original first like it better than "The Birdcage," and vice versa.
Grade: B
It's hard to understand now how bold this subject matter -- transvestites, openly gay lifestyles, etc. -- was for 1979, and that probably has played a large role in the life this film has had since (thanks largely also to the hit Broadway musical based on it).
I bet people who saw the original first like it better than "The Birdcage," and vice versa.
Grade: B