At the time of its release The Birdcage was accused in some circles of playing into stereotypes around gay people, to which the director Mike Nichols said the film isn't representative of the whole community but merely this small group of characters, which is true, and I'd also add that the notion of a stereotype is only derogatory if you make it that way, which The Birdcage does not. Quite the contrary, the movie is a celebration of all the flamboyance, vibrancy and camp that surrounds the gay and drag queen culture, and to go one step further is essential viewing as it removes a lot of the stigma or fear that a lot of traditionalists (represented by Gene Hackman's conservative senator) may have of them, by making Albert and Armand full blooded characters who are harmless and just living their best lives in their blissful eden of Miami Beach. Indeed, Hackman's character is shown to have some regressive, right-wing values but the movie stops short of demonising him fully (something which a movie made today wouldn't have been able to resist), instead he's shown as deluded and uninformed but all bluster and simply out of touch, to which end his reconciliation (of sorts) with that lifestyle is one of the most outrageously funny (but ultimately feel-good) pay-offs I've seen in a movie.
It takes a special actor to make a character like Albert seem likeable and charming despite the hissy fits and screaming and histrionics, but Nathan Lane nails him down to a T. There's a sweet affability to the relationship between him and Robin Williams' Armand that undercuts everything (in no small part due to both actors playing the roles with complete gay abandon), which as the heart of the movie is essential to making it work and you as the viewer invested in them (this is most evident in the scene at the bus stop). As a result you care about everything else that goes on around them, for example at the very end I actually thought for a split second it would leave Val and Barbara's fate unresolved which irked me and made me feel short changed, until the credits roll on over their wedding, which is what was required for me to bump up my rating for the movie, because by the end we realise these aren't just stock characters we're trading with, and this isn't some forgettable, vulgar bargain-bin comedy.
Another aspect of the movie I liked is it always feels in motion, and never lingers on any situation long enough for it to feel tired or outstay its welcome. Before watching it I assumed the dinner with the in-laws would make up a bulk of the movie; instead it eats up about a third of the runtime if that, and a lot of careful time management goes into setting the scene and developing the characters and their own motivations (in Senator Keeley's case to repair his image following a political fiasco, and in Albert and Armand's case their own fractious relationship and the moral dilemma of suppressing their sexuality to "fit in"), which is also intercut with Christine Baranski's biological mother turning up and Tom McGowan's journalist snooping around. As a result any elements of the movie which threaten to descend into farce don't, and we're always treated to something new and fresh to keep our attention, yet all these elements feel very intimate and self-contained, not disparate or random in any way.
The Birdcage has to be one of the most impeccably cast movies I've seen too, as alluded to before. The primary four main actors are revelations, even it seems they're doing little at all, just little mannerisms or idiosyncrasies that are offset by their foil; both Williams and Wiest are juxtaposed as the "straight" partner in their respective relationships, long suffering (portrayed in different ways) but still devoted and loving, showing we're not so different after all, irrespective of sexual orientation we all contend with the same human flaws and absurdities. I was impressed by Hackman flexing some comedic muscles that I didn't know he had (his reaction to his fellow senator dying in very scandalous circumstances and the scene of him giving a hasty speech to the reporters while suspended on a ladder are hilarious) and as one of my favourite actors I'm very pleased he can add this to his distinguished filmography. Despite this though no one actor outshines the other and each brings their own unique quality to the film, and of course what can I say about Williams that hasn't been said already. He brings his customary energy, warmth and zaniness to the role but exercises enough restraint for his character not to descend into caricature. It's easily one of his best films but devastatingly one of his most overlooked.
This movie feels as relevant today as it did on the day of its release which is testament to Nichols and scriptwriter Elaine May's work and commitment to it. The comedy is sensitively handled in relation to the subject matter but also sharp with some contemporary commentary, and the inclusion of the senator and his jarring attitude to issues like homosexuality and abortion draw parallels with today's society where some bygone old-fashioned views are slowly seeping back in. As aforementioned though, its parting message is not a cynical one; such attitudes are treated with the mocking sarcasm they deserve, rather than even more divisive discourse, and at the end everyone comes together. It was a true delight and completely took me by surprise at how much it elevates itself above the bogstandard, mining the full potential out of its premise. I would highly recommend you watch it, whatever persuasion you are. You're guaranteed a good time and might change your mind about a few things along the way.
It takes a special actor to make a character like Albert seem likeable and charming despite the hissy fits and screaming and histrionics, but Nathan Lane nails him down to a T. There's a sweet affability to the relationship between him and Robin Williams' Armand that undercuts everything (in no small part due to both actors playing the roles with complete gay abandon), which as the heart of the movie is essential to making it work and you as the viewer invested in them (this is most evident in the scene at the bus stop). As a result you care about everything else that goes on around them, for example at the very end I actually thought for a split second it would leave Val and Barbara's fate unresolved which irked me and made me feel short changed, until the credits roll on over their wedding, which is what was required for me to bump up my rating for the movie, because by the end we realise these aren't just stock characters we're trading with, and this isn't some forgettable, vulgar bargain-bin comedy.
Another aspect of the movie I liked is it always feels in motion, and never lingers on any situation long enough for it to feel tired or outstay its welcome. Before watching it I assumed the dinner with the in-laws would make up a bulk of the movie; instead it eats up about a third of the runtime if that, and a lot of careful time management goes into setting the scene and developing the characters and their own motivations (in Senator Keeley's case to repair his image following a political fiasco, and in Albert and Armand's case their own fractious relationship and the moral dilemma of suppressing their sexuality to "fit in"), which is also intercut with Christine Baranski's biological mother turning up and Tom McGowan's journalist snooping around. As a result any elements of the movie which threaten to descend into farce don't, and we're always treated to something new and fresh to keep our attention, yet all these elements feel very intimate and self-contained, not disparate or random in any way.
The Birdcage has to be one of the most impeccably cast movies I've seen too, as alluded to before. The primary four main actors are revelations, even it seems they're doing little at all, just little mannerisms or idiosyncrasies that are offset by their foil; both Williams and Wiest are juxtaposed as the "straight" partner in their respective relationships, long suffering (portrayed in different ways) but still devoted and loving, showing we're not so different after all, irrespective of sexual orientation we all contend with the same human flaws and absurdities. I was impressed by Hackman flexing some comedic muscles that I didn't know he had (his reaction to his fellow senator dying in very scandalous circumstances and the scene of him giving a hasty speech to the reporters while suspended on a ladder are hilarious) and as one of my favourite actors I'm very pleased he can add this to his distinguished filmography. Despite this though no one actor outshines the other and each brings their own unique quality to the film, and of course what can I say about Williams that hasn't been said already. He brings his customary energy, warmth and zaniness to the role but exercises enough restraint for his character not to descend into caricature. It's easily one of his best films but devastatingly one of his most overlooked.
This movie feels as relevant today as it did on the day of its release which is testament to Nichols and scriptwriter Elaine May's work and commitment to it. The comedy is sensitively handled in relation to the subject matter but also sharp with some contemporary commentary, and the inclusion of the senator and his jarring attitude to issues like homosexuality and abortion draw parallels with today's society where some bygone old-fashioned views are slowly seeping back in. As aforementioned though, its parting message is not a cynical one; such attitudes are treated with the mocking sarcasm they deserve, rather than even more divisive discourse, and at the end everyone comes together. It was a true delight and completely took me by surprise at how much it elevates itself above the bogstandard, mining the full potential out of its premise. I would highly recommend you watch it, whatever persuasion you are. You're guaranteed a good time and might change your mind about a few things along the way.
Tell Your Friends