Hello, hello, hello…
Did you miss me already? It’s been a long week since my last gem but here I am again bringing with me another oldie, but goodie. Because yes, I am on a crusade to make people aware of all these old school beauties we have in our community. Because these movies are all so precious and they still bring me so much joy.
This particular one is a very long time favourite of mine and it actually graced our screens when I was still a teenager. I have loved it ever since. Which was really a surprise for me, because this movie is actually just a remake of another long time favourite of mine: La Cage Aux Folles, a franco-italien movie from 1978, which was so popular they even filmed three follow up movies. The remake unfortunately never made it to more than one, but I still think the one version we got, was just pure perfection.
The Birdcage
Synopsis:
Armand and Albert Goldmann are a happy couple living together in South Beach, Florida. Their life is almost ordinary. They have been happily together for years, they even have a son who they raised together. They run a drag bar, the infamous Birdcage, where Armand is the business man while Albert is the star of the drag show, Starina. Life could be rather calm and happy.
But when their son Val returns from college and drops the bomb that he wants to get married to the daughter of an ultra conversative republican senator Kevin Keeley things take a turn into the slightly chaotic. In a crazy attempt to convince the Keeleys that the Goldmanns are just like them, they try to hide their true selves. Which is hard when you own a drag club and your whole life is connected to that club and their employees.
An evening full of cover ups and desperate attempts to save the situation somehow starts, but can the Goldmanns really hide who they are?
Why You Might Like It:
Let’s start with the cast. Because let’s face it. This is a real, proper Hollywood movie with a cast that one can just dream of. Especially Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are both giving such stellar performances that it really made me doubt Robin Williams sexuality afterwards. I mean, everyone in this case is a seasoned pro and you can see it. You have Dianne Wiest, Gene Hackman, Calista Flockheart, Christine Baransky and so many more. It’s really like the who is who of Hollywood. I think the one who impressed me the most, was funnily enough the one person I didn’t know before watching this movie: Nathan Lane. He is like one of the most hilarious actors I have ever seen and I love him until today. His last role as Pepper in Modern Family was so, so good. But in Birdcage they literally gave him card blanche to really let out the inner diva and oh boy… The inner diva he brought!
This movie is freaking hilarious. Like laughing out loud, crying, snorting, holding your belly funny. Nathan Lane is so dramatic that it just gives me tears of joy and I don’t think I have to mention how funny Robin Williams can be. And another thing I totally love is that yes, they make tons of stereotypical gay jokes. But they are not based in negativity or hostility. No, you really laugh WITH the characters and about the absurd situation. Which especially given the time this movie was made in is really, really something rather special.
The soundtrack is a joy and is filled with any classic drag song you could even imagine. Think about drag race and then think about all these classic tunes put into a movie. And that literally what you get. The music really makes this movie even more enjoyable. Because it just celebrates life and love. Just watch it and you will know what I am so idiotically try to explain. It’s just a very awesome soundtrack, point blank. Especially if you love drag culture… This is like a nice look into the whole community before drag race even started.
So yeah, the drag in there is rather beautiful. So if you have a heart for drag and this specific part of gay culture then this movie is a field day for you. They even show us some numbers and believe me, Starina has her name for a reason. Nathan Lane is mesmerising as the big diva and you won’t be able to take your eyes off of her. It’s proper old school drag of my childhood and I LOVE IT!
For the first time ever the healthy and proper family is the gay one! Yes, you read correctly. This movie is the first time that Hollywood showed us in a movie that two men can bring up a child together. That sometimes the mother is just not fit or interested in the child. And that a gay man can be an excellent surogate mum for a child. Because if one thing is not lacking in this movie then it’s the love that Armand and Albert have for their son. They both love him above anything else and you can see that so clearly. And even though Val behaves in a few situations like an utter idiot you can see that he loves his Albie the same as Albert loves him. I was 14 when I saw this movie for the first time and lived in a highly homophobic surrounding. Seeing the love in this little gay patchwork family made my little heart go so warm and happy….
Why You Might Not Like It:
It’s still not Asian. Yes, I know, we concentrate here mostly on Asian BL but I am on this crusade to show you all the different colours of BL and this movie has earned their place in our rainbow.
It’s old. It’s from 1996 and things were different then especially when it comes to the portrayal of LGBTQ. There are absolutely stereotypes in there where we would today have to swallow hard. There are also no kisses between Armand or Albert. But i think it’s not really that necessary as you can clearly see that these two adore and love each other more than anything else.
It’s a comedy. So don’t expect this movie to go into god knows how much depth. Also don’t expect it to be the MOST logical movie of all times. It’s a Hollywood comedy from the 90ties. If you want realism, maybe watch a documentary instead.
Finale Thoughts:
This movie is absolutely not perfect. But given the point of time it was made and the people responsible for it, it’s a freaking, bloody masterpiece.
It’s the first time that a gay family is portrait in this way in a Hollywood movie and they really, really did this so beautifully. They showed that gay characters can carry a whole movie and that we can laugh with the characters and not just over them.
This movie showed how much love and care can be in a gay family and surprisingly enough it’s the same amount as in any loving family. They showed us the gay community and how absolutely beautiful they stick together. They showed the differences between heterosexual and homosexual couples while at the same time show us how similar we all are when we strip away the unimportant outside stuff.
It’s about recognising that deep down we are all humans and we all just want to be loved and to be happy. Sexuality doesn’t matter. Just what’s in your heart…
First Posted On BLDA As Part Of Content Team
Your Heart's Content 