IMDb > The Birdcage (1996)
The Birdcage
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The Birdcage (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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The Birdcage (1996) -- A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancé's right-wing moralistic parents.
The Birdcage (1996) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Birdcage (1996) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   26,379 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Mike Nichols
Writers (WGA):
Jean Poiret (play)
Francis Veber (earlier screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Birdcage on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
8 March 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Tagline:
Come as you are. more
Plot:
A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancé's right-wing moralistic parents. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(12 articles)
Mike Nichols Has Achieved Much in His Lifetime, Says AFI
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 12 October 2009, 11:51 AM, PDT)

Robin Williams Joins 'Wedding Banned'
 (From Cinematical. 28 August 2009, 8:03 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Seamless And Forever Hilarious Hollywood Remake! more (144 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Birds of a Feather
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Runtime:
117 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS
Company:
Nichols more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Robin Williams was originally cast as Albert, but he wanted a change from flamboyant characters, and asked to be cast as Armand. Mike Nichols agreed, and re-cast him. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the 'How 'bout those Dolphins?' scene, Armand teaches Albert how to be a man. While sitting at a table, the positioning of sugar packets on the table changes. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
[singers are performing "We Are Family" on-stage]
Cyril: [backstage, into a telephone] Agador! Where is Starina? She goes on in 5 minutes!
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2009) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
MI GUAJIRA more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 22 people found the following comment useful.
Seamless And Forever Hilarious Hollywood Remake!, 19 September 2005
10/10
Author: skin-and-bones from United States

Way over the top, but utterly and completely hilarious just the same American remake of the popular 1978 French film/play "La Cage Aux Folles" about a gay nightclub owner and his flamboyant drag-queen lover (played by Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, two actors who I might say look like they were born to each be the comedic halves that equal one fall-down hilarious whole) who in an attempt to please and hopefully fool the conservative parents (played by Gene Hackman and Diane Wiest) of Williams' biological son's (from what is obviously a previous liaison with a woman) fiancé, pretend for one evening to be a straight married couple, a la Williams is the husband and Lane is dressed up as the wife, with as it is blatantly apparent disastrous results! Absolutely nothing in this film is subtle I'll admit, and almost all of the characters here are written to be little more than hokey caricature's of nearly every gay stereotype going! However though, regardless of all that "The Birdcage" still winds up hitting the nail square on the head in terms of delivering to it's audience some astounding energy, superb camp-value and knee-slappingly hilarious jokes/one-liners that are all topped by a nearly uncanny chemistry between the actors. Overall, if you can manage to get past some of the so-called "Hollywood Clichés" and cheap shots made at the kinds of people/life-styles featured here that are deemed offensive by some, and just watch this great flick for the uproarious and seemingly light-hearted romp that it was initially intended to be. Then ultimately you will be justly rewarded by film's end because this is one of the few, and I do mean few, American remakes (and a comedy no less) that is worth watching time after time! (***** out of *****)

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