Casey’s Reviews
Does “The Birdcage” (1996) Hold Up?
Reviewing a queer Robin Williams classic
The Birdcage (1996), an adaptation of French musical La Cage aux Folles, opens with an absolutely iconic scene: the camera pans across a crowded Miami nightclub as a group of drag queens perform “We Are Family.” The club’s owner, Armand Goldman (Robin Williams), frantically seeks out the star of the show, “Starina” (Nathan Lane), who is dramatically refusing to perform.
It is quickly established that Armand and Starina — whose real name is Albert — are a gay couple having a bit of a tiff. With the help of some hijinks from their housekeeper Agador (Hank Azaria), Albert is convinced to perform, and the show goes off without a hitch.
This opening scene perfectly sets the tone: It is lighthearted. The drama is manufactured. The stakes are arguably low. For a generation of LGBT viewers coming out of the AIDs-era when most queer media was either saddened or disgusted by them, The Birdcage must have seemed like a breath of fresh air.
The Plot
Taking place mostly in the Goldman’s apartment, the plot is very simple: Armand’s son Val (Dan Futterman) has come home from college engaged to a lovely girl named Barbara (Calista Flockhart). Val and Barbara are deeply in…
