The Birdcage (DVD, 1997, Standard and Letterbox)

"The Birdcage" is director Mike Nichols's hysterical replication of Broadway's smash hit comedy of 1978, "La Cage Aux Folles." This time, comedian & actor Robin Williams is Armand Goldman & Nathan Lane is Albert, Goldman's long time gay partner. Goldman owns a gay cabaret that he & Albert live above in South Beach, Miami. Albert is Armand's's star transvestite show diva at their club.

When Armand's son, Val (Dan Futterman) comes for a visit, he announces that he's getting married to a conservative Senator's (Gene Hackman) daughter (Calista Flockhart). Val asks his parents, Armand & Albert, to pass as a typical couple when the prospective in-laws come for dinner. Even though Val is very accepting of both of his parents, views Albert as his mother & Armand as his father, Val demands that they go in the closet for his girlfriend's parents visit (Flockhart's mother is played by Dianne Wiest).

Armand & Albert learn that Val's prospective in-laws are a political couple running on a "family values" ticket. Albert's hysterical attempts to act straight & "manly," combined with Agador's (Hank Azaria's) t-totally out & flamboyant houseboy antics, are showstoppers of the film.

Uncharacteristically, Robin Williams is the understated guy of the queer trio. Gene Hackman & Dianne Wiest play the square in-laws to a T until the media catches them socializing with the queer couple who live above, own & star in the gay cabaret. I won't give away the ending because it's too cute!

This is one of my favourite movies of all time - it all always succeeds in making me laugh out loud.
Robin Williams is fantastic as the gay, South Beach nightclub owner alongside the fabulous Nathan Lane who plays his drag queen partner.
The drama all starts when their son announces his decision to marry a senator's daughter (Calista Flockhart) and they set about presenting a picture of pure, wholesome family values.
Funniest moments for me are:

When the butler, Agador, falls flat on his face because he cannot wear shoes;
Robin Williams demonstrating a dance that includes, 'Fosse fosse fosse & Ma-donna, Mad-onna'.

This movie will not disappoint,

Robin Williams plays a gay trendy club owner in West Palm Beach. His night club entertainment is all cross dressing male review...but the real entertainment is his life with "wife" Nathan Lane who is the headliner at the club. Hank Azerra plays the gay houseboy, longing to be in the show in the downstairs club. "Stareena" (Lane) steals the show with his funny acting abilities, and things go bad quickly when a straight lace Senator's daughter falls for Williams son, and marrage is in the works. When the press gets involved, it gets truely hilarious! A real keeper!

One of Robin Williams and Nathan Lane's best. Two gay guys living together trying to play straight as they meet their son's fiance's parents (Gene Hackman and Diane Weiss) who is a Senator running for relection. They live over a nightclub which is owned by Robin and they are all transvestites. Absolutely hillarious.

Robin Willians and Nathan Lane deliver humor-packed punch lines in this film about two committed gay men meeting their son's prospective in-laws who are strong conservative political leaders who are opposed to homosexuality. A story that could conceivably occur makes this even funnier. Williams shows just how flexible an actor he can be.