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From Cage Aux Folles to Birdcage

September 23, 2008 by GayPatriotWest

Well, from my experience, maybe I should say from The Birdcage to La Cage aux Folles.

Last week, after watching the American film for the umpteemth time, I thought I should put the French one on my Netflix queue. Before I remembered to do that, I saw the film on sale at Borders–and I had a coupon.

Birdcage‘s jaundiced view of Republicans never really bothered me because, well, it’s just a story.  No Republican as narrow as Gene Hackman‘s Kevin Keeley could win election to statewide office, especially not in Ohio. Still, Hackman inhabited the role with such class that he made it enjoyable, even made his character sympathetic. And anyway, his extremism helped accentuate the culture clash, making the film more outrageous and definitely more entertaining

This time, however, as i watched I wondered some gay people (and even some straights) see Republicans as the caricature portrayed by Hackman. Judging my my e-mail and some of the comments here, I would dare say they do.

Perhaps, it’s because I saw Birdcage first that I preferred it to La Cage which inspired it. My cinephile friends insist the French flick is a better film. And perhaps it is, but who’s to judge.  I might feel that way had I seen it first. Or had I seen when I lived in France and could better relate to that culture.

Judging the quality of a film is really a subjective thing. Sometimes we define this movie as better than that because we can better identify with its protagonist’s journey. Or the situation in which he finds himself.

All that said, both films, each with its slow moments, are wonderfully entertaining. As I watched the latter, thoroughly engaged, it struck me how big a draw drag has been at the box office. And I don’t just mean the cinematic box office.

It’s been a draw at least since the term box office was coined. Male actors played female roles in Shakespeare’s day — and beyond. And then there were those Shakespeare plays when the male characters played female characters impersonating men.

And I saw all this as a gay man who does whatever he can to avoid drag shows. Maybe it’s reading Camille Paglia that’s got me thinking about all this.

Filed Under: Gay Culture, Movies/Film & TV

Comments

  1. ThatGayConservative says

    September 23, 2008 at 2:05 am - September 23, 2008

    it’s just a story.

    No Republicans were harmed in the making of this film.

    his extremism helped accentuate the culture clash, making the film more outrageous and definitely more entertaining

    So, in other words, he made a good foil, antagonist, villian?

  2. GayPatriotWest says

    September 23, 2008 at 2:54 am - September 23, 2008

    Pretty much, TGC, a good foil.

  3. ThatGayConservative says

    September 23, 2008 at 3:30 am - September 23, 2008

    Well, it’s a great movie. I’ve noted the attitude toward Hackman’s character, but I’m too into the story to care.

  4. American Elephant says

    September 23, 2008 at 3:41 am - September 23, 2008

    Am I the only one who hated that movie?

  5. V the K says

    September 23, 2008 at 5:01 am - September 23, 2008

    Am I the only one who hated that movie?

    No.

    When my adopted son was about nine, his social worker was thinking of placing him with a gay couple, so she made him watch ‘The Birdcage’ to see if he would be receptive to that arrangement. The answer: Not so much.

  6. Julie the Jarhead says

    September 23, 2008 at 7:28 am - September 23, 2008

    Wonderful movie. I found Gene Hackman’s character as sympathetic as the rest (except the ungrateful wretch of a son). I got the impression that Mr. Keeley just had to meet a nice gay couple, and he’d understand. I’d love to see a sequel.

    And I didn’t think Mr. Hackman looked fat at all in that lovely white number he wore at the end. BTW, Mr. Hackman is a former Marine. Ooh rah!

  7. Vince P says

    September 23, 2008 at 8:39 am - September 23, 2008

    I thought Hackman had humoriously protrayed the Hollywood stereotype of a Social Conservative Republican.

    Since I been fighting with the idiot Leftists all my life, I always had the impression that the Leftist view Republicans in the absolutely worst way imaginable.

  8. Michigan-Matt says

    September 23, 2008 at 9:13 am - September 23, 2008

    Dan, while I appreciate you enjoy watching the film so much that you’ve watched it repeatedly, I have to tell the first and only time I watched with MM partner, we both hated it… passionately.

    I can’t tell you the number of times of I’ve heard supposedly liberal AnnArborites share with me that they “understand” gay parents because of the characters portrayed in Birdcage. Honestly, I think it’s done more harm than all the laughs it musters from those with the tolerance to watch it.

    It’s like hearing someone watch an OliverStone movie and explain that they now understand why Cuba, the Mob, the Army, LBJ or the Russians wanted Kennedy dead. With equally naive, compassionate straight faces too.

    Don’t underestimate the power of Hollywood to misinform the masses.

  9. Jeb says

    September 23, 2008 at 11:30 am - September 23, 2008

    La Cage was a better film and represented the French view of politics. Hollywood’s attempt to re-make foreign films ALWAYS falls short. By the way, recall it was the MEDIA that made the issue of the son having GAY parents. And no one in the Left Wing Gay media complained of the stereotyping of the gay characters (or for that the Hispanics).

    I love the first and the second La Cage. The final scene of La Cage II won best scene at Cannes.

    Jeez I am showing my age!

    Jeb

  10. Ted B. (Charging Rhino) says

    September 23, 2008 at 12:16 pm - September 23, 2008

    While in the French original the politician was the “bad guy”, by the time the Birdcage was released it’s the idiot son and his airhead fiancee’s cluelessness that drives the plot forwards…even if the director didn’t intend that in the first place. I ask you, could a young man raised by two men in a South Beach drag club REALLY be that oblivoius and callow? It’s not the Senator that comes-of as the stereotype….it’s the children.

    I’m still waiting for the gay-version of Sabrina, with Linus attempting to distract his chauffuer/private helicopter pilot’s son from his younger sister, and it’s the son who finds Linus attractive instead. The key would be not to have Linus in the closet or denial, but perhaps still mourning some long-ago loss. It’s the son who should have the revelation at the end of the movie.

  11. Vince P says

    September 23, 2008 at 1:03 pm - September 23, 2008

    I want to see the gay version of Exorcist

  12. V the K says

    September 23, 2008 at 1:29 pm - September 23, 2008

    I want to see the gay version of Exorcist

    “Karras, you faithless swine… your father barebacks in Hell”

    “I need an old priest, and a young priest. Actually, make that two young priests… and an altar boy.”

  13. Draybee says

    September 23, 2008 at 2:16 pm - September 23, 2008

    “Bob Dole is gorgeous!”

  14. heather says

    September 23, 2008 at 2:23 pm - September 23, 2008

    The Left really believes in their caricature of the Right wing. That is why they were all over Bristol’s unwed pregnancy: they are convinced that that fact alone would sink Palin with evangelicals. As far as they are concerned, an unwed daughter of a conservative is always thrown out into the snow to starve in a ditch.

    Once upon a time, in the bad old conservative times, on the Canadian Prairie, a child of an unwed mother was called a “catch-colt.”

    Sometimes I think the Left has huge problems with projection: that is, in American Beauty, the repressed gay neighbour is a right wing militaristic monster. Lefties seem to enjoy defining their enemies as ‘gay’. They may dress it up with “repressed”, but that is only decoration.

    And the American Left worships Obama only BECAUSE of his race… what is in the guy’s head is of no importance to them.

    As to the Cage aux Folles, even with subtitles, was a wonderful comedy.

  15. DinaFelice says

    September 23, 2008 at 6:31 pm - September 23, 2008

    #5

    I’m sorry?

    A social worker showed *The Birdcage* to a child as representing what “gay parents are like”?

    I mean jeez, I like the movie (a lot) , but I would be freaked out by the idea of either sets of parents (not to mention Ally McBeal and ‘Val’) raising me.

    I suppose one should be grateful if she doesn’t show ‘Flowers in the Attic’ to a young children about to go live with their grandmother. Don’t they have requirements for social workers?

  16. ThatGayConservative says

    September 23, 2008 at 8:05 pm - September 23, 2008

    Am I the only one who hated that movie?

    It was one of those movies that I didn’t like the first time I watched it.

  17. LCRW says

    September 23, 2008 at 8:08 pm - September 23, 2008

    I like La Cage Aux Folles better.

    I hate when Hackman’s character’s near the end asks that his leaving abruptly will not affect their vote. His character is from Ohio and the gay characters live in Florida.

  18. Michigan-Matt says

    September 24, 2008 at 10:34 am - September 24, 2008

    Dina asks: “Don’t they have requirements for social workers?”

    Given my experience with social workers and adoption “advocates” who are social workers, I’d have to answer No, there aren’t even requirements that social workers posess common sense… in fact, in Michigan, the only requirement is that you do a minimal job, work 65 hrs a week and screw-up everyone’s life while “saving” no one’s life.

    But hey, I’m a little biased.

  19. Dave says

    September 24, 2008 at 10:00 pm - September 24, 2008

    #14 Wow Heather, you managed to pack more asinine stereotypes in your one comment than are in both The Birdcage and American Beauty. Good job! But I won’t judge all conservatives by your nonsense, I know there are some who can see reality.

    The social worker that showed this movie to a kid about to be adopted was a complete idiot.

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