Dan futterman, calista flockhart, hank azaria, and christine baranski appear in supporting roles. American audiences may like the remake better because the. Two of europes most virile male stars, michel serrault and ugo tognazzi, portray two very flamboyant, aging gay gentlemen. Its about the gay owner of a scandalous nightclub in st. Based on the 1973 french play of the same name by jean poiret, it tells the story of a gay couple, georges, the manager of a sainttropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and albin, his.
Tognazzi has a son from a former marriage who is engaged to the daughter of a politician who is a. It is cowritten and directed by edouard molinaro and stars ugo tognazzi and michel serrault. Ive never had the pleasure of seeing the stage play nor the musical, but i love the wonderful movie adaptation. In the november 12, 1998 abctv network airing of the birdcage 1996, approximately minutes of added footage was restored to the film. Tropez, his transvestite lover, and how the owner reacts after his son returns home one day and announces hes going to marry. Albin michel serrault decides to leave renato ugo tognazzi for good. Ward, kathleen conry, shanon orrock, james patterson. Like the play upon which it is based, the film tells the story of a gay. After twenty years of bliss, georges and albin, two men partnered for betterorworse, get a bit of both when georges son announces his impending marriage to the daughter of an ultraconservative politician. A version of this story was first published april 12, 2010. The writer and star of the original play, jean poiret, was barely involved. Feathers, fringe, and les cagelles returned to broadway in. Wikipedia, lexilogos, larousse dictionary, le robert, oxford, grevisse. The comedy that comes out of the closet two gay men living in st.
The birdcage is a 1996 american comedy film directed by mike nichols, adapted by elaine may, and starring robin williams, gene hackman, nathan lane, and dianne wiest. This vintage original still shows a very rare photo of from left to right marcel bozzuffi and giovanni vettorazzo. Jan 25, 2010 after son laurent remi laurent turns up and announces his impending nuptials, transvestitenightclub owner renato ugo tognazzi and his dragqueen star attraction, albin michel serrault. Best french movies a list of 30 titles created 25 jul 2016 see all related lists related items. It began as a french stage play in 1973, spawned two sequels, became a broadway musical, and was later remade as the 1996 comedy the birdcage. The basic premise is that a young man, laurent, who has been raised by his father, renato and renatos business partner and lover, albin, has fallen in love and wants to get married. Somehow, the whole movie appears funnier in its original french even though i dont speak french. Very funny picture by french director eduard molinaro but i still prefer the english remake. With michel serrault, ugo tognazzi, antonella interlenghi, saverio vallone. Visitors of subtitlesbank have given a rating of 5. Cast in credits order complete, awaiting verification. After twenty years of unwedded bliss georges and albin, two men partnered for betterorworse get a bit of both when georges son fathered during a. In 198687, thousands of people were dying from hivaids and there was little hope of treatment. This is the original french version of the film the birdcage 1996.
Based on the 1973 french play of the same name by jean poiret, it tells the story of a gay couple, georges, the manager of a sainttropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and albin, his romantic partner and star attraction, and the farcical adventures that ensue when georgess son, jeanmichel, brings home his fiancees ultraconservative parents to meet them. Lee roy reams, george mcdaniel, ray reinhardt, steven x. I just loved nathan lane and hank azaria in their renditions of the patriarchs lover and maid. It is directed by edouard molinaro and stars michel serrault as albin stage name zaza, the female impersonator star of a gay nightclub revue, and ugo tognazzi as renato, his partner of over 20 years. In this version robin williams plays the gay owner of a florida nightclub who learns his straight son dan futterman is coming home and is engaged to be married. In this version robin williams plays the gay owner of a florida nightclub who learns his straight son dan futterman. Terrific french farce transcends the language barrier in getting its laughs and message across.
The movie is hilarious from the first minute to the last, the plot is simple. Subtitles of different languages may be downloaded for free as a. The original movie is entirely in french i did not bother to check for. Renato ugo tognazzi owns a popular nightclub and is the longtime lover of zaza michel serrault, a female impersonator who is the clubs main attraction. Tropez have their lives turned upside down when the son of one of the men announces he is getting married. But the catch is albin must marry a woman and produce an heir within a year or the whole inheritance will be forfeited. In 1978 the play was then made into a movie also in.