The american remake the bird cage, while wellcast and earnestly funny, does not hold a candle to this wonderful, beloved classic. Tropez have their lives turned upside down when the son of one of the men announces he is getting married. But it can get away with this because of the way it is pitched as a farce, unlike, say, outrageous. Why jeanne moreaus death represents the decline of french. Remi laurent was born on october 12, 1957 in suresnes, france. His planned title was adam and yves, a play on both adam and eve and a slogan used by some antigay groups. It is cowritten and directed by edouard molinaro and stars ugo tognazzi and michel serrault. Tropez, his transvestite lover, and how the owner reacts after his son returns home one day and announces hes going to marry. Conventional notions of family and morality were challenged and turned upside down, yet only the most ingrained homophobe could watch this film and still cling to his bigotry. French actor michel serrault poses during a photocall in cannes in this march 26, 2003 file photo.
The screenings mark the 40th anniversary of the american release in 1979, as well as noting lgbtq pride month, and the 50th anniversary of the stonewall. He died on november 14, 1989 in paris, france of aids director. Of all the versions, imitations, and sequels, the first 1978 french picture is the best and funniest, a fresh look at machoism and drag queens. How has french cinema influenced cinema all over the world. Georges, the master of ceremonies, welcomes the audience to his st. Cette comedie remporta par ailleurs le golden globe du meilleur film etranger en 1980. Two of europes most virile male stars, michel serrault and ugo tognazzi, portray two very flamboyant, aging gay gentlemen. When the frenchitalian film adaptation of jean poirets play became a big box office hit in the late 70s, it was a conventional farce with a typically gallic twist, the old sonof. Offered by kirby mcdaniel movieart of austin, texas.
Staring michel serrault, ugo tognazzi, claire maurier and luisa maneri. 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 fiancees rightwing moralistic parents. The screenings mark the 40th anniversary of the american release in 1979, as well as noting lgbtq pride month, and the 50th anniversary of the stonewall riots. The fabulous zaza was played by french film star michel serrault. Like the play, the film tells the story of a gay couple renato baldi ugo tognazzi, the manager of a sainttropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and albin. See more ideas about harvey fierstein, cage and musical theatre broadway. My first viewing was back in 1979, when i was a closeted senior in college, and it was the first film that i had ever seen that treated the subject of homosexuality with sympathy. But the very title gives you an idea of the singular lack of effort thats gone into its packaging. Nov 16, 2015 madcap comedy in a gown see more ideas about cage, musical theatre and film. Oct 06, 2017 in this weeks video, we take on the 1996 film the birdcage. A frenchitalian film of the same name was made in 1978 and an american film adaptation of the play called the birdcage was made in 1996 starring nathan lane and robin williams. The film stars robin williams and nathan lane as the two lovebirds caught. Michel serrault, ugo tognazzi, michel galabru genre. Which option is a research question that will most likely.
How the birdcage ought to be done and first was done. Sep 29, 2012 two of europes most virile male stars, michel serrault and ugo tognazzi, portray two very flamboyant, aging gay gentlemen. Based on a french film comedy, the 1983 musical was a humorous but touching love story with a gay couple and transvestism at its heart. With robin williams, nathan lane, gene hackman, dianne wiest.
The chorus line known as les cagelles appear and introduce themselves to the audience we are what we are. This material still shows its age as it did even in the 1979 french language version but it has been tarted up with giddy ingenuity. Born may 31, 1928, in bordeaux, france, molinaro made crime thrillers before turning to comedy. Edouard molinaros oscar nominated french comedy april 14, 2007 by emanuellevy the french film, which later became a successful broadway musical with harvey fierstein, and then a mike nichols hollywood movie, made fun of macho pretensions. Its about the gay owner of a scandalous nightclub in st. After twenty years of unwedded bliss, georges and his male partner, albin, get the. With ugo tognazzi, michel serrault, claire maurier, remi laurent. Since then, in adjusted figures, of the top 100 specialized subtitled films released in the u. After months in development, arnold realized that the concept was unsustainable as a weekly series.