I believe we should watch The Birdcage for the movie portion of this class. The Birdcage is a fabulous film from 1996 that tells the story of Robin Williams' character Armand Goldman meeting his future in-laws, Senator and Mrs. Keeley played by Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest. Goldman is a gay cabaret owner, whose partner, Albert, played brilliantly by Nathan Lane, is the star. His son Val, portrayed by Dan Futterman, from a heterosexual fling, informs them that he is engaged to the daughter of the congressional moral crusader Senator Keeley, Barbara, played by Calista Flockhart. Chaos ensues as a methodically planned out dinner falls to pieces, slowly revealing the true identity of the Goldmans.
There are dozens of misunderstandings and miscommunications between all the characters as they try to present themselves in a socially acceptable manner for their future in-laws, especially from the Goldmans as they desperately try to hide who they are, as well as their flamboyant lifestyle. I feel like this movie is a hidden gem in regards to brilliant comedies that have come out in the last twenty years, and it certainly relates to this class because it has a tidy resolution, a thematic element that many people in this class value and enjoy, without archetypal characters, just like in "The Beaver Coat," that we have seen throughout the literature for this class. It also shows comic situations where certain individuals put aside their true nature for self preservation, deception, and trying to adhere to acceptable social standards--something that we have seen in "The Misanthrope." There is also a happy ending, which many of the comedies we have read for class seem to present. In conclusion, I believe The Birdcage would be an excellent film to watch for this class because it has multiple comic elements that we can discuss and relate to previous discussions and its off the beaten path as far modern comedies go.
In conclusion, I believe The Birdcage would be an excellent film to watch for this class because it has multiple comic elements that we can discuss and relate to previous discussions and its off the beaten path as far modern comedies go.
