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After a short break with a few very entertaining drag skits, The Birdcage began. The movie features two dramatically different couples whose children are marrying each other. Armand Goldman, the owner of a popular Miami drag club known for putting on shows starring his long-time lover Albert who appears as “Starina.” Lately flamboyant Albert has been in crisis over the onset of middle age. One day Armand’s son Val comes to visit with joyous news, he has found his dreamgirl, Barbara, and is getting married. The only trouble is, Barbara Keeley’s father is the super conservative Senator Keeley, who’s in the midst of a scandal. Senator Keeley and his wife agree that their daughter having a big, flashy wedding would take them out of the bad limelight. There is only one problem, Barbara has neglected to tell them that Val’s parents are gay. Instead she has made them like a straight, conservative elite couple.
Val then has to ask his father Armand to pretend to be a straight man for the sake of Barbara’s family. Armand is upset that he has to hide who he really is, but loving his son, finally agrees. Albert tries to learn how to be macho so he can pretend to be Val’s uncle, but he’s still too “gay”. Armand then locates Catherine, Val’s biological mother, and asks her to pretend to be his wife. She agrees to show up later that evening. Chaos ensues when Catherine doesn’t show up on time. Albert then sees an opportunity , and dressed in drag introduces himself as Val’s mother.
Throughout the dinner party, the Keeley’s have no idea what is going on and Mr. Keeley actually finds “Mrs. Goldman” quite charming not knowing she was really Albert. Then a fashionably late Catherine shows up ready to play the part. Everyone is confused and dazed for the moment then the truth comes out. Surprised, confused and angry the Keeley parents tell Barbara that she will not be marrying her into a homosexual family. Trying to leave the Keeleys are swarmed by paparazzi and news reporters, there was no way out. Armand plots a brilliant escape: dress in drag and dance their way out of the night club. The conservative Keeleys are reluctant and refuse to do such a thing, but knowing if they leave through the front they’ll be drowned in cameras and questions, so they agree. Armand, Albert, Barbara and the Keeley parentals dress in drag and successfully make their way out of the scene. Having the Keeleys go through what Armand and Albert do everyday opened up their eyes and made them realize that your sexual orientation doesn’t affect your views and opinions. When it really comes down to it, we are all the same people.
The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of The Desert and The Birdcage share their views on the issues facing gay drag. I found Priscilla to have less of a flair for the dramatic, because it depicted the real life realities faced with being homosexual on a day to day basis. Whether it was finding love, or sometimes dealing with harsh homophobia. I found this movie more relatable with my everyday life. The Birdcage had its moments where I could identify with some of the characters, but I found it to be more of a laugh riot. Whether it was comical or dramatic it sent the same message to me, it’s not who we’re attracted to that makes us a person but what’s inside us that counts.
