La Cage aux Folles

This cult classic deserves its reputation. I saw it many years ago at a film festival and have loved it ever since.....I grabbed up a video as soon as it became available. It appears, that in the last few years, some critics are finding fault with the film but in my opinion it has held up well.

The two main characters and the actors that play them are priceless. Ugo Tognazzi, one of my favorite Italian actors,is so suave and world-weary as Renato, the stronger of the couple. Michel Serrault is a nervous, overwrought, insecure prima donna who squeals and minces his way through life and will have you falling off the couch with delight. Although there is not a lot of affection shown between the two, the underlying strength of their relationship is evident.

One warning......do not see the dubbed version of this film!! It is most unsatisfactory. The sub-titled version at least retains the voices of the actors which is part of the appeal of the film. If you speak French, please see the original...many of the lines do not translate well to English and contain nuances that are not present in the translation. Whichever version you see (sub-titled or original), it will be a viewing experience that will bring tears of laughter....it's a joy!

Absolutely classic French bedroom farce, hilarious from start to finish. Oft-told tale about two gay lovers whose son wants to marry a politician's daughter, and the lover's attempt to straighten out for one night. So far there are two sequels, a musical version, and an inferior American remake ("The Birdcage" with Nathan Lane and Robin Williams), but this is the original, the only, the funniest, the best.

Don't let the subtitles intimidate you, this is hilarious, this is the best, this movie RULES.

I first saw La Cage Aux Folles after its American remake "The Birdcage". This was unfortunate because that meant the plot was already familiar to me. However, it was even more hilarious than its American version. The characters in the American version are nearly exact duplicates of their French counterparts. Somehow, the whole movie appears funnier in its original French (even though I don't speak French).

American audiences may like the remake better because the script was rewritten so that its humor was more topical. For instance, Gene Hackman's character is an obvious farce of Bob Dole, who was a prominent republican leader at the time. The French version contains a more generic conservative versus liberal dialogue.

However, if you can stand reading the translations, La Cage Aux Folles is well worth your time. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The first time I saw "La Cage ax Folles" was in my French film class and I loved it. Michell Serrault became my favorite French actor after watching this comedy. He is really great and I could not stop laughing. You don't even have to speak nor understand French too much, because just looking at him makes you laugh. Another factor that contributes a lot to the good acting of the two lovers are fabulous costumes. My favorite one was the heart-shaped one worn by the butler, but they were all great. I have also seen the American remake of this film "The Birdcage" and I have to tell you that it doesn't even compare to the original. There are more part of La Cage aux Folles, but the first one is the best of all and I would definitely recommend it.

A wonderful gallic romp where even the most hardened must surely empathise with the ridiculous predicaments our protagonists weave themselves into. Probably Michel Serrault's greatest role to date, he is ably supported by Ugo Tognazzi. Oozing European style throughout. The American Bird Cage is a very poor imitation.