‘The Birdcage’ representation analysis
Comedy (1996)
Homosexual men are the protagonists Armand and Albert. Armand owns a popular drag nightclub
in which his partner Albert is the star act. Also most of the men the two socialise with are also
assumed to be homosexual apart from Armand’s son from another partner, Val.
The middle class is also represented with Val’s wife, Barbara’s parents, who are very
conservative. The complete opposites of Armand and Albert but ironically have the same
relationship complex.
The film is set in the 90’s in Miami, mainly at Armand’s bar ‘The Birdcage’
We are suppose to like Armand and Albert as they get the punch lines, using slapstick comedy
and are also already well known comedy actors so automatically liked by the audience. They also
seem quite honest and in love, which you admire. You like Val and Barbara as they seem
genuinely nice and are also funny but use quite dry humor; however you don’t agree with some of
there actions, mainly the fact that they try to hide Val’s fathers sexuality. You don’t like Barbara’s
father, Senator Keeley. He is completely selfish and him and his wife use there daughters
marriage to help the Senators campaign. However you don’t hate them as they are also quite
funny but to laugh at.
The senator is shown to have power as Armand, Albert and Val all make a lot of effort to modify
the club to suite the Senators Conservative view on life. Albert also has power in the relationship
between him and Armand, Albert is generally the more feminine role in there relationship, and as
he is the star he is very egotistic and a prima Donna. He throw’s a tantrum until he gets his way.
This film both challenges and reinforces homosexual stereotypes. It uses every stereotype and
convention of homosexual men seeing them as camp, weak and girly with Albert and the other
cross dressers. The mise en scene also reflects this especially in the club and Armand’s
apartment is covered in stereotypically homosexual décor with phalluses and nude paintings on
every surface. They also achieve this with the costume and make up wearing floral shirts, linen
trousers. However the fact that they use all of these to make us like and agree with these
characters making them seem more moral than Barbara’s heterosexual parents send the over all
message that we need to embrace difference.