Borserie
it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.
SanEat
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
Hattie
I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.
musor2000
French cinema at its best. Witty jokes, nice plot and absolutely outstanding actors' play. Ugo Tognazzi and especially Michel Serrault play they roles so naturally that it's hard to believe they are not gay. Every movement, every expression shows that Albert is a woman in man's body - and it's not the makeup that makes you think that!. It's played and directed so good that can watch this movie over and over, one of the best movies on my list. Even if you know the plot you are going to enjoy this movie every time you watch it. Sequels aren't nearly as good - mainly because of weak plot. US-made remake is the expected disaster.
moonspinner55
French-Italian co-production based on Jean Poiret's play about a drag queen and his lover hoping to pass as straights for the sake of the lover's son, who has announced he's getting married. In its time, a rather obvious sex farce, made even more so today in the wake of two sequels and the 1996 American remake "The Birdcage". Mixture of bitchy bickering, door-slamming slapstick, and semi-serious overtures regarding the kowtowing of gays to straights creates a bumpy cinematic rhythm. Worse, the overall results--though popular at the box-office--are undermined by a dreariness that never goes away. May prove fascinating for "Birdcage" enthusiasts eager to compare the two, but this version offers even fewer laughs, with dramatic outbursts awkwardly and embarrassingly staged. ** from ****
Lee Eisenberg
In the movie on which "The Birdcage" was based, a gay couple have to pretend to be straight to meet their son's right-wing in-laws. Even if "La cage aux folles" stereotypes gays, it's impossible not to love. As with the remake, it shows how the biological mother has completely ignored the son and the ultra-gay man has had to act as the mother, and also what hypocrites the morality-obsessed politicians are. Is it better than the remake? Well, considering that the remake was a shot-for-shot remake, that does give this one a better feeling (what made the remake so good was how it mocked the right-wingers who had just taken control of Congress).So anyway, this one is something that everyone's gotta like. Whether about tolerance or other things, it's great. Starring Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault.
LeRoyMarko
Great classic comedy by Molinaro. The movie was breaking with the rule at the time. Of course, the characters are presented in a stereotyped kind of way, but I think it was appropriate at the time. The farcical set-up helped bringing crowds. And somehow, I'm sure the gay cause moved a step forward with this movie. Some scene are simply hilarious. I can't tell you how I found the toast scene funny! And try to walk like John Wayne! But I would agree that the second half was a lot more funnier than the first. Never the less. Serrault is excellent. But he's not alone: so is Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Galabru. I love that guy, ever since, as a kid, I watched him in the Gendarme series with Louis DeFunès.Excellent musical score by Ennio Morricone. Gotta love it!A comedy to enjoy many, many times.Out of 100, I gave it 82. That's good for *** out of ****.Seen at home, in Toronto, on November 6th, 2004.
