Filming The Birdcage in Miami Beach

This movie is like a cartoon of over the top characters which will have you belly laughing.

Nathan Lane as the flamboyant drama queen Albert who lives with Armand,  Robin Williams the owner of the gay cabaret “The Birdcage” in South Beach where Albert performs.

Armand’s single liaison with a woman produced a son, Val who now wants to be married to the daughter of a conservative politician.

As a married gay couple Armand must now become “butch” and Albert has got to go.

Let the fun begin!

My favorite scene is when Armand tries to teach Albert to act like a man and to walk like John Wayne.

The dinner scene with Lane as the mom with the new heterosexual family is hilarious and unforgettable.

After Steve Martin dropped out because a scheduling conflict, Williams was asked to play Albert,  but didn’t want to repeat his “Mrs Doubtfire” role so Broadway’s Nathan Lane was chosen.

Director Mike Nichols required Williams and Lane film at least one good take of each scene sticking to the script before he would allow them to improvise (something both of the actors are known).

Their sensational comic timing was pure magic.

Gene Hackman as the senator proves he is great as a comic actor.   Diane Weist, Calista Flockhart and Hank Azaria are also terrific.

The scene stealing Azaria  as Agador Spartacus,  the adoring flaming butler that dresses like a “cabana boy” and longs to be in the drag show downstairs but  genuinely has no talent.   Easily his best role ever.

The Birdcage is hysterically entertaining, so go pluck yourself in the cage for one of the funniest movies ever.

Shot almost entirely in Miami Beach and along Route 1.

MGM released the film on March 8th 1996 and it was when the highest grossing films of the year.

With a $31 million production budget the grossed $185 million worldwide.