Sexual Themes in the Birdcage
The Bird Cage, Starring Nathan Lane and Robbin Williams is a film that explores societies views of homosexuals through the medium of humor. By creating outrageously stereotyped homosexual men, the director, Mike Nichols creates an awareness in his viewers of the biases and stereotypes that they hold . The two gay male leads, Albert and Armand are owners of a nightclub in South Beach Florida. Armand (played by Robin Williams) is in a long-term relationship with Albert (played by Nathan Lane). Armand has a grown son, Val, from a previous marriage. Trouble starts when Val announces his engagement to a girl named Barbara that he met at school. It turns out that Barbara's father is an ultraconservative United States Senator. He wants to meet his future son-in-law along with his family. After much debate it is decided that both Armand and Albert will be included in the meeting of the bride's parents. To avoid makinga bad immpression Val's biological mother is invited to pretend that she is still happily married to Armand. This offends Albert, who decides to dress as a woman to play the part of Val's mother. In the end all is discovered and the conservative couple are forced to accept that
Perhaps because of the gender roles that males and females are cast into through socialization, many heterosexuals are unable to fathom a relationship where gender roles and expectations are blurred. This phenomena is explored extensively throughout The Bird Cage. For example, in a male-male relationship who is expected to stay home and keep house, and who is expected to be the provider in the relationship? If both men were to stick to their prescribed roles as males, then none of the domestic duties of every day life would ever be addressed. Society does not see men as responsible, or even suited for, domestic work. Many people may believe that a relationship will only work if each partner takes over either the tasks and expectations of a woman,or the tasks and expectations of the man. their daughter will be marrying into an "alternative" family. In adherence to societies biases, this film shows Armand as the designated male in the relationship. Although it is never spoken aloud, it is obvious that the characteristics he displays are those considered to be traditionally male. He is the rock of the relationship. He thinks before he speaks, he is intelligent, and has control over his emotions. He constantly calms Albert down, while rolling his eyes at the foolishness of his antics. In addition Armand is the only homosexual lead to have been married before, and to have a son from that marriage. All of these traits package Armand as the least-gay male, and the homosexual displaying the least feminine characteristics. There are no gender identities, orientations or roles that are not poked fun of and explored in the movie The Bird Cage. The director seems to have played up humorous stereotypes of each, creating an awareness in the audience of the silliness of attributing characteristics to an individual based solely on his or her sexual orientation. While homosexuals are seen as oversexed and horny, heterosexuals are
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Approximate Word count = 1322
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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