Film Analysis: The Bird Cage Essay

In the year 1996, Mike Nichols decided to score and direct the film version of the highly successful 1978 st long time befool La Cage Aux Follies. Ge bed towards the western tastes of the American audience, he called the photograph The Bird Cage and presented the public with a hilarious yet instructive movie about a homo man who overprotects a son by and by an affair with a woman. The film showcases the brilliant talent of robin Williams as Armand Goldman, father to Val Goldman as portrayed by Dan Futterman. Nathan Lane flawlessly es avows the role of Albert Goldman, the wife involved in the man relationship with Armand. Christine Baranski plays Katherine Archer, the biologic mother of Val who had a whizz night stand with the openly snappy Armand. The movie gives us a glimpse into the legitimateity that gay bashing and idolatry of paederastics is really an unfounded fear that federation insists on propagating rather than intellect that in force(p) because a mortal is homo cozy, it does non mean he wampum being a real live person. Any homophobic person who views the movie essential do so while making the case to keep an open mind about the topic. The reality is that thither is nil to fear from these great deal. They, just kindred both ruler person incessantly struggles for acceptance and they are linguistic rule functioning valet beings.They are not an illness, nor a curse from god. Since Val was raised(a) in a homosexual dwelling, he is quite roaring with his father and stepmother because they function as a family unit. Proving whence that the dynamics of a family exists regardless of whether the baby is raised in a same sex or normal couple household. To Val, on that point is naught strange about his family and he is highly confident of his sexuality.His beliefs about how normal his household is get shaken the day he gets engaged to Barbara Keeley ( Calista Flockhart), the girl of Senator Kevin Keeley, founder of the Coa lition for Moral Order, as the name of the validation implies, the genuine senator would neer ap erect of his daughter marrying a man raised in a homosexual household. In an effort to gain the approval of the senator for their engagement, Val must convince Armand to pretend to be a straight heterosexual for just one night and pretend to be a man with Katherine at his side. As the night progresses and the best laid plans of Val begin to unravel and his clandestine threatens to become exposed with the arrival of his grandmother, who is really Albert Goldman in drag, Val realizes how remarkable his confusing family really is and that it does not matter if he was raised by 2 homosexuals. He eventually comes clean and everything turns out in the end. The Bird Cage is a movie that carries with it a very grave message regarding homophobia and the society that at the time could still be considered uncharitable of gay partnerships. Indeed a lot has changed in the past 11 years since this movie was created. At the time the movie was filmed, Director Nichols was consideration out to inform the viewing public about the misconceptions and myths about homoeroticism by encouraging the homophobic viewer to become more bighearted of the alternative sex while thought that they too know a place and bring a balance to the world we live in. In an in independent review by James Berardinelli back in 1996, he praised the film for its creativity and humor in dealing with much(prenominal) a delicate topic as a tyke raised in a same sex family. Something which at the time was that whispered about. Mr. Berardinelli commented that The Birdcage rivals A Midwinters Tale for the funniest movie released thus far-off in 1996. In fact, the film is so boisterously entertaining that its easy for the unsuspecting viewer not to realize that at that places a message here.The structure of The Birdcage is designed to show us that there isnt much difference between conservatives and liberals or straight and gay people. Nichols picture pr for each onees valuation account and understanding, save neatly camouflages much(prenominal) themes beneath brassy sets, colorful costumes, and unrestrained humor. The script has a few lulls, and there are times when it doesnt make a lot of sense, but there are few better ways to spend a unemotional winter evening than peering through the bars of The Birdcage. These days, homosexual relationships progress to begun to receive a certain(p) amount of tolerance and acceptance by society. Although, society still frowns upon allowing a homosexual or, for that matter, lesbian couple to raise a kidskin in a same sex household fearing that such a set up would confuse the child and encourage the child to follow the lifestyle he was immersed in all his life cause the child to become a homosexual, lesbian, or have a certain type of sexual abnormality about the child. In a normal family, a mother or father is identified by his sexu ality. accordingly there is no way to tell who is which in a homosexual family right? Wrong. When you ask a gay couple who is the mother or father in the situation, they forget always have a sterilize answer. This is because one of them seems to be born with the motherly instinct activated. Although it is believed that a child raised in a homosexual household will never experience the mother/father, husband/wife, mother/father relationships, he will however have exposure to the same through relatives in the family who rifle to the standard definition of a family. In the movie, Val realizes towards the end that he has 2 mothers who bask him very much. One who gave him life, and the other, a man who, just like his mother has just his best interest at heart. Both persons precisely wanting to see him happy throughout his life. There is no real gender perception in terms of who is the mother or father role because the dynamic that describes either parent is the same, a person who loves and cares for the child and only wants the best for him or her. Why does that kind of relationship work? Parenthood requires one to be selfless and put the interest of the child ahead of your own. It does not matter if the child comes from a normal parent, one parent, or homosexual parent family, the guiding objective of parenting remains the same. As evidenced by this movie and actual real life homosexual families, just because one is raised in a homosexual household does not make that person gay. According to the United Families International, there is no truth to the gay gene and therefore it cannot be considered genic. The organizations explanation goes on to say that Homosexuality is not a genetically encoded condition. Contrary to media hype, there is no conclusive or compelling empirical evidence cover any absolute biological, genetic, or hormonal causation for homosexualism. Homosexual activistic and molecular biologist Dean Hamers study claiming the existence of a homosexual gene has been scientifically discredited.Studies that claim to prove homosexuality is genetic have been purposefully designed from a homosexual advocacy post and seek to convince society that homosexuality is innate, psychologically normal, and thus socially desirable. As for the adventure of a genetic disposition towards homosexuality the organization claims that There may be a possibility of the existence of a genetic sensitiveness toward homosexuality, which is far distinguishable from causation. But even this possibility is far from scientifically proven. Predisposition toward something does not mean that it is inevitable, or that such a predisposition cannot or should not be resisted and overcome.Comparing the predisposition to homosexuality to alcoholism, it is further stated that Some people may have a predisposition to alcoholism, yet we do not affirm their disposition, but rather treat their condition and help them change. Current evidence suggests that environmental, familial, and individualized influences contribute significantly to the development of homosexual tendencies. Seventy years of healthful counseling and case studies show a remarkable consistency concerning the origins of the homosexual impulse as an uncompleted gender identity seeking after its own sex to replace what was not fully developed in childhood As for the social issues a child raised in a homosexual household faces, I will agree with those who say that they face a rougher time in the real world than the children from unfaltering parent households. This is mainly because children are by nature mean and love to tease each other without realizing how it emotionally affects their fellow child.This however should only serve to help strengthen the childs personality as well as help him to further understand how different his or her own family is from everyone else. But, that does not make him any less of a human being nor should it prevent him or her from enjo ying childhood. Val was practically raised in a same sex household and he grew up to become a responsible, caring, and understanding individual. Something that cannot often be said even for children raised in normal parent households. A child comes to this world as a blank slate. It is the parents of the child who write on that slate and determine what a childs value system will be base upon. A child learns his values in life by the pillow slip and reinforcement of his parents. It is up to the parent to teach their child the value of tolerance and acceptance of something that is deemed different in our society such as homosexuality and the fact there will be a few kids here and there whom he or she may mingle with who comes from such an upbringing. Therefore, how comfortable and confident a child will be about his sexual orientation, as well as how he accepts those of a highly different gender than his or hers solely depends upon how the parents explain the moral value of treating each sex fairly while highlighting the need for tolerance and understanding of such people. To illustrate the point about the value system of a child, one only has to view how well adjusted Val was brought up by both his straight mother, gay father and his partner to see that any value system an adult has in place was developed during his childhood. He was taught the value of tolerance and understanding from the minute he could walk and it make a huge difference in regards to how he accepted people in his life when he became an adult. According to Lois Clark, who compiled the Ohio State University Fact Sheet, communication with children can help develop their sense of values.Simply put, Ms. Clark indicates that When talking to children, it is key to tell them what acceptable behavior is and why it is acceptable. Simply telling a child not to do something does not teach the child anything keep out he should not do that particular thing. By explaining the reasoning base the reque st, the child can learn. This method of child rearing, wherein the parent will have the opportunity to explain about sexual differences to the child can prove to be a valuable part of a childs value system in todays day and age where homosexuality and lesbianism are slowly becoming an accepted part of society. fly the coop CitedBerardinelli, James. (1996). The Bird Cage A Film Review. Retrieved July 25, 2007 from http//www.reelviews.net/movies/b/birdcage.htmlClark, Lois. Topic for stripling Parents. Retrieved July 28, 2007 from http//ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-Fact/5000/5233.htmlDannon Marcello, Imperato Michele, Machlis, Niel, Mike Nichols. Mike Nichols. (1996) The Bird Cage. USA United Artists.United Families International. (2003). fable and Reality about HomosexualitySexual Orientation Section, Guide to Family Issues. Retrieved July 26, 2007 from http//www.freerepublic.com/direction/f-news/1034938/posts