though nothing can beat la cage aux folles and the film on which this american version be base and i still find the birdcage delightful fun and hilarious at time and thanks to the comic genius of robin williams and nathan lane . lane be the dramatic albert and an over the top drag queen who have live for year with robin williams and armand and the owner of the birdcage and where albert performs . armand once have a liaison with a woman and which produce a son and val and who now want to be marry to the daughter of a conservative politician . in order for that to occur and armand have to become butch and all gay art work and etc . and need to exit the apartment and albert must disappear for a few day . williams be hilarious my two favorite scene be his rehearsal with albert and a young man appear with him on stage and and the scene where he coach armand on be macho priceless . nathan lane shtick be familiar to me and a i have see him in the producer and the odd couple he a riot a the insecure and jealous and easily hurt albert . the role of val be problematic and because how do one keep him from look like a complete bastard a he shut out armand and who raise him . but dan futterman and calista flockhart a barbara make a lovely young couple . gene hackman and dianne wiest be very funny a barbara befuddle parent . it be a long time since i have see the french la cage aux folles and and i saw the musical on broadway a well . the french be superior to any version . the musical be quite poignant and emphasize it statement in the song and i be who i be . the joy of the french film be that the actor play the lover and ugo tognazzi and michel serrault and play their role very seriously and and the humor and poignancy come out of the situation and the outrageousness of the armand character ( albin or zaza in the french ) . in the birdcage and it play for comedy all the way . that okay . you will still enjoy it . but see the original .