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The Birdcage
Armand and Alfred, a gay couple, try to pass as straight heterosexuals when they meet the conservative parents of Armand's son's fiancee
205 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1996
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Robert Rodi
210 books123 followersRobert was born in Chicago in the conformist 1950s, grew up in the insurrectionist 1960s, came of age in the hedonist 1970s, and went to work in the elitist 1980s. This roller-coaster ride has left him with a distinct aversion to isms of any kind; it also gave him an ear for hypocrisy, cant, and platitudes that allowed him, in the 1990s, to become a much-lauded social satirist.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
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German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
After seven acclaimed novels set in the gay milieu, Robert grew restless for new challenges — which he found in activities as wide-ranging as publishing nonfiction, writing comic books, launching a literary-criticism blog, and taking to the stage (as a spoken-word performer, jazz singer, and rock-and-roll front man).
In 2011, excited by the rise of digital e-books, he returned to his first love, publishing new fiction inspired by the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He also organized the republishing of his seminal gay novels under the banner Robert Rodi Essentials.
Robert still resides in Chicago, in a century-old Queen Anne house with his partner Jeffrey Smith and a constantly shifting number of dogs.
.
German version: Robert Rodi wurde 1956 in einem Vorort von Chicago geboren. Im Alter von 22 schloss er sein Philosophie-Studium ab. Schon vorher beschäftigte er sich mit Comedy. Sein erster eigener Roman, "Fag Hag" aus dem Jahr 1991 war ein großer Erfolg. Es folgten mehrere andere komische Romane, zahlreiche Kurzgeschichten und Sketche. Robert lebt mit Partner und Hund in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 23, 2024
Ich habe den Toast durchbohrt!
December 18, 2017
One of my favourite movies and this being the script follows it scene for scene. Well written and captures the camp portrayed by Nathan Lane so well and Robin William's acting all comes back to me. A delightful story.
December 29, 2022
This was definitely a fun read and they did a good job of giving inside perspective to each character's thought process. Of course I saw the characters in my head and I'm looking forward to rewatching the movie and rewatching the French version too.
April 5, 2013
Read my full review at wadingthroughbooks.wordpress.com!
I love the movie, so I was interested to read the book. Since the screenplay came first, the book does stick fairly close to the movie, unlike what usually happens when a book is turned into a movie. The movie and the book are from 1996, so the scenario of having to pretend a gay man is actually a woman to pacify bigots is a little out of date, but it’s still a good story.
The story is really about people who get so caught up in appearances that they start to forget what really matters is underneath. Val is afraid of the Keeleys’ reaction to Albert, his very male ‘mother’, so at first he wants Albert to leave and not meet them at all and then to invite his birth mother, whom he’s never met, to pretend to be the mother who raised him, and finally to pretend that Albert really is a woman. Armand and Albert want to make Val happy, so they pretend that Albert is a woman, redecorate their home to appear more ‘straight,’ and lie about every aspect of their lives in order to seem more appealing to the Keeleys. Senator and Mrs. Keeley want Val’s family to be perfect (meaning exactly like them), so a nice white wedding will distract the press from the sex scandal of Senator Jackson’s death. Then Senator Keeley decides he likes “Mother Coleman” a bit more than Mrs. Keeley is comfortable with. Barbara just wants to marry Val, so she goes along with all of the various masquerades to avoid upsetting people. The book has the usual moral of be who you are, and love your family whoever they are–even (especially) if they’re really screwed up.
I really love Armand and Albert’s relationship. They spend most of the book quarreling, over everything. Albert is neurotic and insecure, and Armand is impatient and put-upon and constantly worries when things don’t go according to plan. And they’ve been together for twenty years. They’ve run a business, raised a child, fought and made-up and fought again and made-up again. They never actually use the word ‘love’ in the book, or in the movie, but they do use the word ‘home’. And in some ways, I think that’s much more powerful.
I love the movie, so I was interested to read the book. Since the screenplay came first, the book does stick fairly close to the movie, unlike what usually happens when a book is turned into a movie. The movie and the book are from 1996, so the scenario of having to pretend a gay man is actually a woman to pacify bigots is a little out of date, but it’s still a good story.
The story is really about people who get so caught up in appearances that they start to forget what really matters is underneath. Val is afraid of the Keeleys’ reaction to Albert, his very male ‘mother’, so at first he wants Albert to leave and not meet them at all and then to invite his birth mother, whom he’s never met, to pretend to be the mother who raised him, and finally to pretend that Albert really is a woman. Armand and Albert want to make Val happy, so they pretend that Albert is a woman, redecorate their home to appear more ‘straight,’ and lie about every aspect of their lives in order to seem more appealing to the Keeleys. Senator and Mrs. Keeley want Val’s family to be perfect (meaning exactly like them), so a nice white wedding will distract the press from the sex scandal of Senator Jackson’s death. Then Senator Keeley decides he likes “Mother Coleman” a bit more than Mrs. Keeley is comfortable with. Barbara just wants to marry Val, so she goes along with all of the various masquerades to avoid upsetting people. The book has the usual moral of be who you are, and love your family whoever they are–even (especially) if they’re really screwed up.
I really love Armand and Albert’s relationship. They spend most of the book quarreling, over everything. Albert is neurotic and insecure, and Armand is impatient and put-upon and constantly worries when things don’t go according to plan. And they’ve been together for twenty years. They’ve run a business, raised a child, fought and made-up and fought again and made-up again. They never actually use the word ‘love’ in the book, or in the movie, but they do use the word ‘home’. And in some ways, I think that’s much more powerful.
November 11, 2007
Zwei alternde Tunten betreiben zusammen den Drag-Queen-Nachtclub "The Birdcage", der eine als Geschäftsführer, der andere als Hauptattraktion des Abends.
Eines Tages tauchts Armands Vergangenheit in Form seines Sohnes Val auf (ein einmaliger Fehltritt). Er möchte seine Braut und ihre Eltern seiner Familie vorstellen. Allerdings sind die Schwiegereltern erzkonservativ, und würden sicher nie Drag-Queens in der Familie akzeptieren. Also müssen die beiden Paradiesvögel für einen Abend sich so 'normal' wie möglich geben.
Im Vergleich zu anderen "Büchern zum Film", die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe, war dieses hier mal wieder ganz gut. Es werden nicht einfach nur Dialoge aus dem Drehbuch übernommen, sondern die ganze Sache noch etwas beschrieben, so dass man sich die Personen und Schauplätze auch ohne den Film gesehen zu haben ganz gut vorstellen konnte. Meine Lieblingsfigur war ja der kleine spanische Hausdiener, im Film herrlich gespielt von Hank Azaria.
Eines Tages tauchts Armands Vergangenheit in Form seines Sohnes Val auf (ein einmaliger Fehltritt). Er möchte seine Braut und ihre Eltern seiner Familie vorstellen. Allerdings sind die Schwiegereltern erzkonservativ, und würden sicher nie Drag-Queens in der Familie akzeptieren. Also müssen die beiden Paradiesvögel für einen Abend sich so 'normal' wie möglich geben.
Im Vergleich zu anderen "Büchern zum Film", die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe, war dieses hier mal wieder ganz gut. Es werden nicht einfach nur Dialoge aus dem Drehbuch übernommen, sondern die ganze Sache noch etwas beschrieben, so dass man sich die Personen und Schauplätze auch ohne den Film gesehen zu haben ganz gut vorstellen konnte. Meine Lieblingsfigur war ja der kleine spanische Hausdiener, im Film herrlich gespielt von Hank Azaria.
September 10, 2014
The book and the movie are very similar so when you have seen one you've read the other which is in no case a bad thing here. I really enjoyed both equally, but the movie will always have a special place in my heart.
October 17, 2008
Exactly like the movie and equally as funny.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews