The Birdcage
1996 film by Mike Nichols / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Birdcage is a 1996 American comedy film produced and directed by Mike Nichols. Elaine May's screenplay adapted the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, itself an adaptation of a 1973 play. It stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple whose son (Dan Futterman) is set to marry the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of a conservative senator (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Dianne Wiest). Hank Azaria and Christine Baranski appear in supporting roles. The film marked the first screen collaboration of Nichols and May, who had been a comedy duo in the 1950s and 1960s.
| The Birdcage | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Mike Nichols |
| Screenplay by | Elaine May |
| Based on | |
| Produced by | Mike Nichols |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Emmanuel Lubezki |
| Edited by | Arthur Schmidt |
| Music by | Jonathan Tunick |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | MGM/UA Distribution Co. |
Release date |
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Running time | 117 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $31 million[1] |
| Box office | $185.3 million[2] |
The Birdcage was released on March 8, 1996, to positive reviews and significant commercial success. It debuted at the top of the North American box office and stayed there for the following three weeks, grossing $185.3 million on a $31 million budget. It is seen as groundbreaking because it was one of few films from a major studio to feature LGBT characters at its center. The cast received notable praise and was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast. The Birdcage also received a nomination for Best Art Direction at the 69th Academy Awards.