THE BIRDCAGE (1996)

Although he won Oscars for dramatic performances in The French Connection (1971) and Unforgiven (1992), the late Gene Hackman was also adept at comedy. In Mike Nichols’ uproarious adaptation of the French farce La Cage Aux Folles (1978), he not only held his own against a nightclub full of drag queens, but he also managed to trade comic ad libs with Nathan Lane. Hackman stars as a conservative Senator whose daughter (Calista Flockhart) has just become engaged. He insists on meeting the boy’s parents, not realizing they’re a gay couple (Lane and Robin Williams) running a notorious drag club where Lane is the main attraction. When attempts to turn the drag star into Williams’ straight brother fail, Lane instead turns himself into the young man’s mother. Producing such a flamboyantly gay film was considered a gamble, but it paid off when it became a huge hit, topping the box office for four weeks.

d. Mike Nichols, 119m, DCP

Courtesy of Park Circus and Amazon.