20 Reasons 'The Birdcage' Is Still Hilarious Over 20 Years Later

For many queer millennials, The Birdcage, director Mike Nichols's freewheeling remake of the French play and film La Cage aux Folles, provided the first glimpse of a gay family via longtime partners Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane). Amid the drought of positive depictions of homosexuality in '90s cinema, here was a loving gay couple that had been together for 20 years, and had raised a son together--a modern family before Modern Family, when marriage equality was still a distant dream.

Not that Armand and Albert don't dream. In one of the film's most touching scenes, Armand surprises Albert with a palimony agreement, to protect either of them should something happen to the other, and tells him, "There's only one place in the world I call home, and it's because you're there."

Scroll through the gallery to relive 20 moments that make The Birdcage a laugh riot to this day.
GIFs/Text | Les Fabian Brathwaite

Robin Williams (may he rest) and Nathan Lane are a comedic match made in heaven, which is why it's hard to imagine anyone else in the roles of nightclub owner Armand Goldman and his temperamental star and lover Albert. However, Steve Martin was originally cast as Armand with Williams as Albert, but scheduling conflicts forced Martin to drop out. Williams, who had recently triumphed in Mrs. Doubtfire, opted for the less flashy role of Armand, leading to Lane's breakthrough film role.

Schnecken: a type of sweet bun that was a traditional Saturday morning treat in German homes at the beginning of the 20th century and that was commonly found in Jewish immigrant communities in the United States (Philadelphia and Baltimore) or German immigrant communities in Southern Brazil (where they're spelled xineques). The name schnecken means snails in German and refers to the shape of the pastry. [Wikipedia]

Meanwhile, "schnecken" is technically plural, so Albert should've said, "When the schnecken beckon." But who's quibbling--besides IMDb.

It's next to impossible to steal scenes from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, but Hank Azaria did--one wig, mince, and pratfall at a time--as Armand and Albert's loyal houseboy Agador. Azaria worried about offending the gays with his portrayal, but a gay friend reassured him that the voice he had chosen--which he later realized was that of his grandmother--was more realistic. And certainly more hilarious.

Agador: Armand, why don't you let me be in the show? Are you afraid of my Guatemalan-ness?
Armand: Your what?
Agador: My Guatemalan-ness, my natural heat. You're afraid I'm too primitive to be on the stage with your little estrogen rockettes, right?
Armand: You're right. I'm afraid of your heat.

Director Mike Nichols--may he rest--suggested the line, "But you keep it all inside," tagged onto the end of Williams's wild, brilliant, "electic celebration of the dance."

A handy guide to decoding South Beach speak, also known as Shady Bitch-tois.

Armand trying to teach the hopelessly effete Albert to "play it straight" is hands down the funniest scene in the movie, if not in any movie--ever. Nichols had to be covered in a sound blanket while filming the scene because he was laughing too hard.

Albert: No good?
Armand: Actually, it's perfect. I just never realized John Wayne walked like that.

"Armand Goldman, You Old So-and-So"

Nichols required Williams and Lane to film at least one take where they stuck to the script before letting them loose to improvise--which they both did liberally.

While Armand is ostensibly more "masc" than Albert, he soon realizes he's over his head when it comes to butching it up. Especially when, feeling his macho oats, he steps to a man whom he soon realizes is not the one to step to. #ToughGazungas

It's an undisputed fact that Christine Baranski makes everything better. And with those gams, it's actually believable that she could--and would--seduce an otherwise gay man, as she did with Armand. Twice. The first time resulting in their son Val (Dan Futterman).

Life lesson, kids: never trust a gaggle of gays to defag your home.

The balls. The cheek. The audacity--a hurt and dejected Albert decides that he won't be erased from him family when Val's fiancee and her family visit, so he does what he does best: drag. Armand is on the verge of a heart attack, but this is when the evening between the two families truly takes off.

Now, what drag queen worth her salt doesn't have her wig glued, stapled, shellacked, or somehow securely fastened to her head?

Remember how like every '90s movie had a random sing-a-long? [see also: "I Say a Little Prayer" in My Best Friend's Wedding and "You Don't Own Me" in The First Wives Club.] And how can we bring that back?

Sen. Keeley: It is Greek. Yes, Greek boys. Naked, Greek boys.
Albert: And girls! Don't you have any girls on your bowl?

Robin Williams had a nickname for Gene Hackman in drag: Betty White on steroids. Which is basically Bea Arthur--may she rest.

FACT.

The drag queens weren't the only ones throwing shade at the Goldman-Keeley wedding. At least, I'm pretty sure these gals aren't drag queens. Either way, stunning.

Despite all the laughs, this scene is a personal favorite, as the poignant moments always make comedy resonate that much more.

Les Fabian Brathwaite--the schnecken beckon(s).