La cage aux folles (1978)

Director:

Edouard Molinaro

Writers:

Jean Poiret (play)
Francis Veber (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The comedy that comes out of the closet!

Plot:

Two gay men living in St. Tropez have their lives turned upside down when the son of one of the men announces he is getting married...

Plot Keywords:

Situational Comedy | Spectacle | Engagement | Soup | Satire

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins

Cast

Ugo Tognazzi	...	Renato Baldi
Michel Serrault	...	Albin Mougeotte dit Zaza Napoli
Claire Maurier	...	Simone Deblon
Rémi Laurent	...	Laurent Baldi
Carmen Scarpitta	...	Louise Charrier
Benny Luke	...	Jacob
Luisa Maneri	...	Andréa Charrier
Michel Galabru	...	Simon Charrier
Venantino Venantini	...	Le chauffeur de Charrier
Carlo Reali	...	Le videur
Guido Cerniglia	...	Le médecin
Angelo Pellegrino	...	Un assistant de la boîte de nuit
Nicola D'Eramo
Vinicio Diamanti
Liana Del Balzo	...	Mme Charrier
Piero Mazzinghi	...	A journalist
Walter Lucchini
Bruno Squeglia		(as Bruno Sgueglia)
Margherita Horowitz	...	La secrétaire de Madame Deblon
Antonio Maimone
Antonio Maronese
Edmondo Tieghi
Peter Boom	...	Un serveur au restaurant
Cesare Nizzica
Giancarlo Pellegrini	...	Un assistant de la boîte de nuit
Mariano Brancaccio
Renato De Montis
Vittorio Podini
Giuseppe Di Bella
Paolo Di Bella		(as F. Paolo Di Bella)
Alberto Ambrosio
Rolando Quaranta
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacques Balutin	...	(voice: French version)
Jacques Ferrière	...	(voice: French version)
Martine Messager	...	(voice: French version)
Pierre Mondy	...	Renato Baldi (voice: French version)
Maxime Cambe	...	Un danseur de la boîte de nuit (uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Le barman (uncredited)

Directed by
Edouard Molinaro

Writing credits
Jean Poiret		(play "La cage aux folles")
Francis Veber		(screenplay) &
Edouard Molinaro		(screenplay) &
Marcello Danon		(screenplay) &
Jean Poiret		(screenplay)

Produced by
Marcello Danon	....	producer
Jean Nachbaur	....	co-producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Armando Nannuzzi

Film Editing by
Monique Isnardon
Robert Isnardon

Production Design by
Mario Garbuglia		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Carlo Gervasi		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Ambra Danon

Makeup Department
Franco Corridoni	....	makeup artist (as Francesco Corridoni)
Maria Teresa Corridoni	....	hair stylist
Pierantonio Mecacci	....	makeup artist
Silvana Senzacqua	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Marcello Danon	....	general manager
Federico Tocci	....	production supervisor
Lucio Trentini	....	production director

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albino Cocco	....	assistant director

Art Department
Tiziana Cassoni	....	assistant set designer
Aldo De Bonis	....	properties
Ferdinando Giovannoni	....	assistant set designer
Armando Scarano	....	properties
Vincenzo Visone	....	properties
Carlo Gervasi	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Emilio Zingarelli	....	set constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mario Dallimonti	....	sound
Danilo Moroni	....	sound mixer
Corrado Volpicelli	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Marco Cristiani	....	assistant camera
Nino Cristiani	....	camera operator (as Michele Christiani)
Giullio Diamanti	....	key grip
Marcello Gabriele	....	chief electrician
Claudio Nannuzzi	....	assistant camera
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Diana Bruni	....	seamstress
Carlo Palazzi	....	wardrobe: Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault
Angela Silighini	....	seamstress
Piero Tosi	....	costume designer: Ugo Tognazzi and Michel Serrault

Editorial Department
Carlo Della Corte	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Alessandra Olsoufieff	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Ennio Morricone	....	musical director

Other crew
Rossella Angeletti	....	production secretary
Sonia Duska Barbieri	....	naive paintings form her collection
Marcello Danon	....	general manager
Francesca De Guida Canori	....	press attache
Alberto De Stefani	....	cashier
Hélène Sébillotte	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Da Ma Produzione
• Les Productions Artistes Associés

Distributors

• United Artists (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United Artists (1979) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1978) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1979) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Italy) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2002) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2008) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• PFC Vidéo (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Kodak  film stock

Also Known As:

"Birds of a Feather" - USA (poster title)
"The Mad Cage" - International (English title) (alternative title)

Runtime:

Germany:87 min | USA:110 min | Argentina:98 min | France:103 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Dear Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Da Ma Produzione

Trivia:

The original French play ran for 1800 performances, from 1973 to 1978, at the Theatre du Palais-Royal in Paris. In New York, the play ran for well over a year at the 68th Street Playhouse, as well as in theaters throughout the country, in both urban and rural areas

Quotes:

Albin Mougeotte:He's being taken from us, and we won't have any others.
Renato Baldi:Unless there's a miracle.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Hart of Dixie: Hairdos & Holidays (#1.10)" (2011)

HILARIOUS ORIGINAL; Rest are fraudulent ripoffs

I was literally dragged to this movie in the late 1970s, at an "Art" theatre (left pinky up in the air) no less. Needless to say, I didn't want to go. For crying out loud, I'm an ex-jock.

Well, I'm glad (this time) my friends insisted. I doubled over laughing; at the time, this was risque material (nobody wore sunglasses into the theatre, if I remember correctly, but still) that didn't interest me one way or another. But somehow, someway the writer, director and actors made you care about these two men and their dilemma. The champagne scene almost caused me to bolt for the men's room.

I never did see Robin Williams remake. What for?? It was done to perfection by this film crew. Winner of best Foreign Film Oscar, I believe, 1978.