History YMMV / TheBirdcage

** Kevin's colleague, Eli Jackson, who co-led the "Coalition for Moral Order", dying is a bit of BlackComedy. Then, to hammer in [[{{Hypocrite}} the political irony]], it's revealed he died in bed with [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking a prostitute... who was underage...]] [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers and black!]] The more information that comes out (the prostitute didn't question why he passed out because he was smiling, and his last words were "Your money's on the dresser, chocolate"), the more amusingly cringeworthy it gets.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Any time the Keeleys bring up a "return to family values" and other such MoralGuardian concerns, it seems to only be for the sake of the senator's public image. It's possible that, while conservative, they're not ''as'' ultra-conservative as they may let on.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Back in 1996 when this film was made, same-sex couples couldn't legally marry in the United States, so Albert and Armand sign a palimony agreement as the next-best thing. In 2015, gay marriage was legalized by the United States Supreme Court, with many states rolling it out immediately. Knowing that Albert and Armand could actually legally marry in any modern remake is a very sweet thought.

** Worse, Armand's (Robin) line in the next scene, when Val reveals he's getting married: "I want to kill myself," which was met with loud, shocked gasps in the audience of the local theater running the film for Gay Pride month.
** In the dinner scene, Albert, as Val's mother, goes along with the pro-life sentiment by saying they should kill mothers who seek out abortions. When Armand tries to distract Albert, Albert doubles down, insisting the fetus would die anyway and the mothers would just be "going down with the ship." Considering the anti-abortion laws passed in Texas in 2021/2022 (which make it a felony if a woman even has a natural ''miscarriage''), and that Texas currently is one of the the harshest death-penalty states in the US, Albert's over-the-top exaggeration no longer seems so funny.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Albert's emotional instability is hilariously endearing or annoying, depending on who you ask.

%% * EnsembleDarkhorse: Agador Spartacus.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Back when this film was made, same-gender couples couldn't legally marry in the United States, so Albert and Armand sign a palimony agreement as the next-best thing. Nineteen years later, gay marriage was legalized by the United States Supreme Court, with many states rolling it out immediately. Knowing that Albert and Armand could actually legally marry in any modern remake is a very sweet thought.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Back when this film was made, same-gender couples couldn't legally marry in the United States, so Albert and Armand sign a palimony agreement as the next-best thing. Nineteen years later, gay marriage was approved by the United States Supreme Court, with many states rolling it out immediately. Knowing that Albert and Armand could actually legally marry in any modern remake is a very sweet thought.

** Albert, as Val's mother, goes along with the pro-life sentiment by saying they should kill mothers who seek out abortions. When Armand tries to distract Albert, Albert doubles down, insisting the fetus would die anyway and the mothers would just be "going down with the ship." Val awkwardly tries to defend this as comparable to Jonathan Swift's ''A Modest Proposal.''

** Kevin's colleague, Eli Jackson, who co-led the "Coalition for Moral Order", dying is a bit of BlackComedy. Then, to hammer in [[{{Hypocrite}} the political irony]], it's revealed he died in bed with [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking a prostitute... who was underage...]] [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers and black!]] The more information that comes out (the prostitute didn't question why he passed out because he was smiling, and his last words were [[FamousLastWords "Your money's on the dresser, chocolate"]]), the more amusingly cringeworthy it gets.

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: Subverted. Armand valiantly declares that he won't change himself for some bigot... then immediately does exactly that. A DeletedScene (that sometimes still shows up in TV airings) has Armand go downstairs and talk to his bartender about the sacrifices parents make for their children. Which brings it back around to Awesome.

* HarsherInHindsight: Armand having to talk Albert out of killing himself. Sadly, Creator/RobinWilliams didn't take his own advice.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Armand having to talk Albert out of killing himself. Sadly, Creator/RobinWilliams didn't take his own advice.
** Coupled with a FunnyAneurysmMoment near the beginning where Armand threatens to kill himself if Albert doesn't perform the main act of the show.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The film was made in 1996, when same-gender couples couldn't legally marry in the United States and the Keeleys' conservative attitude was reasonable. Keeley’s concern about his career now comes off as quite overblown after several conservative politicians have carried on just fine after being revealed to have a gay relative.

** Kevin's senator partner, who leads the "Coalition for Moral Order" dying is a bit of dark comedy. Then, to hammer in the political irony, it's revealed in bed with a prostitute... who was underage... and black! The more information that comes out (the prostitute didn't question why he passed out because he was smiling, and his last words were "The money's on the counter, chocolate), the more amusingly cringeworthy it gets.

** With Albert adopting feminine pronouns (referring to himself as Val's "mother" or "''Auntie'' Albert") and even identifying as a woman at moments, one has to wonder if it goes beyond camp gayness and that he might actually be genderfluid.

* HarsherInHindsight: Armand having to talk Albert out of killing himself. Sadly, Creator/RobinWilliams didn't take his own advice.

** And Mike Nichols also passed away just a few months after Williams.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Agador Spartacus.

* SocietyMarchesOn[=/=]HeartwarmingInHindsight: Back when this film was made, same-gender couples couldn't legally marry in the United States, so Albert and Armand sign a palimony agreement as the next-best thing. Nineteen years later, gay marriage was approved by the United States Supreme Court, with many states rolling it out immediately. Knowing that Albert and Armand could actually legally marry in any modern remake is a very sweet thought.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: A major part of the plot relies on the fact that this movie was made when car phones could make but not receive calls. A good part of the drama could have been...well... [[FawltyTowersPlot delayed]] if Katherine had a cell phone.

** With Albert seemingly adopting feminine pronouns, referring to himself as Val's "mother" or "''Auntie'' Albert", and even somewhat identifying as a woman at times, one has to wonder if it goes beyond camp gayness and that he might actually be genderfluid.

** With Albert seemingly adopting feminine pronouns, referring to himself as Val's "mother", and even somewhat identifying as a woman at times, one has to wonder if it goes beyond Camp Gayness and that he might actually be genderfluid.