In thinking through this movie, I struggled to recall one honest character. I believe it is Barbara's mother. She is straightforward to the point of naiveté. The other assorted crew are great though. I mean, if we were all like (I can't remember her name, she is so innocuous) well, then, we wouldn't have a movie or any color to the world, would we? <br /><br />The most dishonest of the lot is Armand. Watch the cigarette in his first scene with Albert in drag. Williams is obviously using it to symbolize that he is, in fact, hiding something from his life-partner, and that "something" is Rodrigo- note his eyes when he communicates with the waiter in the restaurant scene. I mention this because The Birdcage is about deceit, some funny, some not. It is about people trying to be what they aren't to please someone else and of course failing. Along the way, this film is a lot of fun. It is a sympathetic look at a life style most of us wouldn't otherwise see, and that's worth a lot.<br /><br />This is a great ensemble. Good actors, an excellent script, an interesting premise. A very very good film.<br /><br />But here's my question, after all is said and done, why does Armand tell Katherine at the end that "we are very proud of him" in reference to Val? While I understand Val's motives, why would a parent be proud of dishonesty, of urging denial of who one is, of plain stupidity in expecting (no matter the outcome of one evening) that his father in law could be eternally fooled? Yes, I know, I know. It's all plot and not real, but still, I would have scratched that line, as there is no supporting evidence that Val- the center of this tornado- is anything but selfish.<br /><br />That said, I like this film.