The cage of moviegoing fools
by Elliott Marx
"La Cage Aux Folles," as they say, opened soft. The French farce, whose title has been translated, very loosely, as "Birds of a Feather," premiered in New York several months ago virtually unheralded; audiences, apparently, were expecting a witless little drag show. Imagine their surprise, then, when several prominent critics gave the film rave reviews. It has since become enormously popular with all sorts of moviegoers, their assorted sexual persuasion notwithstanding. In New York, little old Jewish ladies, so help me God, discuss "La Cage Aux Folles" over shrimp salads at Le Train Bleu on the top floor of Bloomingdale's; in Philadelphia, long lines have been forming in front of the Ritz Three to see what has become the comedy sleeper of the year.
Still, there are those who have their reservations about "La Cage Aux Folles." Critics of both gay and straight publications have protested the film's dependence on gay stereotypes. This film, you see, deals with a middle-aged homosexual couple-one a drag queen, the other the owner of the nightclub where s/he stars. The nightclub owner, many years ago and quite by accident, had a son; now the son wishes to marry, and his prospective father-in-law is the secretary of France's Union of Moral Order. The girl's parents wish to meet their future son-inlaw's parents, and a charade develops. The situation is ripe for comedy, and indeed, most audiences howl. But you can't please
Jewish Times
Jane Biberman,
Wildest Fantasies.
A Movie Lover's
"Designed To Gratify
18
everyone. In fact, a real controversy has ensued over the excessive campiness of "La Cage Aux Folles"; some are genuinely offended. "After all," carps one critic, "we have come a long way since 'Some Like It Hot,' haven't we?"
This seems a rather unlikely snit. Though it takes its satirical swipes (most of which are aimed towards the stuffy-straight society), "La Cage Aux Folles" is essentially a nonpolitical movie. One would have to be very hypersensitive indeed to imagine it harming the gay image in any substantial way; if anything, "La Cage Aux Folles" should serve as a re-affirmation that it is possible for people of the same sex to love each other.
Stereotypical it undeniably is. "Zaza," the nightclub star (played so splendidly by Michel Serrault), is vain, adenoidal, limp-wristed, and has a temperment second only to Miss Piggy's. In addition, he and his spouse employ a black houseboy, who flits about in outfits which look like Playboy-bunny costume rejects and speaks in a marshmallow voice which suggests that he once had Marilyn Monroe as a voice teacher.
I seriously doubt, though, that anyone gay, straight, or whatever-would be so naive as to believe that all gay people are like those depicted in "La Cage Aux Folles." Hopefully, the world-atlarge realizes by now that all gay men do not dress up in women's clothes, do not swish and shriek about like Bette Davis on a bad day, do not resort to so-called "feminine wiles" to have their way. Such
Inquirer
Bill Collins
"Deserves All Its Curtain Calls.
stereotypical people do exist, of course, in small, if conspicuous, numbers. In fact, it is not out to make a point at all; it is a typical French bedroom farce, owing at least as much to Moliere as it does
Gay Appetit
by Don McLain
to gay archetypes, and its sole raiA dish for chicken fanciers
son d'etre is to be funny.
Furthermore, although the central relationship in the movie is classically butch-and-femme, it is ultimately rather touching. These two men are celebrating their 20th anniversary together, and they are understandably sentimental about it. They are monogamous. They are nest-builders. They are-anyone can see it-as devoted to each other as any heterosexual couple would be. What's so offensive about that? Is the purported "realism" of, say, a "Boys In the Band," wherein every type of homosexual except the happy, well-adjusted one is depicted, really preferable? The couple in "La Cage Aux Folles" may resort to role-playing, but it hardly diminishes them. They would probably be delightful people to know.
Actually, the straight characters in the film are far more subject to ridicule. The nightclub owner's son is something of an ungrateful little bastard, and he is not above taking cheap shots to hurt his "stepmother" Zaza's feelings. His fiancee is a blank, pretty nonentity. Her parents, worst (or best) of all, are hilariously inhibited and inept. The father is a bumbling idiot, the mother a castrating bitch. If "La Cage Aux Folles" is really unfair to anyone, it is unfair to them. And (Continued on page 30)
Phila. Daily News
Hollywood Decor."
-Stuart D. Bykofsky,
"Ritzy Food, 1940's Feeling And
Ellen Shaw Bulletin
"A Diamond As Big As The Ritz."
"Rates Three Stars.".
Philadelphia Magazine
American Express
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614 South on Fourth Street, Phila., Pa. 19147 (215) MA 7-9887
Cocktails
Dinners and Sunday Brunch
This column in the first of what I hope will be a monthly series of various cooking recipes that will amuse and assist you in your quest for cooking knowledge.
Future columns will feature recipes ranging from a fashionable sitdown party for eight to an intimate dinner for two-for that special someone in your life. In addition to recipes, I will also assist you in planning dinners: proper place settings, canapes, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, proper wines,, soups, salads, desserts and after-dinner drinks.
My main goal for this column is to show you how to make gourmet cooking fun and easy. Most of the recipes, with any kind of luck, will be relatively simple, but still impressive to serve, and above all palate-pleasing.
The first, and most important, factor in preparing any good recipe is your state of mind. Secondly, you must have your favorite cocktail within easy reach at all times. You'll find out why as this column progresses. Third, it helps at times to be a little horny. Why? Because you'll try harder to prepare an excellent meal when you have an amour over for dinner so that he or she will be so pleased with the results that he/she will want to show appreciation "later."
Okay, let's get serious now! Our first recipe is for all you chicken lovers. I call this my "Chicken Lovers' Stuffed Delight." You'll find this an excellent dish to prepare ahead of time and put on to cook while entertaining guests. This recipe serves eight; the low temperature method gives better results than a higher temperature for a shorter period of time..
Chicken Lovers' Stuffed Delight 4 chicken breasts, boned and split
8 bacon strips
4 pound packaged chipped beef
or 1 5-ounce jar
1 101⁄2-ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1⁄2 cup dry vermouth
2 cups (1 pint) sour cream bleu cheese (for stuffing; may substitute American cheese, onion or green pepper)
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Wrap each chicken breast, after stuffing with (I prefer) bleu cheese or any of the other stuffings listed above, with a strip of bacon and secure with toothpicks. Place chipped beef in bottom of 9" by 13" baking dish. Top with chicken. Pour dry vermouth over chicken. Mix soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered for three hours. This dish may be served by itself or over noodles or (as I prefer) over a long grain and wild rice combination. You will love this dish as it melts in your mouth.
I find a nice spinach salad (which I'll cover in a future column) as a perfect accompaniment, along with a good Grey Reisling wine followed by a light fruity dessert-no pun intended. This chicken recipe is especially delicious when prepared the day before and refrigerated overnight to absorb the full flavors of the vermouth, sour cream and mushroom soup.
Oh yes-while you are preparing this recipe, be sure to use the vermouth to make an excellent "Perfect Vodka Martini": Take 1 on-therocks glass filled with ice. Pour in half a shot of vodka, float half a shot of vermouth; stir and drain off vermouth; add 4 shots of vodka, float half a shot of scotch on top; add an onion or twist of lemon and oh my God... you'll have an orgasm.
If you have enjoyed this first column, drop me a line c/o the Gay News. I will also be glad to answer through the column any questions about cooking. If you feel you have an exceptional recipe, please send it to me and I will try to feature it -with full credit, of course. Send all replies to "Gay Appetit," Gay News, 233 S. 13th St., Phila., PA 19107
WANTED:
NEWS/FEATURES WRITER
for the Gay News, America's fastest-growing professional gay newspaper. Prefer someone with previous professional journalistic experience. Must have an analytical mind, a political consciousness (particularly in regard to feminism), an ability to deal with people diplomatically and to report objectively, a professional manner, a great deal of energy, a commitment to the greater good of the community, and some knowledge of, and interest in, the arts. Duties would include generating local and national news, centerspreads, features, entertainment, and reviews. To apply, call Denise Sudell at (215)732-3334 during business hours.
GAY NEWS Sept. 21y 19794W