LA CAGE AUX FOLLES II

France/Italy, 1980, 99 minutes, Colour.
Michael Serrault, Ugo Tognazzi, Marcel Bozzuffi.
Directed by Edouard Molinaro.

The original was an unexpectedly critical and box office hit, surprising its audience into laughter with and sympathy for an odd couple -and a few jolts to prejudices and self-righteous moralism. This sequel is in the TV-series vein - it
presupposes (rather than creates) an enjoyable interest in the characters and their further adventures (and with international spies, there certainly are adventures). Ugo Tognazzi is genial (except when he visits his home Italian village with some satire on local customs) and Michel Serrault doing his female impersonations expertly (though screaming a lot). Part of the enjoyment (and point) is the highlighting of masculine and feminine roles and breaking through role expectations.

1. The popularity of the original: characters, style, farce, comedy? Social issues and their light treatment? Homosexuality in the atmosphere of the transvestite club? Its symbolising questions about masculine and feminine roles in the contemporary world?

2. The recapitulation of the original during the credits? A satisfactory link between original and sequel? The possibility of a sequel equal to the first? The indication of the original with TV spin-off type episodes? The episodic nature of this film? The presuppositions of the sequel -audience familiar with the characters, the issues, the tensions? The establishing sequences, continuous echoes of the original throughout?

3. French- Italian production and stars? The use of the Riviera, the nightclub atmosphere, Riviera society? The pros and cons of this gay world? The background of French politics and double standards? Police and international agents? The use of Italy? Colour and location photography? special effects? The light musical score?

4. The relationship between Renato and Albin - the echoes of The Odd Couple? Age, background, manner and manners, styles, decor of the club and rooms , clothes? Albin feminine wardrobe? Renato's affected wardrobe? Their life in the club? Renato and management decisions? Albin and his Marlene Dietrich routine? Tensions, his age? Renato’s support for his tantrums? The parallel with marriage? Sex farce? Atmosphere of bitchy comedy? The blend of farce and pathos?

5. The use of homosexuality for light farce? Audience acceptance and understanding? The quality of the comedy gained from the theme? Laughing at or with? The transvestite thews? Mockery? The comments within the film - the agents disguised as women and fighting their opponents? Audience presuppositions? Taste and point?

6. The film's emphasis on farce - persons, the club, Albin's screaming personality and involvement with the agents? The agents and police chase? Farce in Italy?

7. The film's establishing the life of its two heroes - their age, characteristics, quality of their relationships, career? The change for Albin? Leading to his flirting, the sequence with the cake and the embarrassment to the minister?

8. How well did the film intersperse the espionage conventions with the comedy? The parody of TV action shows? The humour of the espionage deaths? Albin's flirting, the hotel room, the dead bodies, the microfilm, his pills?

9. The transition to chases and escapes? Routine material - how well handled? Popularity during the '70s and '80s?

10. The transition to life in Italy - the comedy on the Italian farm, work? The presentation of masculine and feminine stereotypes? Albin settling in to the ways of the Italian peasant woman - separate meals, sewing, work in the fields? The ironic humour of his being flirted with? Renato trying to cope with his mother and suspicions?

11. The sketch of the agents and their following Albin and Renato? The martial arts fight in drag?

12. The build-up to the climax - all the ingredients coming together for action?

13. The quality of the comedy?

14. The comment on a woman's place in the contemporary world? The irony of Albin as a man, generally dressed as a woman disguising himself in men's clothes? The points behind the light touch?