La Cage aux folles 3 - 'Elles' se marient (1985)
Directed by Georges Lautner

Film Review

La Cage aux folles (1978) is one of the comedy classics of French cinema, although today its excessively stereotypical portrayal of gay men dates it badly and only those with the most brazen disregard for political correctness would be prepared to come out of the closet and admit to liking it. The film's phenomenal success (it had previously been a hit stage play) spawned two sequels which are barely watchable, the third - subtitled 'Elles' se marient - being one of the most abysmal French comedies of the 1980s. Not content with its 'screaming queen' characterisation of gays, it digs up just about every tedious, well-worn cliché under the sun and flings these at the spectator in a way that makes him or her feel like an offender in the stocks being punished for some heinous misdemeanour.

One possible reason for the film's failure is the change of director-writing team. Edouard Molinaro and Francis Veber worked on the original films, whereas here we have Georges Lautner and Michel Audiard, who seem to have far less sympathy with the subject.  Gangster parodies such as Les Tontons flingueurs (1963) were more Lautner and Audiard's forte, not facile gay-bashing comedies such as this. This change is reflected not only in the quality of the gags - La Cage aux folles 3 has virtually no good jokes, yet plenty that are risibly bad - but also in the pace of the film, the quality of the performances, and even the design.  As the über-camp drag artiste Albin, Michel Serrault is now so outrageously over the top that it's a wonder he doesn't break free of the earth's gravity and go flying off into outer space - but he is still the best thing about the film.

Film Synopsis

La Cage Aux Folles may still be one of St Tropez's top night spots but its future looks increasingly uncertain as its owner, Renato, struggles to balance the books.  His partner Alban is too busy preparing his latest number, in which he dresses up as a bee, to know just how bad the club's financial situation is.  Renato's hopes of saving the club appear futile - until the day he learns that Albin stands to inherit a fortune from a Scottish aunt who has just passed away.  Without delay, Albin heads off to Scotland to pick up his inheritance, only to learn that the money will be his only if he can meet the terms of the deceased's will, which are that he must marry and produce a child within eighteen months.  If he fails to so, the entire estate will pass to a cousin of his.

Knowing full well that it is completely out of the question for him to get married, let alone have a child of his own, the disappointed Albin returns to St Tropez and tells his partner that his supposed inheritance was just a clerical error.  On discovering the truth, Renato takes it upon himself to find a suitable bride for his partner.  He has the perfect candidate in a pregnant young woman who has just been abandoned by her boyfriend.  It seems the plan cannot fail - until Albin's troublesome cousin shows up, eager to get his hands on his inheritance...