La Cage aux Folles Vs. The Birdcage: The early film/musical & the Robin Williams, Nathan Lane 1996 film

<b><br />Book Vs. Movie: </b><br /><b>La Cage Aux Folles &amp; The Birdcage</b><br /><b></b><br /><b>The Original Film and Broadway Musical Vs. the 1996 Film<br /><br />The “Month of Musicals” continues with the 1996 film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115685/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Birdcage</a>, which took its influence from the play turned into Broadway musical <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cage_aux_Folles_(musical)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Cage Aux Folles</a>. The original 1973 french play takes place in Saint-Tropez, where a gay couple meets an ultra-conservative family member. It was a huge hit in Paris, playing for over a year in 1973, and was made into a film in 1978. </b><br /><b><br />Originally written by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0688497/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jean Poiret,</a> the original played in Paris for over 1800 performances with Poiret and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0785664/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michell Serrault</a> as the leads Georges and Albin, aka “Zaza.” The 1978 film had Italian actor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugo_Tognazzi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ugo Tognazzi</a> as the lead playing Renato Baldi to Serrault’s Albin. It played to art houses across America. Poiret wanted to film the American version of the film, so he refused to sell the rights to the play but had no problem selling it as a musical. </b><br /><b><br />Grease producer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Carr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Allan Carr</a> helped bring the project to Broadway as a musical, with <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001213/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvey Fierstein</a> writing the book. <a href="https://www.jerryherman.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jerry Herman</a> (Hello Dolly &amp; Mame) was a revered lyricist and songwriter who provided the music. Director <a href="https://www.i