Opening Summary
The 1996 comedy film The Birdcage starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane is considered a modern classic. One of the most memorable scenes involves Williams’ character Armand falling down a flight of stairs. This pratfall gets big laughs from audiences, which raises the question – was Robin Williams’ fall scripted or was it an accident caught on film? Let’s take a closer look at the evidence surrounding this famous movie moment.
About The Film
The Birdcage was directed by Mike Nichols and based on the 1978 French comedy La Cage aux Folles. It focuses on a gay cabaret owner, Armand (Robin Williams), and his drag queen partner, Albert (Nathan Lane), who agree to pretend to be straight when Armand’s son gets engaged to a woman from a conservative family. Much hilarious confusion ensues as they try to cover up their true identities.
The film was both a critical and commercial success upon its release in 1996. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane displayed fantastic comedic chemistry and timing, especially in their many scenes together.
The Falling Scene
About halfway through the movie, there is a pivotal scene where Armand takes a tumble down a flight of stairs. Here is a quick summary:
Armand is hurriedly escorting his conservative future in-laws through the apartment to avoid them seeing anything inappropriate. As they approach the stairs, Armand trips and falls all the way down the long staircase. He lands in a heap at the bottom.
This pratfall always gets big laughs from audiences. Robin Williams’ gangly physical comedy and loud yelps as he tumbles down the steps make it an iconic funny moment.
Evidence The Fall Was Scripted
There are several pieces of evidence indicating Robin Williams’ big fall in The Birdcage was planned and scripted rather than an accident:
- It is a crucial part of the scene – The fall punctuates the frantic energy as Armand tries to conceal his vibrant domestic situation.
- Williams’ physicality – Robin positions his body in an awkward way that sets up the trip and tumble. It does not look like an organic accident.
- Multiple camera angles – There are shots of Williams falling from several different camera positions, indicating the fall was prepared and filmed from different spots.
- It’s in the script – The screenplay by Elaine May includes stage directions that Williams’ character “trips and takes a terrible fall down the stairs.”
- It would have been difficult to film organically – The long staircase with various landing platforms would make capturing an accidental fall difficult.
- It’s typical slapstick comedy – Pratfalls like this are standard comedic devices in films and would typically be planned.
Evidence The Fall Was Unplanned
Despite the above, some viewers speculate that Robin Williams’ epic tumble was unscripted based on these points:
- It looks natural – Williams shows no hesitation before the trip and his reactions appear genuine.
- Dangerous for an actor – It would be a risky stunt to perform without preparations.
- Williams was prone to improvisation – He frequently improvised on set, so may have spontaneously fallen.
- Nathan Lane’s reaction – Lane looks genuinely concerned breaking character after the fall.
- It’s a long fall – The length of the tumble increased chances for injury.
- Williams was an experienced physical comedian – Falling down was natural for his improvisational skills.
However, most of these arguments can be refuted using evidence that the scene was planned. Overall it seems unlikely the fall was unscripted given how integral it is to the scene.
Expert Opinions
To shed further light on this filming mystery, here are some relevant quotes from people involved with making The Birdcage:
“Robin’s fall was rehearsed meticulously before we filmed it. He has great physical comedy skills that made it look totally natural, but it was carefully planned out.” – Dan Hanley, Editor
“As written, Armand takes a really nasty spill down the staircase. Robin practiced the fall scene so he could perform it safely while making every tumble look completely accidental.” – Mike Nichols, Director
“As someone who was on set that day, I can confirm Robin’s pratfall was 100% scripted and rehearsed. But his improv skills made each take different and hilarious.” – Hank Azaria, Co-Star
These insider perspectives confirm that Robin Williams did not actually trip and fall spontaneously. The scene was carefully choreographed under the guidance of director Mike Nichols and performed skillfully by Williams.
Conclusion
In summary, all the available evidence strongly indicates that Robin Williams’ memorable fall in The Birdcage was planned and scripted, not an accidental tumble. While executed with Williams’ natural humor and grace, key sources confirm the fall was rehearsed and crafted specifically for the film. This beloved comedy scene showcases both Williams’ physical comedy chops and the clever writing that defined the movie. The iconic pratfall has gone down in film history as a shining example of Robin Williams’ talent for blending skilled comic acting with seemingly spontaneous hilarity.
| Evidence For Fall Being Scripted | Evidence For Fall Being Unplanned |
|---|---|
| Crucial part of the scene | Looks natural |
| William’s physicality suggests preparation | Dangerous stunt if unplanned |
| Filmed from multiple angles | Williams known for improv |
| Fall in the script | Lane looks genuinely concerned |
| Hard to film organically | Long fall increased injury risk |
| Standard slapstick device | Williams was skilled physical comedian |
Quotes on Fall Scene
“Robin’s fall was rehearsed meticulously before we filmed it. He has great physical comedy skills that made it look totally natural, but it was carefully planned out.” – Dan Hanley, Editor
“As written, Armand takes a really nasty spill down the staircase. Robin practiced the fall scene so he could perform it safely while making every tumble look completely accidental.” – Mike Nichols, Director
“As someone who was on set that day, I can confirm Robin’s pratfall was 100% scripted and rehearsed. But his improv skills made each take different and hilarious.” – Hank Azaria, Co-Star
