10 More Movie Mistakes Directors Refused To Fix Because The Acting Was Too Good
6. Williams’ Shrimp Slip-Up - The Birdcage
Deciding to cast Robin Williams as the most serious character in your movie might seem like a strange idea on paper, but it paid off in the 1996 comedy The Birdcage.
Based on the French-Italian film Le Cage aux Folles, The Birdcage is about a gay man (Williams) who pretends to be straight to impress the ultra-conservative parents of his prospective daughter-in-law.
Only problem is, he owns a drag club. In San Francisco.
The movie is stuffed with really funny moments, one of which was completely unintentional.
As the meeting between the two families slowly falls apart, Williams' character is horrified to learn that the big meal he had planned has gone awry.
He scolds his housekeeper Agador for messing up, as well as his son Val for failing to stay calm. In the middle of his tirade, Williams slipped on the floor by mistake, but got right back up and carried on.
The fall fits in perfectly with the chaos of the scene and serves to punctuate the tension with a bit of light comedy. The fact that you can tell the other actors are trying really hard not to corpse makes the whole thing even better.