MovieChat Forums > Birdy (1984) Discussion > Is it a remarkable frienship or Gay rela...

Is it a remarkable frienship or Gay relationship?

posted 18 years ago by uday_b78
17 replies | jump to latest

I have really enjoyed this movie....and after watching I found that relationship between Birdy and Al is a kind of great friendship bond.....after having good time in their teenage they seperate to persuite their own lives...but later they find themselves very lonely in the outside world....

I dont understand why this movie is catergorized in Gay interest?.......R Al and Birdie gay or very good friends..........Please dont tell me they were gays.....please share your views....

[–] loveagoodstory 18 years ago

You're right. They clearly weren't gay and some wally has stuck that label on it anyway :-) Cage is about as hot-blooded a girl-chaser as the come and Modine is asexual. Several scenes make all that clear.

Anyway, I've just asked for it to be recategorised so hopefully that'll be changed soon.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] loveagoodstory 17 years ago

Well, it'd be nice to think they might rethink their interpretation.

I can't say it's a crime demanding of a coach-trip to Hades, though.

[–] Gibski 17 years ago

maybe someone should label it as heterosexual interest?

hehe

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Gibski 17 years ago

no it's not "clearly about being gay"

it just "can" be interpreted in that way...and a reason why it's been labelled as "gay interest" would probably be cos gay people could watch the movie and "identify/connect/relate" with birdy's character..some of his experiences....anything like that..eg for the reason you described: "cage's character just can't figure out why birdy isn't like most other people". And so they could also relate with a friendship they had with a straight guy...and the point where the straight guy accepted that they were different and they stayed friends and things like that

if the movie was "clearly about being gay"...then birdy would have been gay in the movie...or done something "gay"....he doesn't.

there are plenty of other ways that people can be different...and have problems...or anything like that...so plenty of straight people can also relate and identify with either modine's or cage's character and the friendship

So it's not specifically "clearly" about being gay...I don't think.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 14 years ago

It isn't about "being gay." It's of INTEREST to gay guys because both stars are hot and you see a lot of them. The friendship is what the movie is "about" and it's clearly not sexual.

"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde

[–] cswitzer82 17 years ago

very good friends. Al was straight; Birdy was asexual. Birdy might have been/ potentially could have fallen in love with Al, because his human connection and emotional bond was with him...although it could have easily been with a girl had she made the connection with him and shown interest in him as Al did. Just my quick take on the two.

[–] aimeeandevan 17 years ago

I've noticed that peoples gadars are tuned up way too high on IMDB.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 14 years ago

Wow. You can say that again and again!

"The value of an idea has nothing to do with the honesty of the man expressing it."--Oscar Wilde

[–] theoutcaste 16 years ago

Ain't gay by a longshot.Though I consider this a love story.Birdy & Al became bonded like brothers.The kind of bonding where someone becomes part of you & you'll sacrifice & fight for them no matter what...........

Stars,Al. Look at the stars.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] skinsk-1 11 years ago

You are right and wrong. They are not gay (this is clear by Al's behavior (esp at the beach, where he's getting down under the boardwalk. Birdie seems to have Asperger's; he possesses poor social skills, and his family doesn't help. However, they don't go their separate ways to pursue their own lives (kids from their neighborhood/class/time rarely did). . . they were drafted and sent to Vietnam! They return wounded, physically and mentally, and are reunited, but still not gay.

[–] inkheart-1 10 years ago

If you bothered to read the book you would know that Al is doing chiks all the time. So no, nothing related to gay story.

[–] daverindone 9 years ago

I just got this movie with a laserdisc player (if you can believe it) and there was a scene when Al is talking to the Army doctor and said he wasn't "queer for him" (or similar)

[–] liamforeman 9 years ago

It's labeled gay interest because a young Matthew Modine is naked throughout half of it.