Friday Film Flashback: Philadelphia

 

Nearly 30 years after its release, “Philadelphia” is still one of the most powerful films I've ever seen.

Tom Hanks plays Andy, the high-powered lawyer who gets fired because he has AIDS, although the law firm's partners deny that, and claim he was fired because of poor performance and almost loosing a big client. His character doesn't go through a lot of emotional or mental changes, but the physical transformation from a fairly healthy-looking man to a man literally on his death bed is remarkable.

Denzel Washington's character, Joe, changes the most, going from someone who was scared after learning he shook the hand of someone (Andy) who had AIDS, and being disgusted by gay men, to developing an affection and respect for Andy. Andy hires Joe, an “ambulance chaser,” to represent him in a lawsuit against the law firm when every other lawyer he contacted turned him down.

The supporting cast is phenomenal. Among them, Jason Robards as a law firm partner, Joanne Woodward as Andy's mother, Antonio Banderas as Andy's partner, and Mary Steenburgen as the law firm's attorney.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Steenburgen about this role and, not surprisingly, she said it was difficult for her because she had just lost a good friend from AIDS and, for years, she had been fighting pharmaceutical companies to step up and do right by AIDS patients. Elizabeth Glaser, one of her best friends (not the one who died right before filming), contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion and unknowingly passed it to two of her children. At one point she told director Jonathan Demme that he should recast her part because she was too emotional. He said that made her perfect for the part and later even added the line, “I hate this case,” which she whispers to another lawyer. She was able to play her character, knowing she felt that way but still believed everyone deserves a good defense.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't also mention that the title song from the film made Bruce Springsteen an Oscar winner.