Philadelphia (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Philadelphia |
| Original title | Philadelphia |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1993 |
| length | 125 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Jonathan Demme |
| script | Ron Nyswaner |
| production | Jonathan Demme Edward Saxon |
| music |
Howard Shore Bruce Springsteen Neil Young |
| camera | Tak Fujimoto |
| cut | Craig McKay |
| occupation | |
| |
Philadelphia is an American feature film from 1993 . The main roles are played by Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington . Directed by Jonathan Demme based on a script by Ron Nyswaner .
It was the first major Hollywood film to take a critical look at the social treatment of AIDS sufferers and homosexuals in the USA. The film has won numerous awards, including at the Oscar ceremony in 1994 with the award for Best Actor (Tom Hanks) and Best Original Song ( Bruce Springsteen with Streets of Philadelphia ).
action
Andrew Beckett is an ambitious young attorney with a large Philadelphia law firm . His superiors think highly of him and his skills and plan to make him a partner in the firm. Beckett keeps two facts to himself, however: firstly, he is homosexual , secondly, he is infected with HIV .
When the first traces of an AIDS disease became visible to everyone, which according to the opinion of the time only affected homosexual people, Beckett was fired for a faked business offense. Beckett suspects that his sexual orientation has made him morally unsustainable for most of the other shareholders and would like to sue his former employer for compensation for this discrimination . His parents and siblings, from whom he has no secrets, are behind him. When looking for legal counsel, however, he met with widespread rejection.
His last hope is Joe Miller, a well-known and successful lawyer known through TV commercials, whom he had already met in a civil case as a lawyer for the other side. But Miller doesn't want to represent Beckett either. He makes no secret of his aversion to homosexuals and especially AIDS, especially since he is afraid of infecting himself and his newborn child. But when Miller happened to see in the law school library a few days later how Beckett, who is determined to fight his lawsuit on his own if necessary, is discriminated against and ostracized because of his illness, he begins to reconsider his opinion hesitantly and doubtfully at first but then for the first time party for him. The more Joe Miller deals with the world of Andrew Beckett, the deeper he delves into it, the more horrified he is by the behavior of others towards Beckett, who is now visibly suffering from AIDS. He now also has to realize that he himself behaved no better towards Beckett than the latter asked him for help. His humanity triumphs over his own prejudices , which are completely incomprehensible to him even in the further course of the action, and he deeply detests and condemns them. He visibly apologizes to Beckett and together Miller and Beckett go to court. Miller, a homophobic and ignorant attorney at the beginning of the plot, turns into an ardent defender of human rights.
In preparation for the main hearing, Miller gets an insight into the life and feelings of a homosexual and learns what it means to have to live with AIDS. On the other hand, Miller, known from TV, experiences how he is now rejected by others because he stands by a gay person - or that he is even considered gay himself. Miller increasingly develops - not least with the help of his liberal wife - understanding and deep compassion for Andrew Beckett, who soon reveals to him that he will probably not live to see the end of the negotiation. But it is no longer just the ambition that drives Miller not to lose, but also his developing deep humanity.
During the trial, Beckett collapses in the courtroom and is hospitalized. It turns out that the disease that has broken out has already seriously damaged his organism. In the meantime, however, the front of the opposite side is also beginning to crumble behind the scenes: Not all of the law firm's shareholders are on their originally homophobic course. This can be seen in particular from the testimony in the court of a visibly more compassionate partner, Bob Seidman, who regretfully admits that he had suspected an AIDS disease and homosexuality in Beckett for a long time, but never gave him the opportunity to understand his situation To reveal.
Shortly before Beckett's death in the hospital, Miller brings him the news that the trial has been won. The film ends with a farewell party in honor of Andrew, in which Miller and his family and Bob Seidman also take part in addition to his relatives.
background
In 1981, the first cases of patients with a mysterious immune deficiency appeared in the USA, who later often died of actually harmless diseases such as rare pneumonia (e.g. Pneumocystis jirovecii ) or Kaposi's sarcoma . AIDS quickly reached epidemic proportions in the gay scene.
The film Philadelphia was the first major Hollywood production devoted to the subject. By then, 220,000 Americans had died of AIDS. The first film ever to portray AIDS and its consequences was the television film Early Frost , which first aired in the United States in 1985.
The drug AZT , which Andrew Beckett gets in the film, was the first effective drug against AIDS, but at that time it was still dosed too high and only given alone. The highly active antiretroviral therapy has existed since 1996 , which bundles several antiviral agents and often also contains AZT. Andrew's blindness at the end of the film is believed to be due to a human cytomegalovirus infection , which can cause retinitis , which then leads to blindness.
The film bears similarities to the lives of Geoffrey Bowers and Clarence B. Cain . Bowers was a lawyer who sued his law firm for AIDS discrimination. Cain was also a lawyer and was fired when it was discovered that he had AIDS. He then sued and won shortly before his death in 1990.
The then mayor of Philadelphia, Edward Rendell , plays himself in one scene. The gay icon Quentin Crisp makes a cameo as a guest at the gay party.
reception
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When the film was released in the US, the premiere of the film was accompanied by numerous protests by Christian groups who denounced the positive portrayal of homosexuals in the film. Some critics complained that the film does not reduce the prevailing prejudice about AIDS, but reinforces it. Still others criticized the film by blending AIDS and homosexuality with the idea that AIDS is only a problem for homosexuals. However, this portrayal was always resolutely rejected by director Jonathan Demme.
The refusal to show an intimate relationship between Beckett and his partner Miguel Alvarez was also criticized in some cases . However, one can counter that there are several scenes that show the love affair between Miguel and Andrew in a different way. For example, Miguel starts a violent argument with the doctors in the hospital, and the dying scene also shows him in deep sorrow and deep despair for his partner.
On the other hand, the film has received many high praise, especially the acting performance of Tom Hanks, who at the beginning of the film embodies a radiant yuppie who, at the end of the film , lies in the hospital bed, marked by AIDS and death. Joe Miller's change from a homophobic , ignorant lawyer to an ardent defender of human rights is also an example of how the reduction of prejudice can develop.
The lexicon of international films writes: "A film that primarily advertises understanding and tolerance, but which, with its fear of contact, only approaches the topic from a safe distance and thus ultimately confirms social clichés."
Gross profit
With a budget of $ 26 million, the film grossed around $ 207 million.
music
Two pieces of music from the film were nominated for an Oscar for Best Song at the 1994 Academy Awards: Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen and Philadelphia by Neil Young . Springsteen won the award.
Another scene in the film is also known primarily for the music used there. Joe Miller visits Andrew Beckett. In the course of the scene you will hear the aria La mamma morta from the opera Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano . It is sung by Maria Callas .
Less memorable, but noteworthy, is one of the few film documents by the singer Q Lazzarus , known for the u. a. Goodbye Horses employed in The Silence of the Lambs . In the film Philadelphia, she plays a cover of Heaven from Talking Heads at a party .
synchronization
The film was set to music at Rondo Film in Berlin . Marianne Groß wrote the dialogue book and directed the dialogue.
Awards
- Best Actor: Tom Hanks
- Best Original Song: Bruce Springsteen (Streets of Philadelphia)
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further nominations:
- Best makeup
- Best Original Song: Neil Young (Philadelphia)
- Best original script
- Best Actor (Drama): Tom Hanks
- Best Original Song - Motion Picture: Bruce Springsteen (Streets of Philadelphia)
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further nominations:
- Best script
- Best Actor: Tom Hanks
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further nominations:
- Best movie
- Best Song in a Movie: Bruce Springsteen ( Streets of Philadelphia )
- Best screen duo: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington
- Silver Bear: Tom Hanks
- Best Movie: Bruce Springsteen (Streets of Philadelphia)
The German Film and Media Assessment FBW in Wiesbaden awarded the film the rating particularly valuable.
Web links
- Philadelphia in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ AIDS - a chronology. In: Brandeins.de , issue 02/0, accessed on 29 November 2017th
- ↑ About 30 to 40% of those infected with HIV develop retinitis. R. Hassan-Moosa, T. Chinappa, L. Jeena: Cytomegalovirus retinitis and HIV: Case reviews from KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. September 22, 2017, PMID 29022526 , accessed November 29, 2017.
- ↑ Philadelphia 'Makers Settle Suit. In: New York Times. March 20, 1996. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ↑ David Margolick: LAW: AT THE BAR; A Lawyer With AIDS Wins a Legal Victory, and Gives His Employer Some Unwelcome Publicity. In: New York Times. April 13, 1990. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
- ↑ a b rottentomatoes.com at Rotten Tomatoes , accessed on September 19, 2014.
- ↑ a b metacritic.com at Metacritic , accessed on September 19, 2014.
- ↑ Philadelphia in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- ^ Franz Everschor: Philadelphia Filmdienst , accessed June 13, 2018.
- ↑ Philadelphia: un-packaging the Hollywood Aids drama (English), BFI, accessed June 14, 2018.
- ↑ Jonas Reinartz: Philadelphia filmstarts , accessed June 14, 2018.
- ^ Philadelphia. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed July 8, 2019 .
- ^ Philadelphia. Retrieved January 15, 2020 .
- ↑ German synchronous index: German synchronous index | Movies | Philadelphia. Retrieved April 4, 2018 .