Philadelphia (1993)
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, (more)
- Director(s):
- Jonathan Demme
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13
- Category:
- Drama
Member Rating
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
At the time of its release, Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia was the first big-budget Hollywood film to tackle the medical, political, and social issues of AIDS. Tom Hanks, in his first Academy Award-winning performance, plays Andrew Beckett, a talented lawyer at a stodgy Philadelphia law firm. The homosexual Andrew has contracted AIDS but fears informing his firm about the disease. The firm's senior partner, Charles Wheeler (Jason Robards), assigns Andrew a case involving their most important client. Andrew begins diligently working on the case, but soon the lesions associated with AIDS are visible on his face. Wheeler abruptly removes Andrew from the case and fires him from the firm. Andrew believes he has been fired because of his illness and plans to fight the firm in court. But because of the firm's reputation, no lawyer in Philadelphia will risk handling his case. In desperation, Andrew hires Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), a black lawyer who advertises on television, mainly handling personal injury cases. Miller dislikes homosexuals but agrees to take the case for the money and exposure. As Miller prepares for the courtroom battle against one of the law firm's key litigators, Belinda Conine (Mary Steenburgen), Miller begins to realize the discrimination practiced against Andrew is no different from the discrimination Miller himself has to battle against. The cast also includes Antonio Banderas as Andrew's partner, Joanne Woodward as Andrew's mother, and Stephanie Roth as Joe's wife. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 125 mins
Complete Cast:
- Tom Hanks - Andrew Beckett
- Jason Robards, Jr. - Charles Wheeler
- Antonio Banderas - Miguel Alvarez
- Charles Napier - Judge Garnett
- Andre B. Blake - Young Man in Pharmacy
- Daniel Chapman - Clinic Storyteller
- Ann Dowd - Jill Beckett
- Charles Glenn - Kenneth Killcoyne
- John Bedford Lloyd - Matt Beckett
- Warren Miller - Mr. Finley
- Lauren Roselli - Iris
- Daniel Von Bargen - Jury Foreman
- Bradley Whitford - Jamey Collins
- Julius "Dr. J" Erving - Himself
- Kenneth Utt - The Jury
- Obba Babatunde - Jerome Green
- Jane Moore - Lydia Glines
- Stephanie Roth - Rachel Smilow
- Jordan Cael - The Jury
- Gary Goetzman - Guido Paonessa
- Harry Northrup - The Jury
- Tony Fitzpatrick - Bartender
- Lewis Walker - "Punchline"
- Adam Le Fevre - Jill's Husband
- Steve Vignari - The Jury
- Ira Flitter - Andrew's Friend
- Denzel Washington - Joe Miller
- Mary Steenburgen - Belinda Conine
- Ron Vawter - Bob Seidman
- Joanne Woodward - Sarah Beckett
- Robert W. Castle - Bud Beckett
- Roger Corman - Mr. Laird
- David Drake - Bruno
- Paul Lazar - Dr. Klenstein
- Roberta Maxwell - Judge Tate
- Joey Perillo - Filko
- Anna Deavere Smith - Anthea Burton
- Tracey Walter - Librarian
- Kathryn Witt - Melissa Benedict
- Buzz Kilman - "Crutches"
- Robert Ridgely - Walter Kenton
- Donna Hamilton - Angela Medina
- Lawrence T. Wrentz - The Jury
- Randy Aaron Fink - E.R. Doctor
- Jim Roche - "Not Adam and Steve"
- Lucas Platt - Robert
- Gene Borkan - Bailiff
- James B. Howard - Dexter Smith
- Dodie Demme - The Jury
- Lisa Summerour - Lisa Miller
- Paul Moore - Hospital Patient
- Director(s):
- Jonathan Demme
- Writer(s):
- Ron Nyswaner
- Producer(s):
- Jonathan Demme, Edward Saxon
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13(Questionable for Children, Adult Situations, Profanity, Watch With Your Teen)
- Categories:
- Drama
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1994 - Philadelphia - Berlin International Film Festival - Silver Bear for Best Actor
- 1993 - Philadelphia - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- 1993 - Philadelphia - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Original Song
