Hollywood’s first feature film about AIDS, “Philadelphia,”is being released in a 25th anniversary DVD edition with screenings at the AMC Neshaminy on Dec. 1 in honor of World AIDS Day.
Today, the film plays like a quaint period piece — the characters’ cell phones and computers are as outdated as the pre-Comcast skyline. But “Philadelphia” still generates goosebumps — from the stirring songs by Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young to gay Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) first declaring “I have AIDS.”
Director Jonathan Demme, working from Ron Nyswaner’s screenplay, takes viewers through discussions of the disease with talk about platelets, T-cells, AZT and shameful, sinister KS legions. (PrEP is years off in the future).
Homophobia abounds. Andrew’s boss (Jason Robards) fires him for “bringing AIDS into their offices.” Andrew’s lawyer, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), disdains gays and fears the disease. A librarian (Tracey Walter) suggests the infected Andrew might be more comfortable elsewhere, and Andrew’s partner, Miguel (Antonio Banderas), encounters rights issues in the hospital for not being “immediate family.” These are important (albeit heavy-handed) teaching moments. But even with the passing of laws to protect LGBTQ rights and judicial decisions that confirm marriage equality since the film’s release, fear, hatred, and stigmas very much remain today.
“Philadelphia” is also deliberate in how it presents its queer characters. Andrew is a stereotypical opera-loving gay man, but a moving scene has him swooning to “Andrea Chénier.” More significantly, Andrew and Miguel never fully kiss, which rankled queer viewers upon release.
While flawed, “Philadelphia” is a well-intentioned product of its time — one designed to educate viewers about AIDS and social justice. In that regard, it remains timeless.