Photo Credit: iStock Photo/drbueller
With its part in American history and numerous Georgian architectural wonders, it’s no wonder Philadelphia has been the set for more than 1,000 films. Philadelphia is where the busy streets of the sixth-largest city in the nation meet the quiet, surrounding Amish country. The city is home to multiple historical sites and landmarks, including Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and the Liberty Bell, one of the most prominent symbols of the American Revolutionary War.
From vintage to modern, urban to rural and everything in between, Philadelphia has it all. Here are the top five movies that represent the City of Brotherly Love:
Philadelphia
About: A lawyer (Tom Hanks) with AIDS is fired by a conservative Philadelphia law firm because of his condition, and he fights back against the firm with a wrongful dismissal lawsuit.
Represent, Philly: The library scene was filmed in the Furness Building, a fine arts library at the University of Pennsylvania, and the courtroom scenes were filmed in an actual Philadelphia courtroom that the city let the producers use.
Fun Fact: In the film, Denzel Washington’s character says he prays the Philadelphia Phillies will win the National League Championship Series pennant, and in 1993, the year the movie was released, the Phillies did.
Rocky
About: An amateur boxer gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champion and have his one chance at making a better life for himself.
Represent, Philly: Despite the entire movie’s filming in Philadelphia, few movie scenes are as memorable as the training montage in “Rocky,” where Rocky runs up the 72 steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and “air boxes” at the top, all to the tune of “Gonna Fly Now,” the “Rocky” theme song.
Fun Fact: While shooting his famous jog through the streets of Philadelphia, Sylvester Stallone pulled a tendon in his leg and was taken to a nearby hospital in a wheelbarrow.
The Sixth Sense
About: A child (Haley Joel Osment) who sees ghosts who don’t know they’re dead seeks the help of a regretful child psychologist named Malcolm (Bruce Willis).
Represent, Philly: In the scene where Cole is playing with toy soldiers in the church, he is in St. Augustine Catholic Church on the corner of 4th and Vine Streets. The scene where Malcolm misses his anniversary date with his wife is filmed at The Striped Bass restaurant on Walnut Street.
Fun Fact: When Cole and his mother are sitting in the kitchen, an empty container of Penn Maid sour cream is one of the glasses on the table. Penn Maid sour cream is only available in Philadelphia.
Twelve Monkeys
About: James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a convicted criminal living in a post-apocalyptic future who, to earn a pardon, goes back in time to collect information on a deadly virus.
Represent, Philly: In addition to the various abandoned buildings and public Philadelphia landmarks shown throughout the movie, interior shots of the climatic airport scene were shot at the Pennsylvania Convention Center at Reading Terminal, and scenes at the psychiatric hospital were done at Eastern State Penitentiary.
Fun Fact: At the time of filming, the two newscasters shown in the movie were actual journalists on Philadelphia’s Channel 10 news.
Witness
About: After an Amish child witnesses a murder, policeman John Book (Harrison Ford) goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him until the trial.
Represent, Philly: Most of the movie was filmed in Philadelphia and surrounding towns. The scene where Book talks to the child witness in the train station was shot at the 30th Street Amtrak Station.
Fun Fact: The 30th Street Station has also the filming location of the films “Trading Places” and “The Happening,” as well as four other movies.
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