Philadelphia (1993) quotes
Director
Jonathan Demme.
Cast
Tom Hanks.
Denzel Washington.
Roberta Maxwell.
When a man with HIV is fired by his law firm because of his condition, he hires a homophobic small time lawyer as the only willing advocate for a wrongful dismissal suit.
Sir, wouldn’t you be more comfortable in a study room?
– Librarian
No. Would it make you more comfortable?
– Andrew Beckett
Some of these people make me sick. But a law’s been broken here. You do remember the law, don’t you?
– Joe Miller
Do you like opera?
– Andrew Beckett
I’m not that familiar with opera.
– Joe Miller
This is my favorite aria. This is Maria Callas. This is “Andrea Chenier”, Umberto Giordano. This is Madeleine. She’s saying how during the French Revolution, a mob set fire to her house, and her mother died… saving her. “Look, the place that cradled me is burning.” Can you hear the heartache in her voice? Can you feel it, Joe? In come the strings, and it changes everything. The music fills with a hope, and that’ll change again. Listen… listen…”I bring sorrow to those who love me.” Oh, that single cello! “It was during this sorrow that love came to me.” A voice filled with harmony. It says, “Live still, I am life. Heaven is in your eyes. Is everything around you just the blood and mud? I am divine. I am oblivion. I am the god… that comes down from the heavens, and makes of the Earth a heaven. I am love!… I am love.”
– Andrew Beckett
Have you ever felt discriminated against at Wyatt Wheeler?
– Joe Miller
Well, yes.
– Anthea Burton
In what way?
– Joe Miller
Well, Mr. Wheeler’s secretary, Lydia, said that Mr. Wheeler had a problem with my earrings.
– Anthea Burton
Really?
– Joe Miller
Apparently Mr. Wheeler felt that they were too…”Ethnic” is the word she used. And she told me that he said that he would like it if I wore something a little less garish, a little smaller, and more “American.”
– Anthea Burton
What’d you say?
– Joe Miller
I said my earrings are American. They’re African-American.
– Anthea Burton
Miguel, I’m ready.
– Andrew Beckett
What’s wrong with your face?
– Joe Miller
I have AIDS.
– Andrew Beckett
What do you love about the law, Andrew?
– Joe Miller
[from the witness stand] I… many things… uh… uh… What I love the most about the law?
– Andrew Beckett
Yeah.
– Joe Miller
It’s that every now and again – not often, but occasionally – you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens.
– Andrew Beckett
In this courtroom, Mr.Miller, justice is blind to matters of race, creed, color, religion, and sexual orientation.
– Judge Garrett
With all due respect, your honor, we don’t live in this courtroom, do we?
– Joe Miller
Now, explain it to me like I’m a four-year-old.
– Joe Miller
That’s their story. Wanna hear mine?
– Andrew Beckett
How many lawyers did you go to before me?
– Joe Miller
Nine.
– Andrew Beckett
Go on.
– Joe Miller
Forget everything you’ve seen on television and in the movies.
– Joe Miller
I appreciate your faith in my abilities.
– Andrew Beckett
Faith, Andy, is the belief in something for which we have no evidence. It doesn’t apply to this situation.
– Charles Wheeler
The HIV virus can only be transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids, namely blood, semen, and vaginal secretions.
– Dr. Armbruster