Philadelphia

 
Ethics  work  Term  1  
Álvaro  Arellano  

 
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

 
 
 
 
Index  
 
P.1  –  COVER  
 

P.2  –  INDEX  
 

P.3  &  4  –  MORAL  QUESTIONS  

 

P.4  &  5  –  ETHICAL  QUESTIONS  

 

P.5  &  6  –  VALUES  

 

P.6  &  7-­‐  SOCIAL  NORMS  

 

P.8-­‐  PERSONAL  OPINION  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

 
 
MORAL  QUESTIONS    
 
 
 
1.  How  would  a  person  with  the  same  ideas  or  likes  as  Andy  Beckett  feel  
when  watching  this  film?  
 
To  make  ourselves  an  idea  on  how  do  homosexuals  feel  when  this  is  happening  
in  our  nowadays  World  we  have  to  think  about  its  complete  discrimination  for  
years.      In  the  early  seventies  AIDS  was  nearly  considered  a  gay  disease,  which  is  
not.  This  can  help  as  noticing  how  with  the  pass  of  time  we  have  changed,  but  
not  everyone.  As  we  saw  in  the  film  Andy  Beckett  was  fired  because  of  his  sexual  
orientation  and  his  disease,  which  is  partly  illegal.  The  particular  message  that  
the  film  give  us  is  that,  we  have  to  fight  against  what  is  not  right  and  more  
exceptional,  the  message  to  the  gay  society  and  try  to  make  people  not  to  
consider  them  as  different.  So,  in  this  film  homosexuals  would  feel  more  and  
more  discriminated  and  in  so  a  social  way.  But  also  they  can  think  a  little  person  
can  bring  big  changes.  
 
 
 
2.  Is  Andy  Beckett’s  boss,  Wheeler,  following  a  prejudice  about  AIDS?  
 
During  the  case  in  the  film  is  obvious  he  does,  but  he  doesn’t  accept  it.  All  its  
partners  feel  the  same  as  he  does  because  of  the  fear  to  be  fired.  As  one  of  them  
said,  he  noticed  a  lesion  on  Andrew’s  face,  but  eventually  he  didn’t  know  it  was  
an  AIDS  lesion.    However  I  think  he  didn’t  only  follow  the  prejudice  on  Aids  but  
also  on  homosexuality.  As  they  explained  in  the  film  there  was  another  woman  
with  AIDS  in  the  company  who  wasn’t  fired,  actually  they  didn’t  FIRE  her  
because  they  thought  his  AIDS  transmission  couldn’t  have  been  prevented.  In  
the  case,  they  discovered  Andrew’s  transmission  could  have  been  prevented  but  
the  thing  is  they  didn’t  think  about  that,  they  discovered  he  was  gay  and  only  
because  he  did  a  little  mistake,  they  fired  him.  
 
 
 
 
 

3  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

3.  What  was  the  family’s  opinion  or  judgement  about  Andrew’s  case?  
 
They  were  really  concerned  about  it,  her  mother  in  particular  has  always  fight  
for  him  and  accepted  him,  she  was  always  taking  care  of  him  and  helped  him  
during  his  disease.  All  the  family  in  general  was  affected  with  his  disease,  they  
always  supported  him  so  they  went  to  all  of  the  audiences.  We  must  take  this  as  
an  example  in  a  moral  way,  to  think  what  is  good  or  wrong  without  trying  to  
make  ethical  questions,  only  with  the  sense  of  moral  we  can  take  good  decisions  
when  they  are  obvious.  However,  this  isn’t  always  what  happens  in  other  
families,  because  homosexuals  can’t  always  accept  their  sexual  orientation  
because  of  other’s  opinion.  
 
     
 
ETHICAL  QUESTIONS  
 
 
 
1.  Does  law  always  coincide  with  moral  issues?  
 
As  we  saw  in  the  film  it  doesn’t.  There  is  an  interesting  part  in  the  film  when  he  
went  to  a  library  and  they  asked  him  to  go  to  another  room  resides  the  other  
people.  He  said  not,  actually  that  was  illegal  but  maybe  the  person  who  asked  
him  that,  could  think  of  that  moral  question,  ‘if  people  are  no  comfortable  with  
him  next  to  them  why  does  he  have  to  stay  in  this  room?’  But  he  didn’t  think  of  
the  ethical  question,  the  law.  This  is  a  particular  example  in  the  film  but  there  
are  lots  of  them.  Finally  the  law  made  justice  supporting  of  Andrew,  directly  
affected  by  a  prejudice,  that  is  not  even  a  moral  question.  What  is  also  
interesting  of  this  film  is  the  fact  that,  the  counsellor  who  accepted  the  case,  
wasn’t  conscious  about  the  disease  and  so  were  the  other  lawyers.  Precisely  his  
lawyer  came  to  the  doctor  just  after  he  touched  Beckett.    So  there  is  always  a  
difference  between  law  and  moral  which  involve  all  of  us.  
 
 
 
2.  Did  the  partner  who  discovered  the  lesion  on  Andrew’s  face  made  moral  
questions  to  himself  without  taking  care  about  his  boss  opinion?  
 
Maybe,  he  did.  But  only  to  himself.  As  I  said  before,  in  moral  questions  he  is  
thinking  the  same  that  his  boss  because  of  fear.    Despite  the  fact  he  finally  accept  
his  accusation  and  helped  Beckett.  This  cost  the  company  thousands  and  

4  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

thousands  of  dollars  but  i  better  to  confess  your  opinion  than  win  and  have  that  
remorse  inside  of  you  that  can  make  you  sad  and  unhappy  for  many  years.  It  is  
better,  and  more  honest;  and  you  finally  don’t  have  to  carry  a  problem  through  
life.  
 
 
 
3.    What  was  Andrew’s  lawyer  first  reaction  to  the  case?  And  its  ethical  
criteria?  
 
As  we  know  when  Andrew  looked  fro  a  lawyer  to  help  him  with  the  case,  he  
achieved  to  call  more  than  10  but  any  of  them  accepted  the  case.  Finally  he  went  
to  Joe  Miller  a  small  time  lawyer  who  was  famous  because  of  his  adverts  on  TV  
and  the  plenty  of  cases  he  had  won.    He  was  impacted  with  the  case  in  a  negative  
way.  He  didn’t  know  how  AIDS  could  be  transmitted  so  when  he  knew  his  client  
had  this  disease  his  face  changed.  He  didn’t  accept  the  case  at  first  because  of  
personal  reasons,  he  made  his  first  moral  criteria,  the  positive  or  negative  
option.    After  that  he  came  to  a  doctor  and  he  told  Miller  that  AIDS  Could  only  be  
infected  by  blood  transfusion  and  sexual  contact.  Finally  he  made  his  decision  
and  because  of  the  encouraging  of  her  wife  and  by  putting  himself  in  the  case  of  
Andrew  he  made  a  right  ethical  criteria,  to  help  him.  
 
 
 
VALUES  
 
 
1.    
 The  first  positive  value  I’d  like  to  express  is  the  merit  that  the  lawyer,  Joe  Miller  
had  during  the  case.  It  can  be  considered  a  reference  model  to  many  lawyers.  He  
nearly  changed  the  system  and  their  non-­‐ethic  norms.  Actually  being  as  brave  as  
him  to  accept  such  a  case  was  really  difficult  on  those  days,  because  maybe  you  
can  be  considered  homosexual  just  because  you  defend  them.    
And  more  important  he  could  have  been  discriminated  and  insulted  as  that  guy  
in  the  film,  in  the  supermarket  which  tried  to  intimidate  him.  As  Andrew  gave  
him  thank  you  for  resting  in  peace,  I  would  say  to  him  thank  you  because  of  
defending  what  it  is  right,  and  to  fight  against  what  it  isn’t.  
 
 
 
 

5  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

2.  
A  negative  value  could  be  Wheeler’s  (Andrew’s  boss)  prejudice  about  
homosexuality  and  supporting  their  are  gay  diseases.    Only  because  of  his  
insufficient  knowledge  about  disease  and  sexual  orientation  terms  he  
considered  Andrew  as  less  than  him  and  that  is  a  serious  discrimination.  He  
didn’t  only  take  Andrew’s  work  by  firing  he,  he  also  took  that  illusion  of  
someone  that  can  work  because  of  pleasure  and  not  only  for  obligation.  This  can  
give  us  an  idea  about  how  an  employer  with  enough  money  can  do  what  he  
wants  when  he  wants.  
 It’s  in  a  fictitious  way  to  say  it,  the  law  of  the  jungle.  The  one  that  has  more  
power,  has  more  property.  And  finally  because  of  hat  ordinary  law,  his  boss  
could  fire  him  only  because  a  little  mistake  during  working.  That  is  a  human  
exploitation,  as  going  back  a  hundred  years  ago  where  firing  was  free.  
 
 
 
3.  
The  last  value,  which  has  impressed  viewers  could  be  the  one  from  the  most  
important  character,  the  protagonist,  Andrew  Beckett.  Imagine  if  we  were  in  his  
skin.    He  was  fired,  accused  from  a  non  regular  behaviour  at  work  and  the  most  
important  thing,  he  was  suffering  from  one  of  the  most  dangerous  diseases,  
AIDS.  I  don’t  think  that  during  the  case  he  was  fighting  only  for  him  but  for  all  of  
homosexuals  and  discriminated  people.  This  rewarded  him  plenty  of  money  but  
the  most  important  thing,  he  could  win  against  those  bastards  that  considered  
him  less  than  them  and  that  only  with  a  prejudice  they  can  do  what  they  are  like  
to.  There’s  a  part  in  the  film,  when  he  is  really  affected  with  the  disease  during  
an  audience.  He  was  in  so  a  bad  situation  that  he  nearly  fainted,  but  he  resisted  
only  to  make  sure  he  can  face  those  villains.  It  was  a  really  hard  moment  for  his  
family,  friends  and  his  partner.  This  last  one  has  also  take  an  important  role  
during  the  film  because  he  has  supported  Andrew  during  his  disease  and  
forgave  Andrew  when  he  listened  he  cheated  on  him.  In  conclusion,  Andrew  
Beckett  can  also  be  a  reference  for  us.  
 
 
SOCIETAL  NORMS  
 
 
 
1.  
This  film  explained  to  our  society  how  do  we  have  to  get  involve  with  others,  
without  thinking  about  criticism  to  us.  In  fact  this  film  can  show  us  how  the  

6  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

character  has  accepted  all  the  discrimination  when  they  fired  him  in  a  peaceful  
way,  he  just  wanted  to  make  justice  and  he  did  it.  It  is  an  example  of  fighting  
against  social  classes  as  we  had  in  the  last  centuries.  What  I  mean  is  we  have  to  
take  part  to  finish  with  social  groups  and  is  stereotypes.  This  is  directly  affected  
to  gay  society.  Only  because  of  this,  we  call  them  gay  society.  Why?  I  mean  they  
are  in  our  same  society,  why  do  we  call  them  as  if  they  were  different?  This  also  
affects  other  race  people  or  only  to  people  who  are  externally  different.  The  
particular  message  of  the  film  is  just  that.  It  just  makes  no  sense  to  bring  up  new  
changes,  if  those  changes  are  harmful  for  our  society  and  everything  around  it.  
 
 
2.  
I’m  going  to  compare  the  discriminate  way  of  Wheeler,  Andrew’s  boss,  to  
consider  Homosexual  aspects,  with  the  societal  norms  that  are  taking  place  
nowadays.  
In  first  case,  if  you  fire  someone  only  because  a  little  mistake  you  can’t  fire  it,  in  
fact  you  will  have  to  explain  with  many  details  the  cause  of  its  redundancy.  
Which  he  doesn’t,  he  only  explains  he  was  increasingly  not  taking  part  on  his  job  
affairs.  
Secondly  the  jury  will  have  impose  the  accused,  his  boss,  a  major  fine.  Nowadays  
it  is  a  really  important  crime  to  discriminate  others  because  of  their  diseases,  
sexual  orientation  or  ideals.  
And  the  last  charge  could  be,  he  lied.  Lying  to  a  judge  and  a  jury  can  be  one  of  the  
most  important  things  in  a  case.  All  its  partners  pretended  to  safe  themselves  by  
telling  lies  which  they  were  premeditate  by  its  boss.  In  conclusion  he  just  
thought  of  himself  and  not  the  emotions  or  feelings  of  others.  
 
 
3.  
The  last  societal  norm  is  the  one  the  lawyer  performed  when  helping  Andy.    
Apart  from  other  questions,  he  followed  an  important  societal  norm,  the  one  
that  explains  we  have  to  help  others.  
He  eventually  did  help  Andrew  for  his  rights.  That  case  became  so  personal  for  
him  that  he  was  really  affected  with  Andrew’s  death.  It  all  become  a  social  norm,  
first  the  moral,  he  first  thougt  what  was  right.  After  that  he  reflected  on  the  
judgement  of  its  decision  and  finally  he  made  a  good  value.  What  brings  us  a  god  
idea  about  what  he  did  is  comparing  it  to  a  doctor’s  job.  He  helped  him  to  
survive  with  all  cleared  and  with  a  good  conscious.  
 
 
 
 

7  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

 
PERSONAL  OPINION  
 
I  was  really  amazed  after  watching  this  film.  The  director  chose  the  best  actors  
for  his  film.  I  appreciate  his  good  action  about  society  criticism,  in  the  right  
words,  a  PERFECT  film.    
The  film  won  two  Oscars,  one  for  best  actor  for  Tom  Hanks,  who  did  an  excellent  
work.  I,  personally  can’t  complain  about  his  great  job  in  the  film.  How  he  
interpreted,  how  he  became  part  of  the  film,  he  was  magnificent.    
 
The  other  Oscar  was  for  best  original  song,  ‘Streets  of  Philadelphia’.  The  
soundtrack,  was  beautiful,  it  contrasted  at  all  moments.  What  I  mean  is,  that  if  
here  was  a  scene  where  the  protagonist  was  sad  or  suffering  the  music    make  it  
simpler  to  understand  it.  And  that  amazing  scene  where  Andrew  started  dancing  
with  opera,  while  Miller  was  looking  at  him,  it  was  so  emotive  and  hard  as  well.  
 
However,  the  thing  is,  the  best  thing  to  describe  about  this  film  is  the  matter  to  
be  brave  and  understand  others  feelings  so  you  can  translate  it  to  a  film.  The  
director,  in  other  words,  is  quite  an  empathic  person.  In  conclusion  this  film  has  
changed  my  pint  of  view  about  some  society,  values,  and  finally  about  moral  and  
ethical  issues.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

8  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

9  
Álvaro  Arellano  Philadelphia  Film  

 
 
 
 
 

10