Philadelphia Movies

Being movie buffs, we thought we'd share with you some movies to get you in the Philadelphia spirit. They even include some of our all time favorite films!

The Philadelphia Story is one of my all time favorite movies. I watch it constantly. Not only is about Philadelphia, but also about a wedding! It's an absolute classic, and if you haven't seen it you should! Matt & I resemble Cary Grant & Katherine Hepburn right? No?

I know a lot of people honestly like National Treasure and I apologize -- because Matt and I absolutely love this movie because we find it really hilarious!(I even do impressions). But even though we don't think it's a particularly good movie, we are incredibly fond of it. When I've had a bad day, I put it on, and it cheers me up to no end. Whether you like it for the right reasons or the wrong ones, significant parts of this movie take place in Philadelphia! Such as when they find these completely ridiculous 3-d glasses supposedly made by Benjamin Franklin. Awesome.

Rocky is of course tied to the city of Philadelphia. And those famous stairs are like a half mile from our reception site, so you have no excuse not to run up them like a champ!

There is also 1776! Like The Philadelphia Story this was not shot in Philadelphia, but does take place there. This is the all singing, all dancing version of Revolutionary American history. It's a little long, but the songs'll get stuck in your head. Also, young Blythe Danner looks exactly like her daughter Gwyneth Paltrow in this movie!

Witness, starring Harrison Ford, famously takes place almost entirely in Amish country. This movie became a running gag in film school after one week where it was coincidentally shown in almost every class. Screenwriting: here's an example of great screenwriting -- Witness! Cinematography: here's an example of great cinematography -- Witness! Sound: here's an example of great sound - Witness! So if nothing else, you know his film has the USC School of Cinematic Arts seal of approval.

All of the films of director M. Night Shyamalan -- The Sixth Sense being the best and most popular -- take place in Pennsylvania, often in Philadelphia. He lives there and shoots all of his films there.

Kitty Foyle is not a super great movie, but I've found myself watching it several times (so there must be something about it!). It stars Ginger Rogers without her dancing shoes. She won the Oscar for this role. It's a little bit of a downer though - a working woman trying to rise in society, caught between a love for an aristocratic rich fellow, whose family won't accept her and a totally nice Doctor who loves her. It's like the blue collar downer drama version of The Philadelphia Story. Regardless, if you see it's on TCM, it's worth a watch.

Feel free to get in the Philadelphia spirit from your own couch!