Furness plays cameo in Hanks film

University bookworms may be kicking themselves for not getting a jump start on this semester's quest for knowledge. That's because over-eager patrons of the Furness Building's Fine Arts Library last Wednesday and Thursday nights might have been momentarily distracted by Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington and the cast of the new movie, "Philadelphia." "Philadelphia," directed by "Silence of the Lambs" director Jonathan Demme, is a multi-million dollar production slated to be in theaters by next Christmas. In the movie, Hanks plays a lawyer, Andrew Beckett, who is fired from his Philadelphia law firm after developing AIDS. Beckett, mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, hires television lawyer Joe Miller, played by Washington, to help him get his job back. " 'Philadelphia' is about men, women, AIDS, homophobia, lawyers, friendship, discrimination, having babies, being gay, being straight, the American system of justice, Philly cheese steaks, prejudice, acceptance, heartbreak and laughs; in other words, America today," Demme said in a statement. The scene filmed in Furness's tremendous main room took two nights to shoot, and will compose approximately 10 minutes of film in the two-hour feature production, a crew member said during the shoot. Scott Currie, locations manager for the production, said that Furness' library was picked for a scene that is "supposed to take place in a law library, any law library" because of Furness' beauty rather than to give the University itself a cameo role in the movie. "It's a unique and beautiful building, with architecture unsurpassed in the city of Philadelphia," Currie said. To emphasize the intricate architecture of the Fine Arts library, the film's crew used two generators to help illuminate the room, rather than using the library's own relatively weak lighting. Currie and other members of the production team would not disclose the amount of money paid to the University to compensate it for the use of the property for the two days. Acting Executive Vice President John Gould could not be reached for comment. Arrangements for the film shoot were made last spring, and were adjusted to accomodate to the University's schedule. "They asked to use Furness [for the movie], and we were hesitant, so they basically moved their schedule around so that they could film while the University was shut down," Assistant to the President Nicholas Constan said Friday. While the University will not be mentioned in the movie, several University students may be seen through the stacks and at the shelves, acting their usual studius selves. Publicist Judy Arthur said that extras are not allowed to speak to the press until the movie comes to theaters. But she said that approximately 20 University students who happened to be wandering by Furness on Wednesday were given the opportunity to be immortalized on the screen.