Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Call me paparazzi. Yes, this image features a prolific motion picture background cast member. I’m not writing about anyone who might happen to be in any of the vehicles pictured in today’s photo. I’m talking about the Ben Franklin Bridge that connects Camden, New Jersey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The bridge has appeared in background shots and cameo roles in several motion pictures set in Philadelphia. This view gives us a glimpse of the City of Brotherly Love behind the cars and underneath the arches on the left.

The span has appeared in several films, adding to its cinematic history and cultural significance. Here are a few notable movies that feature the Ben Franklin Bridge:

1. “Witness” (1985): This thriller directed by Peter Weir stars Harrison Ford as a detective investigating a murder in an Amish community. The Ben Franklin Bridge is featured during a pivotal scene where Ford’s character confronts the culprits on the bridge’s pedestrian walkway.
2. “National Treasure” (2004): In this adventure film starring Nicolas Cage, the Ben Franklin Bridge appears as one of the landmarks visited by the characters in their quest to find hidden treasure. It is shown in several scenes, including a car chase across the bridge.
3. “Limitless” (2011): This science fiction thriller stars Bradley Cooper as a struggling writer who gains superhuman abilities through a mysterious pill. Cooper’s character is shown running across the Ben Franklin Bridge as part of a pivotal scene.
4. “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012): Directed by David O. Russell, this romantic comedy-drama features the Ben Franklin Bridge in several scenes. The bridge serves as a backdrop to various moments in the story, including a climactic scene where the characters played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence meet near the bridge.
5. “Dead Man Down” (2013): Starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace, this action thriller includes the Ben Franklin Bridge in its setting. The bridge is featured in a car chase sequence, highlighting its architecture.

One notable movie that was shot in Philadelphia but didn’t include the bridge as a background actor is “Rocky” (1976), however, the bridge was featured in “Rocky II” (1979) in a montage showcasing various locations in Philadelphia. Rocky II was the only movie in the series to include a shot of one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable landmarks.

The bridge is supported by its two main towers, one located in Philadelphia and the other in Camden, New Jersey. These towers are constructed using steel and rise to a height of 382 feet (116 meters) above the typical high water level. The main span, which is the distance between the two towers, measures approximately 1,750 feet (533 meters). Its total length, including approaches on both sides, is around 9,573 feet (2,918 meters).

The final design provides six lanes of traffic, two tracks for subway/elevated trains, two tracks for streetcar/trolley operation, and two walkways for pedestrians. The pedestrian lanes are used by bicycle riders, walkers, and joggers and are visible in the photo above the roadways on either side. The train tracks run on both sides of the roadways underneath the pedestrian walkways. More facts about the bridge and its construction can be found here. As Janet noted in the comments, there is a toll when coming from the New Jersey side. No toll coming in the other direction.

About the photo: Normally on our fall trips, Lynn and I ride in the rear seats of my niece and her husband’s SUV. I usually capture images out of the left-side rear window. For whatever reason, I was riding shotgun position as we approached the bridge. Cleaning the windshield at fuel stops is my usual duty and it was freshly cleaned when we filled the SUV up with fuel that morning. The light and angles were right to minimize reflections and I got a nice panoramic view of the bridge as we crossed. Using Adobe Lightroom, I cropped out the hood at the bottom of the shot, most of the car on the right, and adjusted for a slight tilt. I then sent it off to Luminar Neo for final tweaks. I added just a bit of structure and used the Enhance AI tool to increase the contrast. You can pixel-peep at the image in 2K HD on my Flickr site by clicking on the image above.

I encourage fellow bloggers to create their own Cellpic Sunday posts. I never have a specific topic for this feature, and the only rules are that the photo must be captured with a cell phone, iPad, or another mobile device… If you have an image from a drone or even a dashcam, that’s acceptable as well. The second rule is to link your challenge response to this post or leave a comment here with a link to your post in the comment. Oh, and, you don’t have to post it on a Sunday.

John Steiner