Bethesda Terrace

Bethesda Terrace is a two-level architectural complex in Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, located at approximately 72nd Street, overlooking the Lake. Designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould as part of Frederick Law Olmsted and Vaux’s original plan for Central Park, the terrace was constructed during the 1860s as a formal gathering place within the park. Its upper and lower levels are connected by grand stone staircases and an elaborate arcade, whose vaulted ceiling contains approximately 16,000 decorative tiles manufactured by Minton in Stoke-on-Trent, England. At the centre of the lower terrace stands Bethesda Fountain, completed in 1873 and crowned by the bronze sculpture Angel of the Waters, created by Emma Stebbins. The terrace deteriorated during the twentieth century before undergoing extensive restoration beginning in the 1980s. Its historic Minton tile ceiling was restored and reinstalled in 2007, returning one of the park’s most elaborate architectural features to its original appearance.

Bethesda Terrace has appeared in Godspell (1973), Marathon Man (1976), Hair (1979), Ms. 45 (1981), The Hunger (1983), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Ransom (1996), One Fine Day (1996), Sex and the City (1998–2004), Stuart Little 2 (2002), Angels in America (2003), Elf (2003), The Producers (2005), Doctor Who (2005–), Enchanted (2007), Gossip Girl (2007–2012), 27 Dresses (2008), Made of Honor (2008), Person of Interest (2011–2016), The Avengers (2012), Broad City (2014–2019), Jessica Jones (2015–2019), Bull (2016–2022), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and Iron Fist (2017–2018). Productions have used the fountain, surrounding plaza, stone staircases and covered arcade for scenes ranging from musical performances and romantic encounters to murders, supernatural events and elaborate action sequences.

In Godspell (1973), directed by David Greene, Bethesda Fountain appears during the opening musical number, “Prepare Ye (The Way of the Lord)”. John the Baptist (David Haskell) gathers a group of young New Yorkers who abandon their everyday routines and join him in Central Park. The performers enter the fountain’s circular pool, splashing and playing in the water as part of a symbolic baptism. The fountain and its surrounding stone terrace are clearly visible throughout the sequence, with the characters’ brightly coloured costumes contrasting with the formal nineteenth-century setting. The scene introduces the unconventional group of disciples who subsequently follow Jesus (Victor Garber) through the streets and landmarks of New York City.

In Marathon Man (1976), directed by John Schlesinger, Bethesda Terrace appears during an evening sequence involving graduate student Thomas “Babe” Levy (Dustin Hoffman) and Elsa Opel (Marthe Keller). The two spend time together in Central Park, walking through its grounds and stopping near Bethesda Fountain. Babe comforts Elsa beside the fountain before they continue their journey through the park. The sequence forms part of their developing relationship, which becomes increasingly dangerous as Babe is drawn into a conspiracy involving a former Nazi war criminal. The film uses several real Central Park locations, including the Lake, the Ramble and the Reservoir, with Bethesda Terrace providing one of the more recognisable settings during Babe and Elsa’s walk.

In Hair (1979), directed by Miloš Forman, Bethesda Terrace appears during the musical sequence “Ain’t Got No”. The film follows Claude Hooper Bukowski (John Savage), a young man from Oklahoma who encounters a group of hippies in New York before reporting for military service during the Vietnam War. The musical number incorporates various locations throughout Central Park, including the terrace’s stone staircases and elaborate architectural carvings. The camera captures several details of the nineteenth-century stonework, including decorative representations of the four seasons and the passage of day and night. These architectural features appear alongside the film’s energetic choreography and large groups of performers.

In Ms. 45 (1981), directed by Abel Ferrara, Bethesda Terrace provides the setting for a violent confrontation involving Thana (Zoë Lund), a mute New York seamstress who begins killing men after surviving two sexual assaults. Armed with a .45-calibre pistol, Thana enters the covered arcade beneath the terrace, where a man watches her from above. She continues towards Bethesda Fountain and is surrounded by a group of threatening men. Rather than allowing them to attack her, she draws her pistol and shoots them. The sequence prominently features the arcade’s stone arches, the staircases and the open plaza around the fountain, capturing the terrace during a period when parts of Central Park had deteriorated considerably.

In The Hunger (1983), directed by Tony Scott, Bethesda Terrace appears during a sequence involving John Blaylock (David Bowie), a centuries-old vampire whose body is rapidly ageing after his lover Miriam (Catherine Deneuve) begins withdrawing her affection. John encounters a dancer in Central Park and attacks him near the terrace. The scene uses the architectural surroundings of Bethesda Terrace, including its covered passageways, as part of John’s increasingly desperate search for blood. The location provides a recognisable New York setting within a film that also used several London locations for other parts of its story.

In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), directed by Chris Columbus, Bethesda Terrace appears when Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is pursued through Central Park by Harry Lyme (Joe Pesci) and Marv Murchins (Daniel Stern), the criminals who previously attempted to burglarise his family’s home. Kevin runs down towards the lower terrace, with the fountain and surrounding stonework visible as the burglars follow him. He manages to evade them by hiding inside the rear compartment of a horse-drawn carriage parked beside the fountain. Harry and Marv search the area without noticing him, allowing Kevin to escape. Although the scene shows a carriage crossing the lower terrace, horse-drawn carriages do not normally use this part of Central Park. The film also features other locations in the park, including Gapstow Bridge and Inscope Arch, although the climactic attack on the burglars by the Pigeon Lady was filmed on a separate set.

In Ransom (1996), directed by Ron Howard, Bethesda Terrace is used for the opening kidnapping sequence involving Sean Mullen (Brawley Nolte), the young son of wealthy airline executive Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) and his wife Kate (Rene Russo). The family attends a children’s science fair organised around the terrace, where displays and activities have been arranged near Bethesda Fountain. During the event, Sean disappears after being lured away from his parents, setting the film’s kidnapping plot in motion. The fountain, surrounding plaza and stone staircases are visible during the sequence, with the production transforming the public space into a crowded family event. The abduction takes place amid the activities of the fictional 10th Annual Junior Science Fair.

In One Fine Day (1996), starring Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney, Bethesda Terrace appears during a sequence involving Melanie Parker (Pfeiffer), Jack Taylor (Clooney) and their two young children. The characters are struggling to balance their professional responsibilities with caring for the children during a hectic day in Manhattan. As they make their way through Central Park towards a football game, the group stops to play in puddles near Bethesda Fountain. The scene shows the characters splashing through the water together, with the terrace and fountain visible in the background. The sequence provides a brief moment of enjoyment during a day otherwise dominated by missed appointments and competing obligations.

In Sex and the City (1998–2004), Bethesda Fountain appears in the third episode of the second season, “The Freak Show”, originally broadcast on 20 June 1999. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is sitting near the fountain when she meets Ben (Ian Kahn), an attractive political writer who initially appears unusually normal compared with the eccentric men she has recently dated. They begin talking beside the fountain, and Carrie eventually gives him her unlisted telephone number, something she rarely does with strangers. The scene shows the surrounding terrace and the fountain’s distinctive Angel of the Waters sculpture. Carrie’s subsequent relationship with Ben becomes complicated when her suspicion that every man has something wrong with him leads her to search his apartment for hidden secrets.

In Stuart Little 2 (2002), directed by Rob Minkoff, Bethesda Terrace appears during the aerial chase involving Stuart Little (voiced by Michael J. Fox) and the predatory Falcon (voiced by James Woods). Stuart pilots a small model aeroplane through Central Park while attempting to evade the bird, performing dangerous manoeuvres around the park’s landmarks. During the chase, the aircraft passes over Bethesda Terrace and its fountain, with the surrounding staircases and plaza visible below. The sequence combines footage of the real location with computer-generated characters and aircraft. The production also filmed members of the Little family at Bethesda Fountain, including George Little (Jonathan Lipnicki) and his parents, Frederick (Hugh Laurie) and Eleanor (Geena Davis).

In Angels in America (2003), the HBO miniseries directed by Mike Nichols, Bethesda Fountain plays an important role in the story’s religious imagery and appears in its concluding sequence. The production, adapted from Tony Kushner’s plays about the AIDS epidemic and American society during the 1980s, repeatedly uses the Angel of the Waters statue as a visual symbol. In the epilogue, set in January 1990, Prior Walter (Justin Kirk) visits Bethesda Fountain with Louis Ironson (Ben Shenkman), Belize (Jeffrey Wright) and Hannah Pitt (Meryl Streep). The four gather beside the fountain and discuss its biblical associations with healing, as well as the changes taking place in the world around them. Prior, who has survived several years with AIDS, addresses the audience directly and expresses his determination to continue living. Kushner had originally written the scene while sitting beside Bethesda Fountain, and the television adaptation returned to the actual location for its conclusion.

In Elf (2003), directed by Jon Favreau, Bethesda Terrace appears during the film’s climactic Christmas Eve sequence in Central Park. Santa Claus (Ed Asner) has crashed his sleigh after losing the magical power required to keep it flying, and Buddy (Will Ferrell) attempts to restore Christmas spirit among New Yorkers. As Santa finally manages to lift the sleigh into the air, it flies dangerously low over Bethesda Fountain, narrowly avoiding the Angel of the Waters statue. The terrace and fountain are visible during the computer-generated flight sequence as Santa accelerates away from the pursuing park rangers. Other parts of Central Park, including Pinebank Arch, were used for separate scenes earlier in the film.

In The Producers (2005), directed by Susan Stroman, Bethesda Fountain appears during the musical number “We Can Do It”, performed by Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) and Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick). Max attempts to convince the timid accountant Leo to join him in a scheme to make money by producing a deliberately unsuccessful Broadway musical. The number begins in Max’s office and continues through Manhattan before reaching Bethesda Fountain late at night. Standing beside the fountain, Leo finally gives in to his ambitions and enthusiastically declares his desire to experience the glamorous life he has seen in films. The sequence includes the two actors moving around the fountain as water rises behind them. Unlike the original 1967 film, which used the fountain at Lincoln Center for the corresponding sequence, the 2005 musical adaptation was filmed at Bethesda Fountain. The scene was shot during the early morning hours, with filming continuing until shortly before dawn.

In Doctor Who (2005–), Bethesda Terrace appears in the fifth episode of the seventh series, “The Angels Take Manhattan”, originally broadcast on 29 September 2012. The Doctor (Matt Smith), Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) are visiting Central Park when Rory leaves to buy coffee. As he makes his way back, he passes through the area around Bethesda Terrace, where the Weeping Angels intervene and transport him into the past. The sequence uses the terrace’s stone architecture and surrounding pathways to establish Rory’s location before his disappearance. The Doctor and Amy subsequently attempt to rescue him, leading them through a version of New York controlled by the Weeping Angels. Other scenes from the episode were filmed at nearby Bow Bridge and elsewhere in Manhattan.

In Enchanted (2007), directed by Kevin Lima, Bethesda Terrace provides the setting for the finale of the musical number “That’s How You Know”. Giselle (Amy Adams), a fairy-tale princess stranded in modern New York, attempts to explain to divorce lawyer Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey) the importance of openly expressing love. Her song begins as a relatively small performance in Central Park but gradually attracts an enormous crowd of musicians, dancers, cyclists and other park visitors. The number culminates on the lower terrace beside Bethesda Fountain, where hundreds of performers surround Giselle and Robert. As the music reaches its conclusion, Giselle climbs into a horse-drawn carriage while the assembled crowd continues singing and dancing. The sequence was choreographed specifically around the real location, with director Kevin Lima later recalling that approximately 400 performers were involved in the large shots around the fountain.

In Gossip Girl (2007–2012), Bethesda Terrace appears repeatedly as a meeting place for the series’ wealthy Manhattan teenagers. In the third episode of the first season, “Poison Ivy”, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) is seen running near Bethesda Fountain, while Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) and Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester) have an important conversation beside the fountain about their troubled friendship. The location returns throughout the series, most prominently in the final episode, “New York, I Love You XOXO”, broadcast on 17 December 2012. Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) and Blair Waldorf marry during an impromptu ceremony beneath the arches of Bethesda Terrace Arcade, with their friends gathered around them. The wedding takes place shortly after the death of Chuck’s father, Bart Bass, as the couple attempt to protect one another from the police investigation. Chuck is arrested shortly after the ceremony, with the terrace’s distinctive vaulted passageway and staircases visible throughout the scene.

In 27 Dresses (2008), directed by Anne Fletcher, Bethesda Fountain appears during a conversation between sisters Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl) and Tess Nichols (Malin Åkerman). Jane has spent years serving as a bridesmaid for other women while quietly harbouring romantic feelings for her employer, George (Edward Burns). When Tess becomes engaged to George, Jane finds herself reluctantly helping to organise the wedding. The two sisters meet in Central Park to discuss the arrangements, with Bethesda Fountain and the surrounding stone terrace visible behind them. The scene uses the real fountain area rather than a studio recreation, while other sequences from the film were photographed at the nearby Central Park Boathouse.

In Made of Honor (2008), directed by Paul Weiland, Bethesda Fountain appears during a reflective moment involving Tom Bailey (Patrick Dempsey), a New Yorker who gradually realises that he is in love with his longtime best friend, Hannah (Michelle Monaghan). After Hannah announces her engagement to a Scottish aristocrat, Tom struggles to decide whether he should confess his feelings or accept the role of her male maid of honour. He is shown near the fountain contemplating his situation, with the Angel of the Waters sculpture and surrounding terrace visible. The film also uses Bow Bridge for a separate scene involving Tom and Hannah.

In Person of Interest (2011–2016), Bethesda Terrace appears in the final episode of the second season, “God Mode”, originally broadcast on 9 May 2013. Root (Amy Acker) takes the computer expert Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) through Central Park while searching for information about the Machine, the powerful surveillance system whose location has been concealed. They locate Lawrence Szilard (Peter Friedman) at Bethesda Terrace and question him about the Machine’s whereabouts. The conversation takes place around the fountain and its surrounding stone plaza, with the terrace’s architectural features visible as Root and Finch attempt to extract the information they need. The scene forms part of the episode’s wider pursuit of the Machine, with other characters attempting to prevent Root from reaching it.

In The Avengers (2012), directed by Joss Whedon, Bethesda Terrace appears near the end of the film following the Avengers’ successful defence of New York against Loki’s alien invasion. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) gather on the lower terrace, where the captured Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is preparing to return to Asgard. Using the Tesseract, Thor transports himself and Loki away from Earth, watched by the other members of the team. The sequence prominently features Bethesda Fountain and the surrounding stone plaza, with the Angel of the Waters statue visible behind the assembled characters. After Thor’s departure, the remaining Avengers leave the park and return to their separate lives.

In Broad City (2014–2019), Bethesda Fountain appears in the fifth episode of the third season, “2016”, originally broadcast on 16 March 2016. Abbi Abrams (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana Wexler (Ilana Glazer) spend time together beside the fountain, discussing ideas while sitting in the open plaza. The scene features the fountain and the surrounding terrace as the two friends continue their characteristically unconventional conversations about life in New York. The series frequently used recognisable Manhattan locations, incorporating the real city into the everyday adventures of its central characters.

In Jessica Jones (2015–2019), Bethesda Terrace appears in the twelfth episode of the first season, “AKA Take a Bloody Number”, released on 20 November 2015. Private investigator Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) follows a courier connected to Kilgrave (David Tennant), a man capable of controlling other people’s actions. After pursuing the courier through Central Park, Jessica reaches Bethesda Terrace, where the man is suddenly compelled to impale himself on a pair of gardening shears before she can stop him. The incident takes place near Bethesda Fountain, with the terrace’s stone architecture visible during the pursuit. Jessica is left without the information she hoped to obtain, while the scene demonstrates the lengths to which Kilgrave will go to prevent his enemies from discovering his plans.

In Bull (2016–2022), Bethesda Terrace appears in the second episode of the second season, “Already Gone”, originally broadcast on 3 October 2017. The episode involves a young man, Adam Harris, who is accused of responsibility for the death of his terminally ill girlfriend, Emily Connor. A video recorded during one of the couple’s last happy days together shows them visiting Central Park, including Bethesda Terrace. Adam is seen handing Emily an ice cream near the fountain, with the surrounding plaza visible in the footage. Dr Jason Bull’s (Michael Weatherly) team examines the recording while preparing their legal strategy, using the images to understand the relationship between the two young people before Emily’s death.

In John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), directed by Chad Stahelski, Bethesda Terrace provides the setting for the film’s closing sequence. After violating the rules of the Continental Hotel by killing Santino D’Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) on its premises, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) meets Winston (Ian McShane) beneath the terrace’s stone arches. Winston informs John that he has been declared excommunicado from the international society of assassins, meaning he will lose access to its services and become a target for other killers. Winston grants him a one-hour head start before the contract on his life becomes active. As John looks around, the seemingly ordinary people occupying the terrace and surrounding park acknowledge Winston’s authority, revealing that assassins are everywhere. John then leaves with his dog, running away from Bethesda Terrace towards the tree-lined Mall. The scene prominently features the arcade’s restored Minton tile ceiling, stone columns and the fountain beyond the arches.

In Iron Fist (2017–2018), Bethesda Terrace appears in the twelfth episode of the first season, “Bar the Big Boss”, released on 17 March 2017. The location provides the setting for a confrontation involving Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), her former mentor Bakuto (Ramon Rodriguez), Danny Rand (Finn Jones) and Davos (Sacha Dhawan). Colleen fights Bakuto in the rain around the terrace’s covered arcade, with the stone arches and staircases forming the setting for their martial arts encounter. The conflict intensifies when Danny and Davos become involved, and Davos eventually kills Bakuto despite Colleen and Danny’s efforts to resolve the confrontation differently. The fight makes extensive use of the terrace’s architecture, with the action moving between the sheltered passageway and the exposed stone plaza.

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