Reiner's film breaks the romantic-comedy mold because it's not so much about Harry and Sally as it is about men and women.
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"I'll have what she's having."
That line, spoken by a woman in a delicatessen who had just watched Sally [Meg Ryan] demonstrate to her friend Harry [Billy Crystal] how women commonly fake orgasms, is one of the most often-quoted in cinema history. It's also the scene that viewers remember most from this perfectly pitched and perfectly paced comedy about the differences between men and women--one that revealed the secrets of what men and women really think and want from each other. For that, you can thank friends Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron, the director and screenwriter whose honesty with each other makes up the core of this endearing and enduring film.
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star as a man and woman who "bump into each other" over a period of 11 years, become friends, and eventually fall in love. It's casual, it's episodic, and as Reiner admits, it's awfully talky. At the film's core is Reiner's and Ephon's opposing views of male-female relationships, with Reiner/Harry believing that a man and woman can never be friends if the man finds her attractive, and Ephron/Sally thinking that's just plain ridiculous. Shot in Woody Allen territory, the film is just as much a love-letter to New York City's Upper West Side.
What gives "When Harry Met Sally" a quasi-documentary feel is Reiner's sprinkling of testimonials from real couples throughout the film, with the husband and wife gleefully telling (or correcting the other) how they first met. There are also a lot of long shots and wide-angle lens shots that perpetuate the feeling of documentary, while Reiner, meanwhile, says that watching the film now is like watching a home movie because it was inspired by the 10 post-divorce years he spent as a befuddled single on the dating scene. Add Ephron's own anecdotes from her dating experiences and you get perhaps the most honest film ever made about male-female relationships. Everybody contributed stories and material, including co-producer Andrew Scheinman. And when it came time for casting, Reiner turned to longtime friend Billy Crystal, who also helped shape the script (and, it turns out, came up with that memorable deli punch line). He also went with Bruno Kirby, another pal who ended up playing Harry's best friend. A very young Ryan, it turns out, was the only one who wasn't a part of this circle of friends, but she quickly clicked with the group and also contributed to the final product--including the idea to actually demonstrate a faked orgasm rather than just talk about it. Carrie Fisher, who plays Sally's best friend in the movie, rounds out the cast, and the fascinating story of their friendships and collaborations make this film funny, breezy, poignant, and sensitive.
It's also perfectly edited. As Harry and Sally continue to bump into each other, by the wonderful expressions these actors deliver it becomes clear to everyone except the two of them than they belong together as a couple--despite how different they seem to be. But Reiner's film breaks the romantic-comedy mold because it's not so much about Harry and Sally as it is about men and women. Everything they say is as fascinating as if we were trailing Dr. Ruth for a day.
Those who have the Special Edition will wonder whether to upgrade, and I have to say that to my eyes the picture is slightly improved and the audio comes with a new 5.1 track. As for the bonus features, it's a tough call because the commentary is different, one making-of documentary has been replaced (not added to) by seven short features, and a music video by Harry Connick, Jr. turns up missing. More on that below.
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[release]22489[/release]