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Watch it Here at: When Harry Met Sally

When Harry Met Sally is a 1989 film written by Nora Ephron, and directed by Rob Reiner. The romantic comedy stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The film follows the relationship of Harry and Sally from the time they meet on a carpool ride from the University of Chicago to New York, through the next 12 years or so of chance encounters leading to friendship, and more in New York City. The film revolves around the central question: Can men and women ever truly be "just friends"? It popularized the term "high maintenance" as applied to individuals who are difficult to please.



Starring:
Billy Crystal: Harry Burns
Meg Ryan: Sally Albright
Carrie Fisher: Marie
Bruno Kirby: Jess


Once again, Nora Ephron was involved in another masterpiece. Not only was the film funny and quirky throughout, but it was truly romantic, not the onverly dramatized mushy stuff found in most movies today. The entire plot was beliveable, and I found Billy Crystal's bluntness and Meg Ryan's quirky schoolgirl personality in the opening scenes to be quite complimentary. Of course, as all probably know, the orgasm in the diner was one of the funniest moments in film history. The progression of the characters over a 12 year period was also well done in my opinion. Once again, I couldn't help but fall in love with Meg Ryan's "very attractive" (-Harry Burns) personality, not to mention her looks. Although a great film, it lacks the unforgettable ending of "Sleepless in Seattle", and it has slightly less replay value (once a week versus once per day for "Sleepless in Seattle") One of the best films in its category, and it earns good marks as my second favourite film of all time.

The Famous Scene:


Trivia:

• The segments of married couples telling the stories of how they met are real stories that Rob Reiner collected for the film. Actors relate the stories.
  
• Harry can be seen reading Stephen King's Misery (1990), which would be director Rob Reiner's next film.
  
• The woman who says "I'll have what she's having" after Sally's faked orgasm is director Rob Reiner's mother.
  
• In the museum scene, Harry adlibs, "But, I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie." Sally laughs and looks to her right where Rob Reiner silently prompts her to go with it.
  
• Director Rob Reiner and producer Andrew Scheinman are credited on some drafts of the script
  
• Before deciding on the title, "Just Friends", "Playing Melancholy Baby", "Boy Meets Girl", "Blue Moon", "Words of Love", "It Had To Be You", "Harry, This Is Sally", and "How They Met", were titles were considered by Nora Ephron, Andrew Scheinman, and Rob Reiner.
  
• The off-camera voice that says, "Hey everybody, 10 seconds until new year," is Rob Reiner.
  
• According to screenwriter Nora Ephron the infamous "I'll have what she's having" line was actually suggested by Billy Crystal.
  
• Sally's picky and crazy eating habits were put into the movie after Rob Reiner saw Nora Ephron ordering her food in the same way Sally did in the movie. When Rob brought this up, Nora said, "I just like it the way I like it," a line which was put into the movie.
  
• Harry is somewhat based on Rob Reiner. Rob was depressed, and loved being depressed, like Harry Burns in the film. Sally is somewhat based on Nora Ephron. Nora is optimistic, cheerful, loves control, and is the type of person who is "just fine" with everything, just like Sally Albright.
  
• For the infamous orgasm scene, the original script called for just Harry and Sally to talk about women faking an orgasm, until Meg Ryan suggested that Sally actually fake an orgasm at the table. Rob Reiner loved the idea and put it into the script. (I'm sure thousands of teenage boys thank you for this, Meg)
  
• The orgasm scene was filmed at Katz's Deli, an actual restaurant on New York's E. Houston Street. The table at which the scene was filmed now has a plaque on it that reads, "Congratulations! You're sitting where Harry met Sally."
  
• Nora Ephron was happy with how the film turned out, but was never happy with the title of the film, and says it's the one thing she would go back and fix if she could.
  
• Rob Reiner, Nora Ephron, and Andrew Scheinman chose beautiful locations to highlight the characters lack of insight - Harry and Sally are as blind to romance as they are to the love growing between them. The same logic was used for Harry's apartment. The windows overlook the Empire State Building. It could either the loveliest - or - loneliest, view in the world.
  
• The movie's line "I'll have what she's having." was voted as the #33 movie quote by the American Film Institute (out of 100).