‘Harry and Sally’ is all about the actually very opposite title characters (played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan), who have just graduated from college. They met in 1977 when his girlfriend gave her a ride. But the road from Chicago to New York is long. Very long. During the more than 1,200 kilometer long car ride, the two realize that they cannot actually smell each other at all.
When they arrive in New York, Harry and Sally irritatedly go their separate ways, but meet again by chance at the airport five years later. Both are happily married and so the spark doesn’t really fly anymore. Only after they meet again in a bookstore five years later do they form a platonic friendship. When sex comes into play at some point, things get complicated…
A wonderful highlight of 80s cinema
By now we know the pattern that classic RomComs follow: After the man and woman often don’t like each other much for much of the plot, the duo eventually gets to the point where they realize they’ve developed feelings for each other. What likes to tease himself. On the surface, ‘Harry and Sally’ is no different, but Rob Reiner’s masterpiece brought the romantic comedy into the modern era and laid the foundation for many other genre contributions.
What makes ‘Harry and Sally’ special isn’t just the fact that it was groundbreaking for the genre. Nora Ephron’s Oscar-nominated screenplay also completely avoids falling into kitsch, but instead tries to paint an authentic picture of the ups and downs of the relationship boxes we know all too well. Even though ‘Harry and Sally’ relies mainly on a comedic tone, the film is surprisingly accurate and smart in its observations.
The most legendary orgasm of all time is back in cinemas
How good ‘Harry and Sally’ really is is also evident from what is probably the most famous scene from the film. Meg Ryan’s fake orgasm in the iconic Katz’s Delicatessen is symptomatic of the film’s genius. Other comedies would have used this moment to put the characters in an uncomfortable situation that they would then have to look back on again and again with shame. But ‘Harry and Sally’ doesn’t want to make fun of its characters.
Instead, this scene is used to satirically explore the relationship between Harry and Sally. And an orgasm, even though many people don’t like to hear it, is just part of it. With razor-sharply written dialogue, Nora Ephron manages to create the perfect balance between spot-on comedy and disarming honesty, and not just in this scene.
A masterpiece between romance and comedy
The fact that ‘Harry and Sally’ is still timeless after more than thirty years is because the film is about fundamental, always current truths that can be found in the lives of every man and woman. The fears, the reservations, the desires and the confessions. The special thing about this is that Rob Reiner has not made a film that is specifically aimed at a certain audience. This witty, extremely entertaining yet heart-warming comedy is truly suitable for all film lovers.
In order to make ‘Harry and Sally’ really work in the end, it was important to find an actor and an actress who had the right chemistry. This was undoubtedly achieved with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, as you probably couldn’t find a sweeter or more tangible couple on screen in the 1980s. Ultimately, the two stars play a key role in making ‘Harry and Sally’ one of the most charming, evocative and enchanting cinematic experiences ever created. Back then just like today.
The Best Of Cinema series – presented by FILMSTARTS
“Harry and Sally” will return to German cinemas for one day on October 3, 2023.
As part of the ‘Best of Cinema’ series presented together with Kabel Eins, a great classic returns to cinemas every month. As an official media partner, we at FILMSTARTS also keep you informed of upcoming cinema releases in the context of “Best of Cinema”. You can find more on the Best of Cinema website. And if you want to know what highlights await you this year, we recommend the following article:
Author: Pascal Reis
Source : Film Starts
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
