Ron's Top 5 Influences (2 of 5)

Can Men and Women Really be JUST Friends?

This age-old question is explored in perhaps the most famous, beloved, romantic comedy of all times, "When Harry Met Sally."  When one of our clients wants a romantic comedy-style love story or wedding movie, this is the movie they often reference. Everyone just loves those sporadic interviews of old couples re-telling their love stories. A little known fact is that those stories are real, but the couples telling them are actors. They tried using the real people, but they just couldn't give the necessary delivery for a feature comedy film. Interesting huh?

For those of you with sheltered pasts and have (God forbid) never seen this king of romantic comedies, here's a quick synopsis.  Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) meets Sally Allbright (Meg Ryan—the names say it all) as they travel from Chicago to New York after graduation from college. She hates him. (Actually, she only thinks she hates him). They meet up again on a plane 5 years later. He annoys her even more. She hates him more (so she thinks). They hook up (yet again) 5 years after that. This is where the story really begins.

Harry is on the verge of divorce and Sally has broken up with her boyfriend of five years.  What follows is their journey through friendship as they share intimate thoughts and feelings and try to match each other with their respective best friends (Sally's best friend with Harry and vice versa). The best friends are played ingeniously by Carrie Fisher (yes, Princess Leia) and Bruno Kirby.  Turns out, the best friends really aren't that attracted to Sally and Harry, but instead are to each other.

When Sally finds out her ex is getting married, she naturally calls Harry to come over so she can vent. In a moment of weakness, Sally crying into Harry's nice sweater, they look into each other's eyes, then Sally KISSES Harry. (Some couples may argue that Harry kisses Sally, but they're wrong.) The kiss leads to something more. The next thing you see is a blissful Sally snuggling up to a fear-struck Harry. Based on an earlier conversation he had with Sally reagarding what men really think after having sex, the audience knows that Harry is dying to get up and out of there.

This takes us into Act 3 where Harry and Sally deal with the inevitable consequences of sleeping with a friend. Harry says somthing stupid, Sally is hurt, Sally ignores Harry, Harry goes through hell trying to win her friendship back, and eventually they...well, you know what happens. And if you don't, rent the movie.

Why this makes Top 5

The movie was directed by Rob Reiner and written by Nora Ephron (director of "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail.") The writing and directing are superb. Again, this is another one of those movies with witty dialogue, hilarious scenes, and the unexpected. I think it's such a favorite because even though the situations are comical, the feelings and emotional responses of the characters are real and we respond to them. So many people have been in the same positions, so you can relate. The men feel for Harry and the women for Sally.  And I love how at the end, Harry and Sally's story is tied to the string of stories that has occurred throughout the movie.

Some of my favorite moments from the film

• Harry spitting his grape seeds into Sally's car window. As she looks at him with disgust, he says without missinig a beat, "I'll roll down the window."
• Sally telling Harry why the company that makes "days of the week" underpants don't make a Sunday version. "Because of God."
• "Somewhere between 30 seconds and all night. That's your problem."
• Bruno Kirby's character (Jess) yelling out "Baby fish mouth" as his guess to Sally's Pictionary drawing of "Baby Talk." Jess can't believe the answer is "baby talk" and claims that it's not a real phrase. Harry retorts, "No, but I hear baby fish mouth is sweeping the nation."
• The famous deli scene. You know the one. Little known fact. The woman in the deli that says "I'll have what she's having" is Rob Reiner's mother.
• Harrying singing "Surry with a Fringe on Top" IN FRONT OF IRA!!!
• The double date of Jess, Marie, Sally, and Harry for the first time and Marie quotes one of Jess's articles and says, "I've never quoted anything in my life, and you WROTE that?" Harry and Sally look to each other to realize they're collectively a third wheel.
• Harry and Sally eating dinner after their night "together" and the uncomfortable silence as they eat their salad. Harry breaks the silence by saying, "It's so nice to be able to have dinner with someone, and not say anything."
• Harry singing a karoke version of "Call Me' into Sally's answering machine as one of his failed attempts to get her to forgive him.
• Harry confronting Sally at the New Year's Eve party to confess his love for her.

Also, I can't do a review of WHMS and not give a nod to the Harry Connick, Jr. soundtrack. That opening piano version of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is probably the most oft-used melody for romantic comedies since Harry met Sally. I've used it once or twice myself. As we know, music plays a huge role in the feel of a movie.  I spend sometimes up to three hours just picking music for the videos I produce. It's that important. And this movie has the classics. "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "I Could Write a Book," "Where or When," "But Not for Me" and more.  These classic tunes help give the movie it's staying power. They will always be loved and adored by listeners. And Harry Connick's jazzy arrangement is wonderful. If you don't already own the CD, get it.

I could go on and on. But the truth is, you all have seen this movie. So, I really probably just wasted my time recapping it. But, the movie was such an influence, that my very first wedding I edited back in 2002, for my very first wedding clients (Harry and Yuka) was named, "When Harry Married Yuka...". Harry and Yuka cried and laughed as they sat in my family room watching the 7-minute highlights clips I edited for them.  At that time, I was only planning to do wedding videos until I could do "real" movies, or music videos. But their reaction to this clip made me realize that this is what I was made to do. It was truly a spiritual experience. I credit their reaction to my first wedding video as the reason I continued making them...and continue to love making them.

Here is that clip I showed them, the first wedding I ever edited. Some important facts to keep in mind while viewing:

• Harry and Yuka eloped to Vegas in April then had a formal wedding and celebration the September.
• Don Ron Entertainment was the name of our company before it became Cinematic Studios.
• The video footage from Vegas is from the Hollywood Chapel, not me. :-)
• There is video footage near the end of Harry's proposal to Yuka that  friend took. Very cool.
• Harry has two beautiful twin daughters, making Yuka a new wife and mom.
• The signing at the end is the Vegas Elvis.

Enjoy!

Below to view a clip of Harry and Yuka reflecting on the making of their wedding movie.

Next month in the series I review Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing." Read my first post in this series about "The Graduate".

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