Although listed as part of the Summer Classic Film Series, this screening of "When Harry Met Sally" was a combined event with author Katherine Center and one of the city’s most famous couples, Jared and Genevieve Padalecki. As such it required a separate admission from our Premier Passes. We spent an interesting hour as the couple interviewed the author about her summer romance novels and her latest product.
The conversation was filled with warm jokes and shared romantic experiences. It was billed as an evening of romance and I guess you could say that for the fans of the authors work, it was a success. Amanda has the book and when she is done with it I will attempt to read it as well. What really brought me to the event however was the chance to return to one of the perfect Romantic Comedies of the 1980s, and a pairing of actors that was magical.
When I wrote about the film as part of my TCMFF coverage a few years ago, I mentioned that it was the movie that I took my wife to see for our anniversary that year. When we watched the clips of the old married couples, which were dispersed throughout the film, we laughed and imagined the stories we would be telling when we were that age. We made it to 38 years together, but we didn't get a chance to tell the stories like those couples in the film. I will do a little of that here. Unlike Harry and Sally, we met in High School, not at the end of college. Our senior year was full of rivalry flirtations since she went to a different school than I did. Although Harry initially hits on Sally, he is not smitten with her and they part ways. Dee and I went differently, although I was hesitant at first, the more time we spent together, the greater the attraction for both of us. I never mocked her food selections at a restaurant, she was not used to eating out and we split a lot of meals.
The kibitzing between Harry and Sally however, was something we shared with the characters. Both of us were smart-alecks and had fun teasing each other or ragging on others under our breath. Harry has twisted philosophical comments through out the film, and Sally has incisive insights into men and women that reflect Harry's behaviors. They are a great match although they resist the pull of romance for most of the film. We never did that part, we dove full in. Billy Crystal has a deflective way of commenting on everything, and that style of humor turns out to be perfect for the tone of the film. Meg Ryan was at the height of her "cute" stage and she played the insecurity of Sally perfectly. Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher practically steal the movie as their best friends who find love in each others arms and wonder what Harry and Sally are doing with all the dance.
Nora Ephron was the queen of the smart romantic comedy and her screenplay here is marvelously witty and not overly sentimental, in spite of the old couples inclusion. Director Rob Reiner was in the middle of one of the greatest runs of fil
ms by a director ever, with "The Princess Bride' right behind him, and "Misery" and "A Few Good Men" coming up next. The synergy of the actors and creatives make you want to order whatever they were all having for lunch.
ms by a director ever, with "The Princess Bride' right behind him, and "Misery" and "A Few Good Men" coming up next. The synergy of the actors and creatives make you want to order whatever they were all having for lunch.
We all hope that Harry and Sally will be our story, where we fall in love with our best friend and find long term happiness. I don't mean to brag, but that is exactly what I did. What a lucky guy.
