When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer (WGA):

Nora Ephron (written by)

Release Date:

21 July 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Can two friends sleep together and still love each other in the morning?

Plot:

Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Friendship | New York | University Of Chicago | Love

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Billy Crystal	...	Harry Burns
Meg Ryan	...	Sally Albright
Carrie Fisher	...	Marie
Bruno Kirby	...	Jess
Steven Ford	...	Joe
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Alice
Michelle Nicastro	...	Amanda Reese
Gretchen Palmer	...	Stewardess
Robert Alan Beuth	...	Man on aisle
David Burdick	...	Nine-year-old boy
Joe Viviani	...	Judge
Harley Jane Kozak	...	Helen Helson (as Harley Kozak)
Joseph Hunt	...	Waiter at wedding
Kevin Rooney	...	Ira Stone
Franc Luz	...	Julian

Also Known As:

Harry, This Is Sally (USA) (working title)
When Harry Met Sally (USA) (DVD box title)

Runtime:

96 min | Turkey:89 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Norway:11 (TV rating) | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Italy:T | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

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.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the final New Year's Eve party Sally's lipstick disappears and reappears between shots.

Quotes:

Sally Albright: You know, I'm so glad I never got involved with you. I just would have ended up being some woman you had to get up out of bed and leave at 3:00 in the morning and go clean your andirons, and you don't even have a fireplace, not that I would know this.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: He's Too Sexy for His Fat (#2.17)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

But Not For Me

An Icon

This movie grows like a good wine. I really didn't get it when it was first released; I avoided it like the plague. But people have a curious tendency to mature and change their POVs with time, and so was it with me. This movie opened me up to a lot of things - believe it or not, I didn't get the 'Call Me' sequence at first: I was lost, and admit it. But I am not lost now, and this movie is partly responsible.

Meg might be the reason guys want to see this movie, again and again, but after a while you begin to appreciate the contribution Crystal made to the film. The dialogue has his name all over it. The dialogue in this film is at times simply amazing - check the memorable quotes here if you've seen the movie and have forgot.

I would not pick this movie out of a barrel as most likely to be so influential, but it's a fact that it is, and rightfully so. Great support from Kirby and Fisher. Today it's Hanks and Ryan who are paired, thanks undoubtedly to Sleepless in Seattle, but one wonders why no one has tried to get Crystal and Ryan back together again. They're fantastic.

This is one of the all-time best movies ever made. All-time 10? Or 20? or 1000? I don't know; it's just one of the best - it has that quality about it. Keeper.