Yes, it is 20 years now since Nora Ephron did the script for what has been called “the best romantic comedy of all time.” For the past few weeks writers and reviewers have tried to analyze its success, while Nora simply seems to smile. As we all do whenever we see this scene.
In my world, it is quite simply a movie about the sexes, love and marriage between unlikely characters who had fun with romance and with each other as friends. This is key — friends! And the two ponder the central question of the film in a light-heared way: “Can men and women ever be friends?”
A Fox interview says, “At the time Meg Ryan agreed with Sally: ‘Yes, men and women can just be friends. I have a lot of platonic (male) friends, and sex doesn’t get in the way.’ Billy Crystal was a real-life Harry: ‘Men basically act like stray dogs in front of a supermarket.’ An Interview With Nora Ephron Twenty Years After ‘When Harry Met …
But when we think of the movie what we all find most memorable is the scene in a New York delicatessen in which Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm — loudly and dramatically. And who can forget the nearby female, an older woman who says to the waiter, “I’ll have what she’s having!” The woman happened to be the mother of Carl Reiner, in her 70s at the time, the film’s producer.
There are lots of different ways to interpret the movie if we really want to “pull it apart.” Instead, I am going to simply leave you with the orgasm scene and ask . . . . Have you ever?
A bit of advice: Laugh often with your lover or husband. Rent the movie, rent a week of fun movies and laugh your sides off. I know most men don’t loke romantic comedies. So make a deal. Rent two movies — his and hers and start up a new dialogue — especially one that keep you laughing.
A word about happiness: Modern love responds to Huffingtonpost, ‘what’s happened to women’s happiness?’ I agree with Tinamarie. I think we are overwhelmed and we need to take the time to laugh and love more often (recharge our batteries as she puts it.) Having a guy with a sense of humor is a bonus. Buif you, you might just try cultivating laughter for your own well-being.
COMMENTS please at The Examiner When Harry Met Sally, the fabulous fake orgasm (video)
Copyright 2009 Rita Watson/ All Rights Reserved