When Harry Met Sally Deli Orgasm Scene in Pop Culture Pinterest Everett It’s curious how the single best line in Nora Ephron’s script for When Harry Met Sally…, released July 14, 1989, is spoken by neither Harry nor Sally. Instead, it’s an unnamed character who reacts to Sally’s fake orgasm in Katz’s Deli with, “I’ll have what she’s having.” (Skip to the 1:33 mark in case Meg Ryan’s impassioned theatrics aren’t workplace-friendly.) The actress is Estelle Reiner , mother of Rob Reiner, who directed the film. Her few seconds onscreen allowed her to start a catchphrase that’s outlasted the likes of even “Where’s the beef?” and “I’ll be back.” Seriously, 25 years after the release of When Harry Met Sally…, variations on “I’ll have what she’s having” are still making the rounds in pop culture. And here is every instance we could find. (You’re welcome.) Muppets Tonight Yep, the ’90s reboot of The Muppet Show did a riff on the deli scene, only with faking a sneeze subbing in for faking an orgasm.

The result? Miss Piggy , dolled up like Sally, essentially faking an orgasm for Billy Crystal. It’s actually a little disturbing, but you’ve got to love the Estelle Reiner Muppet who says, “I’ll have what she’s having – only less pepper.” The Office In this scene from the show’s sixth season, Steve Carell’s character speaks the line to defuse the awkwardness of Ellie Kemper’s meltdown in a restaurant. She’s just received some news that she does not take well (“In the foster home, my hair was my room”), and Carell offers up “I’ll have what she’s having” in attempt to play off the bad reaction as a faked orgasm. It doesn’t work, of course, but the implication is that even Michael Scott knew that everyone in the room would get the reference. Family Guy Seth McFarlane’s shows feature one pop-culture shout-out after another, so it should be no surprise that Family Guy has made not one but three “I’ll have what she’s having” jokes.

In this clip, Peter attempts to use it as a suave action-hero line when Brian points out that his first pick, Lethal Weapon 2‘s “It’s just been revoked,” doesn’t make sense in context. And in two earlier episodes, both Brian and Stewie get a chance to use it. Kellogg’s Just Right The actress in this Australian cereal commercial scales back her excitement a little – after all, it is just cereal – but it’s still enough to inspire the older woman at the next table to say “I’ll have what she’s having,” and it aired on TV not long after When Harry Met Sally… put the phrase into the public consciousness. Clairol’s Herbal Essences Although not quite as direct as the Kellogg’s ad, the commercials for Herbal Essences used the deli scene as a model for years, trading in on Meg Ryan’s performance to sell shampoo.

They all follow the same basic format: A young woman uses the shampoo, lets loose with the squeals that everyone listening mistakes for something else, and in the last few moments an older woman does a variation on “I’ll have what she’s having.” Here, it’s the far less funny “Could you bring me some of that shampoo?” And in this ad , the Estelle Reiner role is played by Dr. Ruth, just in case the sexy implications weren’t clear enough. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Perhaps even weirder than Miss Piggy as Sally is Craig Ferguson as Sean Connery as Sally, opposite Craig Ferguson as Michael Caine as Harry. And yes, Craig Ferguson also gets to say “I’ll have what he’s having,” in character as a British thing. The Comedians of Comedy Comedy Central’s 2005 TV series sent comedians Zach Galifianakis and Maria Bamford to Katz’s Deli to re-create the famous scene with the genders flipped. The “I’ll have what he’s having line” gets spoken by Parks and Recreation actor John Glaser, who also very explicitly explains his motivations for the order.

Improv Everywhere The same crew responsible for the No Pants Subway Ride also staged a real-life When Harry Met Sally… moment at Katz’s Deli. If you think it would be strange to see one woman faking it in the middle of a crowded restaurant, try dozens of them spontaneously moaning and slamming the table in apparent ecstasy . The variation on the classic line? “I’ll have what they’re having,” of course. Robot Chicken The pop culture blender that is Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken crossed When Harry Met Sally… and Harry and the Hendersons. Because why not? In the end, the Estelle Reiner stand-in elects not to have what she’s having, agitated Sasquatch at the next table and all. When Harry Met Sally 2 (Warning: There’s some NSFW language in this one, but you’re probably not watching these in your office with the speakers on full-blast, are you?) After having let everyone else have a shot at the deli scene, Billy Crystal himself revisited it in a Funny or Die video he made with Helen Mirren . Spoiler: It involves elderly vampires (“grampires”), and the “I’ll have what she’s having” lady doesn’t survive long enough to speak the entire line.

Immensity of Justice ("Bezmiar Sprawiedliwosci") It’s not just comedies that use the line. It’s not even just English-language media, either, as this 2006 Polish film re-created the deli scene. In case you’re not fluent in Polish, the male character wonders if the older woman in the background will say “I’ll have what she’s having.” Instead, she scolds them: “That was scandalous!” Polish cinema, everyone! SNL’s Weekend Update As Bill Hader’s Stefon explains, your best bet for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner in New York City is Booooooooof (yes, with nine O’s). If you’ve ever wanted to see the When Harry Met Sally… line rolled up into an impression of Gizmo from Gremlins, this is the clip for you. Upright Citizens Brigade And finally we have this UCB short starring 30 Rock actor Sue Galloway as Estelle Reiner herself – and repeatedly botching the classic line, from “She’ll have from I’m having” to “I’ll ham what she’s hamming” to “Oh, I’ll have anything.

I’m not picky.” It’s maybe the funniest of the bunch. Addicted to Love Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 21 out of 22 people found the following review useful: Nothing new, but nice. from New Zealand 12 August 2002 How did they manage to create such a beautiful film, a pretty love story, when the story is about two nutters spying on their former partners. When you think about what the story is about, and how far Sam (Matthew Broderick) and Maggie (Meg Ryan) are willing to go in order to get back to (and at) their former partners you would think that both should be either jailed or institutionalized. However, Addicted to Love, manages to create a fairly romantic love story out of it, without us ever doubting the sanity behind their actions. Both Matthew and Meg are here in roles they have portrait many times before in other films, while the star of the film is Tchéky Karyo. You end up hating him and loving him at the same time, feeling sorry for him one minute, wishing him all the worst the next.

This is crucial to the story, bringing me to the conclusion that it is Tchéky that really makes the whole film work. One could criticize that even though the idea is original, the story isn't, with no unexpected turns or twists along the way. Simple, but pleasant film. 6/10 Was the above review useful to you? 22 out of 24 people found the following review useful: A black romantic comedy- something you don't come across very often. from Dungarvan, Ireland 28 March 2003 When you hear the words `romantic comedy', the first thing that springs to mind is some sugary, smiley, big-haired, feather-light Julia Roberts escapade. `Addicted to Love' presents us with the polar opposite to this, even if the premise is pretty the same as you'd find in the usual rom-com. The result is a deft, reckless, amusing and entertaining heavy-handed movie. There isn't much to bicker about here. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick show tremendous colour and prove to be likeable characters as the vengeful stalkers. Tcheky Karyo is funny as the clumsy French fool.

Kelly Preston is the least convicted of the four main characters, but is still relatively good. The film has its own generally funny slapstick moments that compensate for the lack of verbal wit. The narrative that follows is good enough to keep you wanting more, and the jokes are all very well timed. The title Robert Palmer song adds to the reckless, but endearing epitome of the film. The directing styles aren't amazing, but they're hip and stylish for the most part. Overall, it isn't film of the century and is far from outstanding, but `Addicted to Love' is original, entertaining and very funny for the most part. I give it 6.8 out of 10. Was the above review useful to you? 11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: OK Romantic Comedy from London, UK 8 March 2001 I thought this movie was pretty average as romantic comedies go, and frighteningly similar to Meg Ryan's previous vehicle "French Kiss", which saw Kevin Kline playing a Frenchman she falls for, enroute to getting her cheating fiancé back. "Addicted To Love" could have easily been the sequel!

That aside, my one objection is not only the lack of chemistry between the two leads, but also the fact that we are launched into the action far too quickly. One imagines the writer/director desperate to start the story and not being bothered to establish the relationship between Sam and Linda, before BOOM! She leaves him and Sam is in New York, all within a few minutes and seconds. The credits had barely finished!! I found the character of Maggie difficult to get a grip on. Independent and wilful, one finds it hard to imagine what she sees in the dappy, love-sick puppy, Sam. They are in such completely different leagues. Sam quips that they got together via "Common interests", but this is not enough somehow, since the characters really do not have anything in common, despite trying to separate their ex-lovers. **SPOILER WARNING**: In another scene, Sam and Maggie sleep together whilst fantasising that she is Linda and he is Anton. Yet Maggie's justification for sleeping with Sam is not made clear - she hates Anton and frequently says so. If she slept with Sam because she was falling for him this should have been made clearer, since he sleeps with her whilst pretending she is Linda whom he still loves.

Although good, perhaps this scene could have been cut as it is confusing and largely irrelevant. The rest of the film was OK, the pranks were cruel but effective. More focus should have been made on the relationship between the two leads. Was the above review useful to you? 11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Very flawed, but good anyway from North Bay, Ontario 2 May 1999 This generally enjoyable comedy should have been much better than it was, considering all the talent that worked on this film. The problem is, it isn't dark enough to be a dark comedy, but it is too dark to be a romantic comedy. Therefore, some of the revenge seemed too mean-spirited, and some of the sweet moments seemed out-of-place. BUT, even with that big of a problem, I still enjoyed the film. It was consistently funny and entertaining, and Broderick and Ryan both gave good performances. The best performance, however, was by Karyo, and he was probably my favorite thing about this movie. Was the above review useful to you?

8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Villainous Romantic Yarn, Lacking Chemistry or Charm 8 May 2008 *** This review may contain spoilers *** This is a wretched, wrong-headed little waste of celluloid. Do not be deceived by the film's strange sleight of hand, mis-focusing the audience on Broderick and Ryan. This is actually a story about a young woman (Kelly Preston) from America and an immigrant from France (Tcheky Karyo) who meet in New York and fall in love. Preston, raised in a small town, finally spreads her wings and flies away to the big city in pursuit of her dreams. There she meets Karyo, the man of her dreams, who loves America where he has come to achieve his dreams. Sadly the two of them are dogged by their sicko, stalking ex-lovers who conspire to wreak mayhem upon them and turn their dreams into a nightmare. Broderick and Ryan commit heinous crimes, including invasion of privacy (on multiple levels), stalking, and breaking and entering. They are seriously disturbed voyeurs who generate no chemistry and no sympathy.

I was touched only by the steady, true love of Preston and Karyo which even overcomes the sinister machinations of Broderick and Ryan. The film attempts to get the audience to identify with the sickos, instead of the true protagonists of this film. Unfortunately, their characters provide no chemistry and nothing with which I could identify. I just felt compassion for the two objects of their demented malevolence. In a comment thread on this film, someone suggested the film's ending was too pat - that there was too much neat "resolution." To the contrary, this film provides too LITTLE resolution. After the twin menaces of Broderick and Ryan finally depart, were Preston and Karyo able to reconstruct their lives of love and security and promise? Or were they forever reduced to penury as a result of Broderick's and Ryan's conspiracy? The acting in this film is pedestrian except for Karyo, who is quite good. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick never come close to portraying 3-dimensional characters - much less, likable ones - or achieving any on-screen chemistry. This is a pitiful excuse for a romance or a comedy or a romantic comedy.

Tragically, this film is about two people from disparate backgrounds who, against all odds meet, fall in love and build a dream life only to have it devastated by two contemptuous criminals from their past. There was nothing funny about two deranged, deluded people utterly destroying the lives of two other people who have found love, happiness and success together in the big city. For me, causing misery in the lives of others is a poor basis for comedy. Was the above review useful to you? 3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: Romantic Comedy with an Edge 21 October 1999 Better than average plot but not enough to raise it above B-level. I think Meg Ryan's star status worked against her because her cute reputation undercut her tough character. However, she proves that she can do something besides "bubbly" and is pretty good in a more edgy role. Tchéky Karyo was excellent as a semi-likable French guy.

One common weakness in romantic comedies is that the viewer can't understand why the "nice girl" would fall in love with the "bad guy." In this movie, we can she why she loves him and, by the end, we even like him a little too. Good writing and acting. Not Matthew Broaderick's best performance... fairly uneven. He doesn't do "hopelessly in love" very well. Broaderick looked great, even when disheveled. For that matter, all the characters look great. Kelly Preston is pure cardboard but it sort of works because three developed characters are probably enough in a Romantic Comedy. The set (the hideout, especially) stole the show. The sound was unusually good for a fluff movie. Was the above review useful to you? 3 out of 3 people found the following review useful: He showed it from USA 28 January 1999 I like the way Matthew Broderick character showed Kelly Preston how much he loved her and won't let he go just like that to another guy. Instead he didn't sit around feeling depressed, he flew to New York to win her heart again.

It was pretty funny when they did the tricks on the French guy, I have to admitt that they were clever ideas. I should have done that to my cheating boyfriend! Was the above review useful to you? 6 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Romantic comedy with a rather hard edge from Canterbury, England 11 December 1998 This is a romantic comedy with a rather hard edge, or, to put it differently, a European-style farce with a too cushy ending. Apparently, this film was conceived as a Meg Ryan vehicle, i.e. as a product suitable for her established screen persona. This was a mistake. The cast choice (and the marketing) make the outcome of the film blatantly obvious and that takes away too much suspense from the viewing experience. Also, the film makers did not have the courage to bring the misfortunes heaped upon Anton Depeaux (played very well by Tcheky Karyo) to their logical conclusion. It's designed as a chick-flick and thus everyone's gotta be happy at the end. A more emotionally ambiguous ending could have turned this into something special. Was the above review useful to you?

11 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Meg Ryan is as sweet as ever. from Fredrikstad, Norway 13 February 2002 This is a great romantic comedy. Meg Ryan is on of the sweetest women in the world and you can't not love her. The story is very clever and funny. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick are great and delivers one of the best romantic comedies ever. This movie is really funny at times,but has that serious underline which builds up until the end of the movie. Maybe Meg Ryans best movie yet,beside "When Harry met Sally". Was the above review useful to you? 2 out of 3 people found the following review useful: Might as well face it- it's rubbish 1 November 2013 *** This review may contain spoilers *** "Addicted to Love" is one of those films which probably owe their existence to someone in the movie industry noticing a catchy title, thinking it too good to waste on a mere song and then concocting a plot to fit it. "Pretty Woman" and "Sweet Home Alabama" are other examples which come to mind.

Sam, a young astronomer, is devastated when his girlfriend Linda leaves him for another man. This is not an unusual situation, but Sam's reaction is perhaps an unusual one. He gives up his job and moves to New York where he sets up house in an abandoned building opposite the flat where Linda is now living with her new lover, a French chef named Anton. His plan is to keep them under constant observation and wait until they split up. Shortly afterwards, however, another person moves into the old building with a rather similar purpose in mind. She is Maggie, Anton's former fiancée until he dumped her for Linda. The difference between them is that Maggie has no intention of winning Anton back; she merely wants to get revenge on him and will do anything to ruin his life. (Or, as Robert Palmer might have put it,"Might as well face it, you're addicted to hate".) The two of them join forces to try and separate the couple but (as anyone familiar with the conventions of romantic comedy will have anticipated) start falling for each other.

The film has some similarities with another from the late nineties about a man and a woman who join forces to seek revenge on their respective enemies, the British-made "The Revengers' Comedies", based on a stage play by Alan Ayckbourne. The difference is that "The Revengers' Comedies" was made as a full-on black comedy whereas "Addicted to Love" isn't sure what it wants to be. The basic idea is too screwed-up and creepy to work as a standard rom-com, but the overall tone is too light- hearted and insufficiently cynical for a black comedy. Part of the problem is the casting of Meg Ryan as Maggie. In 1997 Ryan was America's reigning official Girl Next Door, the sweet and wholesome heroine of several romantic comedies such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "IQ". Even pretending to have an orgasm in a crowded restaurant, as she did in "When Harry Met Sally", did not shake her reputation, at least as far as her screen persona was concerned, of being something of a goody two shoes.

Maggie really needed to be portrayed as a, vindictive, half- crazed avenger, the way Helena Bonham-Carter played Karen Knightly in "The Revengers' Comedies", but Meg's innocent niceness kept on breaking through at the most inappropriate moments. Matthew Broderick, too, seemed just a bit too much "Mr. Nice Guy" for a film like this. Kevin Thomas, the film critic of the Los Angeles Times, said that "It is exceedingly difficult to find what's funny in the calculated, obsessive, relentless destruction of Anton, especially when he proves to be the most likable and mature of all four of these people". I wouldn't agree that Anton is likable; in Tchéky Karyo's performance he comes across as arrogant, self-centred and narcissistic. (In other words, your typical average Frenchman as seen by Hollywood. Isn't there a French Anti- Defamation League to counter this sort of stereotyping?) I would, however, agree with Thomas that the revenge exacted upon Anton seems disproportionate to his offences.

His main offence, after all, was to dump Maggie, and by the end of the film I was starting to think that he had done so not because he is a selfish bastard but because he had realised just how difficult she would be to live with. The ending seemed wrong as well. A final reunion between Sam and a repentant, chastened Linda might have seemed a bit sentimental, but at least there would have been some psychological and emotional logic to it. The ending we actually have, in which Sam (essentially a gentle soul, if a bit obsessive) ends up with Maggie (borderline fruitcake) makes no sense at all. Linda also seems to be punished beyond her deserts in that after she splits up with Anton she appears to be reunited with Sam only for him to leave her just as cruelly as she once left him. Kelly Preston, however, fades out of the film towards the end, so we never see what emotional effect this has on Linda. (I realised while watching this film that this was the first time I had ever seen Preston act, apart from her brief appearance in "Amazon Women on the Moon". Although she appears to have a fairly long filmography, I had previously only thought of her as Mrs. John Travolta).

There are occasional amusing scenes, such as the one where Sam and Maggie release a horde of cockroaches in Anton's restaurant, or the one where Maggie's unworldly old grandmother relates what she believes is the plot of a soap opera she has heard on the radio, whereas what in fact she has been listening to is a massive argument between Linda and Anton, whose apartment has been bugged by her granddaughter. Overall, however, "Addicted to Love" just doesn't work, largely because the actors and director Griffin Dunne cannot decide whether to play it as a romantic comedy or as a black comedy. Might as well face it, I'm not addicted to this film. 4/10 Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 7: KATHERINE HEIGL SUCKS AT ORGASMS KATHERINE HEIGL SUCKS AT ORGASMS EMAIL You know that scene in When Harry Met Sally where Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in a restaurant? Of course you do, it’s the most famous romantic comedy scene of all time. Well Katherine Heigl and the makers of The Ugly Truth do too, which is why they made this… uh, homage?

Which manages to take all the sexiness and surprise out of the original and turn it into lame, plodding gag about vibrating underwear (“I’ll have what she’s having” is now “What’s in ceviche?”). I’m not sure if they meant to rip off When Harry Met Sally or the under-the-table-jerk-off scene in Wedding Crashers, but in either case, Heigl’s fake orgasm is one of the least sexy, least convincing ever, and I’d like to think I know a little something about fake orgasms. And she was raised a Mormon, so you’d think she’d know a little something about magic underwear. "KATHERINE HEIGL SUCKS AT ORGASMS" By: Donkey Hodey 07.01.2009 @ 4:51 PM I’m convinced Katherine Heigle has never had an orgasm and was really just acting based on what her slutty friend said it was like. By: Crapbasket This is soooo lame. Chicks can’t orgasm!

By: JHC 07.01.2009 @ 4:54 PM Hate all you want, but I’d be more than happy to help her find out if she can have an orgasm from anal, Donk. By: Donkey Hodey 07.01.2009 @ 5:01 PM Hey, J. I hate lots of things that I would stick my dick into. Katherine Heigl… Avril Lavigne… my neighbor’s Shar Pei… Sugar-free pudding…. By: JHC *writes sugar-free pudding on grocery list* Oh, hey Donk. Does tapioca make it feel better? You know, like little genital warts She couldn’t act hot if I set her on fire. By: Erswi I’d still hate fuck her. A2M . . . like you needed to ask. By: JHC Yeah Crappy, I missed it in the last thread. That’s what his t-shirt says. By: Donkey Hodey 07.01.2009 @ 5:10 PM Tapioca is the only kind I like, J.

I just can’t get into chocolate and I’m afraid that the rice pudding is going to chop my dick off someday. By: Oski 07.01.2009 @ 5:10 PM Blah blah blah snarky joke about where I point out the inappropriateness of a child getting her off by making up a story about a child getting me off, etc, etc, I still jerked it to this. By: Erswi Rice pudding is OK because it knows all those Ancient Chinese Sex Secrets. What? By: Donkey Hodey 07.01.2009 @ 5:16 PM Oski, if you’re not even going to try to make a joke about molesting children, then I’m not sure we can be friends. By: Påüłÿ Ðąηgęrσűşľγ 07.01.2009 @ 5:17 PM I fake orgasms by throwing a 44oz ThirstBuster cup full of heated yogurt on Chodin’s back. He still thinks I jizz blueberries.

By: Erswi Wait, I thought you jizzed strawberry banana? WTF? By: Oski 07.01.2009 @ 5:23 PM I’ll give it the old college try: A Rabbi, and Minister, and Priest walk into a bar. Wait, the Priest wasn’t there, he was too busy molesting an altar boy. By: madman Gerard Butlers line: “Fuck, I’d rather dine in hell.” By: JHC 07.01.2009 @ 5:25 PM Let me just say this. If a woman that good looking had an orgasm at the table with me, you could bet you ass that I’d have my dick in my hand before her tongue warmed up. By: Erswi [begins to moan, fakes orgasm] Sally Albright: See…. Pauly: Oh yeah, bitch……[Pauly begins to grunt..] Oh Fuck YEAH! [Grunts get louder] OH SHIT! [Pauly squirts mayo all over Sally’s face] See, told ya. Older Male Customer: [to waiter] I’ll have what that fat beaner is having.

By: ChinoMoreno I have magic underwear, too. They disappear every time I log onto FilmDrunk. By: Erswi Kinda like your inhibitions and better judgement? Kewl. By: Fek'lhr 07.01.2009 @ 5:41 PM Chino-it took every ounce of His self-restraint not to detonate that comment of yours to “Supernova”. By: Oski 07.01.2009 @ 5:44 PM Good thing she’s not doing any more sexist movies like Knocked Up. Nothing screams empowerment like having Dennis the Menace get you off via remote control in a crowded restaurant. By: spazmodic “Truth”? That’s a funny name for her character… By: Erswi Wait, I just reread the headline. Are you saying that she orgasms when she sucks? Man, now Hollywood’s ripping off porn classics? Nothing original anymore huh? By: Crapbasket 07.01.2009 @ 5:48 PM Tracy Jordan walks up] No, no, Katherine Heigl! Don’t fake orgasms at the dinner table!

Have some dignity! By: Erswi 07.01.2009 @ 5:50 PM Karl Malden is dead . . . Whichever of you sick fucks decided to act on our intentions to kill everybody in Hollywood needs to work on your aim. Meaning, KILL KATHERINE HEIGL. And Freebird and Seltzer Water. By: ChinoMoreno I am so good at faking orgasms, my hand has no idea!!! By: Crapbasket Ceviche is Mexican for spunk filled nappy dugout. By: MaxwellDemon By: Crapbasket 07.01.2009 @ 6:12 PM I really don’t know what the deal is with her. Another generally pretty, but only cuz she’s skinny, cookie cutter blonde with blue eyes and a superiority complex. Not that I wouldn’t finish in her mouth given the chance, but she’s just nothing spectacular. By: Crapbasket It may be a shitty fake orgasm, but it’s the sexiest epileptic siezure ever. By: Crapbasket I’d rather jerk it to a bass fishing show on CMT.

By: spazmodic For rhyming/pun purposes … anyone know if she prefers it pronounced “High-gl” or “Hey-gl”? (Not that I care … I’d prefer it pronounced “Dead”.) By: ShakeYourTailFeather 07.01.2009 @ 9:36 PM I orgasm ever time. It’s usually onto my knuckles or a towel, but every time. By: ShakeYourTailFeather Movie Review - - Review/Film; It's Harry [ Loves ] Sally in a Romance Of New Yorkers and Neuroses - NYTimes.com Review/Film; It's Harry [ Loves ] Sally in a Romance Of New Yorkers and Neuroses By CARYN JAMES Published: July 12, 1989 LEAD: The opening credits feature Woody Allen's trademark white letters on a black background, with a jaunty version of ''It Had to Be You'' on the soundtrack. The score is rich with Gershwin, the camera infatuated with Manhattan, the dialogue obsessed with love, sex and death. Altogether, Rob Reiner's ''When Harry Met Sally .

The opening credits feature Woody Allen's trademark white letters on a black background, with a jaunty version of ''It Had to Be You'' on the soundtrack. The score is rich with Gershwin, the camera infatuated with Manhattan, the dialogue obsessed with love, sex and death. Altogether, Rob Reiner's ''When Harry Met Sally . . .'' is the most blatant bow from one director to another since Mr. Allen imitated Ingmar Bergman in ''Interiors.'' On and off for 11 years, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) ostensibly debate whether men and women can be nonsexual friends. But that issue instantly evaporates and the question becomes: When will they realize they were made for each other? What Harry and Sally do in the meantime - the true focus of this often funny but amazingly hollow film - is saunter through the romanticized lives of intelligent, successful, neurotic New Yorkers. Harry and Sally's version of the city offers constant jolts of recognition, as it dwells on carefully specified landmarks and echoes ''Annie Hall'' and ''Manhattan.'' At the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they discuss dating.

In autumn, they stroll by gloriously bright trees in Central Park (Sally wears an Annie Hall hat) and describe their recurring sex dreams. They walk by the glittering Christmas display at Rockefeller Center and the decorated windows at Saks Fifth Avenue. And when Harry and Sally join their two best friends at a SoHo restaurant, half of the people at that table write for New York magazine. Mr. Allen can get away with such a rarefied vision because, as he put it in ''Manhattan'': ''He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion.'' Gently mocking his own romanticism, Mr. Allen gives his films depth and a believable, astringent undertone. But Mr. Reiner has a simple faith in fated love, which makes his film cute and sentimental rather than romantic and charming. ''When Harry Met Sally . . .'' is like the sitcom version of a Woody Allen film, full of amusing lines and scenes, all infused with an uncomfortable sense of deja vu. When Harry and Sally first meet, in 1977, they are University of Chicago graduates driving to New York together.

Harry seems carefree, but is pessimistic enough to read the last page of a book first; in case he dies, he says, at least he'll know how it ends. And know-it-all Sally insists that Ingrid Bergman really wanted to leave Humphrey Bogart. ''I don't want to spend the rest of my life in Casablanca with a guy who owns a bar,'' she argues, in a line that nails precisely who she is at that moment. Ten years later, after Harry's wife has left him and Sally has broken up with her boyfriend, they become best friends. Mr. Crystal and Ms. Ryan are appealing and sometimes even unpredictable. Mr. Crystal has the wittiest lines and snappiest delivery, but he also shows Harry to be remarkably gentle, a sensitive mensch. Ms. Ryan has the more subdued role, and the two most volatile scenes. She hilariously and loudly fakes an orgasm in a crowded deli, and goes on a truly mournful crying jag when she learns that her former boyfriend is getting married. Yet in Mr. Reiner's conception, and in Nora Ephron's screenplay, Harry and Sally are defined by their witty, epigrammatic dialogue and so never become more than types.

Sally is a journalist who occasionally sits at her home computer and stares into space; Harry's job as a political consultant is even more shadowy. As their best friends, Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby are at least meant to be types, and both bring some flair to their roles. She is a marriage-starved woman who totes around an index file of men's names and he is a woman-shy man. Miraculously, these two are also perfect for each other And Mr. Reiner's belief in miracles goes far beyond their comic pairing. Throughout the film, he inserts mock-documentary scenes in which long-married couples face the camera and briefly tell their stories of love at first sight, or of love lost and later found. It is much too blunt a way of pointing to Harry and Sally's future. Oddly, Mr. Reiner's best, most inventive films - ''The Sure Thing'' and ''This Is Spinal Tap'' - have precisely the sly edge and sardonic tone that ''Harry Met Sally'' needs. His most recent films, ''Stand by Me'' and ''The Princess Bride,'' are softer and more nostalgic. And like a sitcom with too much canned laughter, ''When Harry Met Sally . .

.,'' which opens today at the Beekman and other theaters, is a perfectly pleasant Woody Allen wannabe, full of canned romance. DOWN ALLEN'S ALLEY - WHEN HARRY MET SALLY . . . directed by Rob Reiner; screenplay by Nora Ephron; director of photography, Barry Sonnenfeld; film editor, Robert Leighton; music by various composers; production designer, Jane Musky; produced by Mr. Reiner and Andrew Scheinman; released by Castlerock Entertainment. At the Beekman, Second Avenue and 65th Street. Running time: 95 minutes. This film is rated R. Harry Burns...Billy Crystal Sally Albright...Meg Ryan Marie...Carrie Fisher Jess...Bruno Kirby Joe...Steven Ford Alice...Lisa Jane Persky Amanda...Michelle Nicastro When Harry Met Sally... (1989) - News NEWS 24 August 2009 7:08 AM, PDT | FilmSchoolRejects.com | See recent FilmSchoolRejects news » What's turning me on this week? Justin Nowell 's "O" face. And sweaty naked Filipinos.

There's a lot of sex in movies these days, and, I'd argue -- even more of it in independent film. Independent and/or arthouse movies have largely championed what I believe to be the paramount intent of the art form that is 'film' -- that is, pushing boundaries, re-framing cultural issues, and using a visual story-telling format to express alternative ways and means of comprehending things close, foreign, and completely inimitable. Truly independent film largely skirts the burden of having to be a marketable piece of cinema, and, as such, can (thankfully) challenge us in several areas -- one being the collective sexual identity of humankind. And that's where I find myself today, finding Sex-as-a-concept dripping all over artful entertainment. In the indie vehicle World's Greatest Dad , the issue of auto-erotic masturbation (one that's cropped up all over the place in the » - Bethany Perryman 4 August 2009 5:48 AM, PDT | The Scorecard Review | See recent Scorecard Review news » Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne are charmers.

Ok, maybe their accents have something to do with it, but the bottom line is this: These are two impressive actors who have just made an impressive film about a relatively obscure social disorder. Asperger’s Syndrome limits one’s ability to fit in. It makes it next to impossible to see the world through anyone else’s eyes but your own, and keeps the world at a distance most of us couldn’t fathom. As the title character, Dancy delivers a devastatingly honest performance as a bright young man who’s enslaved by routine for fear that his entire world would cripple on the weight of change. When a new, attractive neighbor moves in (Byrne) below him, he’s enticed, but unsure how to go about pursuing a relationship. Click Here to read De Salvo’s interview with director Max Mayer While » 28 July 2009 8:34 AM, PDT | Comicmix.com | See recent Comicmix news » Drew Dernavich, cartoonist for the New Yorker, really wanted to be sent to the San Diego Comic-Con this year.

He didn't get that lucky: Unfortunately, I was sent to cover the 2009 Romantic Comedy-Con, held—where else?—at the top of the Empire State Building, the place where Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks finally met in “Sleepless in Seattle.” It’s a little crowded for a convention, but it’s being catered by—who else?—Katz’s Deli, the scene of Meg Ryan ’s famous “orgasm” in “ When Harry Met Sally .” Every joker up here thinks it’s so funny to eat a grilled cheese and then do their best fake moaning scene, and it’s getting tiresome. When people go to the Comic-Con, they make these elaborate costumes and attend as Spider Man or Ninja Turtles or Darth Vader, so I thought I’d try and attend the Romantic Comedy-Con in the same spirit. » - Glenn Hauman 24 July 2009 11:36 AM, PDT | E! Online | See recent E! Online news » If The Ugly Truth hits it big at the box office this weekend, be prepared for a nationwide shortage of vibrating panties.

In the romantic comedy, Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a buttoned-up television producer who spars with a chauvinistic TV commentator played by Gerard Butler . In one scene, Abby accidentally finds herself being sexually satisfied by a pair of remote-control lacy underwear...during a business dinner in a restaurant! While Heigl's work may not be up there with Meg Ryan 's iconic pseudoclimax in When Harry Met Sally , she bravely shows no restraint in her moaning, groaning and body-trembling performance. With that in mind, we thought we'd hit up some sexperts to get the inside » 24 July 2009 7:02 AM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news » Somewhere in Hollywood I believe there's a conference room that is used for one purpose: to completely deconstruct When Harry Met Sally (1989). The walls are covered with script pages, movie stills, charts, diagrams, lists of actors, character traits, keywords, jokes and many other things. Several times a year, some men in suits enter this room. These men can see and understand all the elements that made the movie successful.

They understand that Meg Ryan 's Sally was neurotic and tightly wound, and they understand that Billy Crystal 's Harry was slightly crude (lovably so) and free-willed. They understand that Sally's fake orgasm in the restaurant was a huge crowd-pleaser. However, they don't understand the imprecise factors, things like human interaction, and romance and chemistry, things that happen all by themselves during a lucky production and can't be planned or replicated. But they nevertheless cobble together a few rough ideas and greenlight the next romantic comedy. » - Jeffrey M. Anderson Running Time: 1 hr 40 mins Rating: R Release Date: July 24, 2009 Plot: In order to save her news show, a conservative producer (Heigl) reluctantly enlists the help of a man (Butler) who offers dating advice on a segment called &#8220; The Ugly Truth .&#8221; Who’s It For? The R-rated dating crowd that only like the illusion of seeing a movie empowering to both men and women.

Though it&#8217;s written by three women and even produced by Heigl, The Ugly Truth has much more of a &#8220;men&#8221;tality than one would expect. Expectations: Considering the compelling casting, I had hopes that this would be a funny relationship comedy with some genuine laughs. I was even thinking this movie could enlighten us onto how the opposite sex thinks. Scorecard (0-10) Katherine Heigl as Abby Richter: Despite the roles assigned to her by Butler&#8217;s character, » - Nick Allen Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in " The Ugly Truth " Photo: Sony Pictures " The Ugly Truth " is an attempted Judd Apatow movie &#8212; a raunchy romance &#8212; that fails not only to raise the bar, but even to reach it. Apatow, both as a director (" Knocked Up ") and as a producer working with directors in his orbit (" Superbad ," " Forgetting Sarah Marshall ") understands the liberating power of boldly scabrous dialogue and boundary-nudging sexual situations, and he embraces them.

The makers of " The Ugly Truth " are reticent by comparison, which is the kiss of tedium. The actors are superior to the trite material. Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a Sacramento TV producer who's so hard-up for dates that she has to troll the Internet in search of Mr. Right. (Again: Katherine Heigl.) The happy-talk news show she produces, hosted by a bickering married couple (Cheryl » 23 July 2009 12:00 PM, PDT | avclub.com | See recent The AV Club news » Women are from Heart, men are from Penis in The Ugly Truth , one of those romantic comedies that vows to cut through all the usual relationship bullshit while serving it up in heaping spoonfuls. Though tarted up with the R-rated vulgarity of a genre that’s usually PG-13, the film grafts setpieces from popular favorites like When Harry Met Sally … (the orgasm scene) and Roxanne (the balcony scene) onto an opposites-attract scenario about an uptight control freak looking for love and an alpha-male cretin who represents everything she hates about men.

Will these two bickering ninnies turn their friction into » 17 July 2009 11:32 AM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news » By Erik Davis, reprint from Sundance 2009 The feel-good, Fox Searchlight-y film of the festival, 500 Days of Summer is like When Harry Met Sally ... if Sally turned around and repeatedly stabbed Harry in the heart with a toothpick. It's an anti-fairytale about a boy who falls head over dress shoes for the kind of girl who doesn't believe in love or fate or any of those cheesy words we often hear mentioned over and over again in this kind of romantic comedy. And yes, 500 Days of Summer comes with its own pop-centric, gotta-get-it-on-iTunes soundtrack, like a Garden State or a Juno or a Wackness.

It's sure to draw in a large fanbase full of those seeking a hip, this-is-what-it's-really-like story about the trials and tribulations of a relationship in 2009 -- but if you dig a little deeper, you'll realize it doesn't say anything new about boy meets girl; instead, it wins » - Cinematical staff 17 July 2009 12:00 AM, PDT | TribecaFilm.com | See recent Tribeca Film news » Prelude To a Kiss (1992) Dir. Norman Rene Rom-com sweetheart Meg Ryan ( Serious Moonlight [Tff '09], You've Got Mail , When Harry Met Sally ) is in her element as Rita Boyle. Quirky and free-spirited, Rita was born to a wealthy family, only to join the Socialist party (unbeknownst to her parents). Despite her beauty, youth, and health, Rita holds a very pessimistic view of the world. Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, My Sister's Keeper , The Good Shepherd , Running With Scissors ) is Peter Hoskins, a slightly-timid-yet-charming man who quickly falls for Rita despite her strange ideas about the world.

The couple forms an endearing pair, and it all plays out very nicely, very by-the-book romantic comedy. That is of course, until their wedding day, when an eccentric, elderly man named Julius (played by Sydney Walker ) crashes the wedding and requests a kiss from the bride before he continues on his way. Seeing some kind of spark » 16 July 2009 11:21 PM, PDT | NYPost.com | See recent New York Post news » 'This is not a love story," warns the omniscient narrator of "(500) Days of Summer," which opens with a breakup on Day 488 of what may well turn out to be Generation Y's answer to " When Harry Met Sally ." Indie stalwarts Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel have combustible chemistry as Tom, a hopeless romantic, and Summer, the alluring, flirty, commitment-phobic beauty with whom he's lucky/unlucky enough to be smitten.

It's the oldest bittersweet story in the book, of course, but music-video director Marc Webb approaches his feature debut with great confidence, » - By LOU LUMENICK 3 July 2009 5:33 PM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news » I now take back any defense I gave Katherine Heigl for her comments about Knocked Up . I was already on my way there when I heard about The Ugly Truth and its premise where a smart and successful woman turns to a chauvinist to learn about nabbing her beau. I hit the brink with the second trailer where she actually tries to deep throat a hot dog and stick out her chest to get the guy, while he says every pervish thing he can think of. And now ... now there's vibrating underwear. In the clip after the jump, so appropriately coming to us from Coming Soon, Heigl's character gets a little vibrating gift as she gets ready for a date. She decides to put on the panty rocket and then gets whisked off on a half-date/half-business meeting.

At no time does she decide to excuse herself to take off these things, » - Monika Bartyzel 16 June 2009 8:00 PM, PDT | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news » "I just don't know if the majority of America is going to be able to get the subtext," says " Prop 8: The Musical 's" Marc Shaiman . By Dominic Patten No stranger to satire, Marc Shaiman has written music for " When Harry Met Sally …," " South Park : Bigger, Longer & Uncut" and "Team America: World Police." He also wrote last fall's Webby-winning " Prop 8: The Musical ," starring Jack Black , Neil Patrick Harris and others.

A self-professed Bruno fan from when the character appeared on HBO's " Da Ali G Show " -- and gay himself -- he has only seen clips and trailers of the film, but he worries that on the big screen it's going to give audiences a very skewed view of » - Lew Harris 16 June 2009 8:02 AM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news » What has the combination of YouTube and inexpensive editing software wrought? For one thing, the opportunity for fans to fashion their own movie trailers, recutting footage to honor or, more commonly, ridicule well-known films. The practice has become so commonplace that online video sites are now jam-packed with fan-made, recut trailers that should never have left the privacy of their creator's computer.

To help sort out the good from the bad (and the ugly), our friends at Urlesque have compiled a list of "The 10 Best Recut Movie Trailers." They date the phenomenon back to 2006 and the recut trailer for The Shining , transforming Stanley Kubrick 's horror picture into a "fuzzy, family-friendly comedy replete with a Peter Gabriel song to give the whole thing some 'extra polish.'" Their Top 10 includes one that goes the opposite direction, from family-friendly comedy to horror picture ( Toy Story ), as well as a couple that » - Peter Martin Time: 2 hrs, 3 minutes Rating: PG-13 Due Out: June 2, 2009 Plot: Many adults are falling in and out of love in this ensemble flick. Gigi (Goodwin) is a blind idealist, Neil (Affleck) never wants to marry, and Anna (Johansson) doesn’t mind going after a married man. They’re all looking for what makes them happy, and of course, love has many different meaning. Who’s It For? This is a poor man’s version of When Harry Met Sally and Love Acutally.

That’s good company even if it can’t hit the level of either of those two films. You’ll find someone to identify with in this romantic dramedy. Movie: At first it seems this movie is going to » - Jeff Bayer 9 June 2009 9:05 AM, PDT | WENN | See recent WENN news » A scene from Julia Roberts ' classic film Pretty Woman has been voted Britain's favourite movie moment of all time. The 1990 picture won Roberts a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination and now the classic scene has seen off competition from other films to top the survey by the Turner Classic Movies Channel. Movie fans voted Roberts into first place for the moment her prostitute character, Vivienne, confronts a shop assistant in a luxury store, after the woman previously refused to serve her. In second place was Meg Ryan in 1989's When Harry Met Sally , which saw the actress fake an orgasm in the middle of a busy New York deli.

Jack Nicholson chopping down a door with an axe and screaming "Here's Johnny!" in 1980's The Shining came in third, while Arnold Schwarzenegger 's famous "I'll be back" line in The Terminator polled at number four. » 30 April 2009 12:49 AM, PDT | Reelzchannel.com | See recent ReelzChannel news » The new trailer is out for Julie & Julia, due in theaters August 7. Of course, it can't resist pointing out that the movie is "based on two true stories." The movie, which went into production last month, was written and directed by Nora Ephron , who also wrote Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally . If the trailer is any indication, Julie & Julia will have the same light-hearted spirit and innocent messages of empowerment. The movie tells the parallel stories of noted chef Julia Child ( Meryl Streep ) and Julie Powell ( Amy Adams ), a dissatisfied temp worker who decides to take her life in a new direction. In 2002, the real-life Powell began cooking all of the 524 recipes in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

She then documented her experiences on a blog, which eventually gained a substantial following and led to this movie -- most likely the first blog-to-big-screen adaptation. The » 13 April 2009 12:08 PM, PDT | Rope of Silicon | See recent Rope Of Silicon news » Turner Classic Movies ( TCM ) has just released their official list of top 15 most influential classic films of all time, the latest element in the network's 15th anniversary celebration and the launching point for a new feature at TCM .com in which the network says it will post a fresh list of movie favorites each day (although it actually looks like it is only going to be a weekly feature). The feature will be called TCM Dailies and will usually highlight five films, with a constantly changing theme. The lists will run from serious to silly, such as TCM 's favorite car-chase movies, best slap scenes and top sequels. Perhaps the most unfortunate thing is that TCM will just be listing the films and not necessarily showing them.

This would have been even bigger news had I been able to tell you the 15 films featured will be shown on TCM over » - Brad Brevet Billy Crystal reveals the untold story behind Meg Ryan's fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally | Daily Mail Online comments It’s the scene everyone remembers when they think of 1989’s When Harry Met Sally. Meg Ryan (Sally) performs a ‘faked orgasm’ in a crowded restaurant as Billy Crystal (Harry) is mortified by the over-the-top display only to be further embarrassed when a woman seated nearby exclaims ‘I’ll have what she’s having’. And now Crystal has revealed the untold story of how the iconic film moment came to be in an interview on Monday morning.

Telling all: Billy Crystal revealed the untold story of the fake orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally on the Today show, on Monday morning The comedy legend told TODAY : ‘It started in rehearsal, where Nora Ephron [the screenwriter], who was so great, said to Rob [Reiner], “You know, women fake orgasms.” ‘He was, like, shocked — “Well, they haven't faked one with me!”’ RELATED ARTICLES Share And from there the two lead actors took over with some on the spot improvising. The climactic scene: Meg Ryan performs her famous fake orgasm as a Crystal sits in embarrassment Behind-the-scenes: The comedic actor revealed that the scene was developed during rehearsals The 65-year-old actor explained: ‘In the rehearsal, Meg said, “I should fake one. I should fake it in a public place,” And I said, “Yeah, like a restaurant with a lot of people.” ‘And she said, “I'll give a huge one.” And I said, “And then there should be an older woman who says, “Waiter, I'll have what she's having."' And the scene ended up playing out exactly as they planned.

Some tips: Ryan received some coaching on her climactic scene from director Rob Reiner, who demonstrated how to 'fake it' Try again: Meg's first two attempts at the faked climax were lacklustre until director Reiner performed a 'King Kong' orgasm Although when actual filming began there was a bit of a rocky start. Crystal revealed: ‘Meg was a little nervous, so the first orgasm … [was] so so.’ But even the second attempt failed as the City Slickers star referred to it as a lacklustre faked orgasm one might attempt ’12 years’ into marriage. So Reiner, the director, jumped into offer some guidance. Going wild: After being coached Ryan nailed the scene Crystal explained: ‘Rob said, “I want you to do it this way. Like this.” And he sat down opposite me— so now it looks like I'm on a date with him or Sebastian Cabot — he has an orgasm that King Kong would be jealous of.’ The comedic and thunderous display was performed in front of everyone on set.

‘So he finishes this huge thing, the extras applaud, and he pulls me aside and goes, “I shouldn't have done that.” 'I'll have what she's having': The extra who delivered the famous lines was director Rob Reiner's mother Estelle Reiner ‘I said, “No, Meg is fine.”’ But Reiner it turns out was not concerned with Meg – he was referring to the extra who delivered the famous ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ line, who happened to be his mother actress Estelle Reiner. ‘I just had an orgasm in front of my mother,’ Reiner revealed to Crystal. Meanwhile, the comedy legend promises many more behind-the-scenes gems in his forthcoming memoir Still Foolin' 'Em, which will be available on September 10. Like 'King Kong': Reiner pictured at a Princess Bride screening in New York in October 2012 When Harry Met Sally... Movie Review (1989) | Roger Ebert "When Harry Met Sally..." is a love story with a form as old as the movies and dialogue as new as this month's issue of Vanity Fair.

Advertisement It's about two people who could be characters in a Woody Allen movie, if they weren't so sunny, and about how it takes them 12 years to fall in love. We're with them, or maybe a little ahead of them, every step of the way. Harry meets Sally for the first time at the University of Chicago in the spring of 1977, when they team up to share the driving for a trip to New York. Both plan to start their careers in the city - she as a journalist, he as a political consultant. Presumably they are both successful, because they live in those apartments that only people in the movies can afford, but their professional lives are entirely off-screen. We see them only at those intervals when they see each other. They meet, for example, several years later, at LaGuardia Airport. Advertisement She's with a new boyfriend. They meet again after that, when they're both in relationships, and after that, when her boyfriend has left and his wife wants a divorce.

They keep on meeting until they realize that they like one another, and they become friends - even though on their very first cross-country trip, Harry warned Sally that true friendship is impossible between a man and a woman, because the issue of sex always gets in the way. The movie apparently believes that - and it also suggests that the best way to get rid of sex as an issue is to get married, since married people always seem too tired for sex. That and other theories about sex and relationships are tested as if Harry and Sally were proving grounds for Cosmopolitan, until finally, tired of fighting, they admit that they do love one another after all. The movie was written by Nora Ephron , and could be a prequel to her novel and screenplay " Heartburn ," which starred Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep in the story of a marriage and divorce. But this marriage seems headed for happier times, maybe because most of the big fights are out of the way before love is even declared. Advertisement Harry is played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is Sally, and they make a good movie couple because both actors are able to suggest genuine warmth and tenderness.

This isn't a romance of passion, although passion is present, but one that becomes possible only because the two people have grown up together, have matured until they can finally see clearly what they really want in a partner. Ephron's dialogue represents the way people would like to be able to talk. It's witty and epigrammatic, and there are lots of lines to quote when you're telling friends about the movie. The dialogue would defeat many actors, but Crystal and Ryan help it to work; their characters seem smart and quick enough to almost be this witty. It's only occasionally that the humor is paid for at the expense of credibility - as in a hilarious but unconvincing scene where Sally sits in a crowded restaurant and demonstrates how to fake an orgasm. I laughed, but somehow I didn't think Sally, or any woman, would really do that. "When Harry Met Sally..." was directed by Rob Reiner , the onetime Meathead of "All in the Family," whose credits now qualify him as one of Hollywood's very best directors of comedy.

Reiner's films include " The Sure Thing ," "Stand by Me," "This Is Spinal Tap!" and " The Princess Bride ." Each film is completely different from the others, and each one is successful on its own terms. Advertisement This film is probably his most conventional, in terms of structure and the way it fulfills our expectations. But what makes it special, apart from the Ephron screenplay, is the chemistry between Crystal and Ryan. She is an open-faced, bright-eyed blond; he's a gentle, skinny man with a lot of smart one-liners. What they both have (to repeat) is warmth. Crystal demonstrated that quality in his previous film, the underrated "Memories Of Me," and it's here again this time, in scenes when he visibly softens when he sees that he has hurt her. He is one of the rare actors who can make an apology on the screen, and convince us he means it. Advertisement Ryan (from " Innerspace ," " The Presidio " and "D.O.A.") has a difficult assignment - she spends most of the movie convincing Harry, and herself, that there's nothing between them - and she has to let us see that there is something, after all.

Harry and Sally are aided, and sometimes hindered, in their romance by the efforts of their best friends ( Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby ), who meet on a blind date arranged by Harry and Sally, to provide a possible partner for Sally and Harry. They're the kind of people who don't make it hard for themselves, who realize they like each other, and accept that fact, and act on it. Harry and Sally are tougher customers. They fight happiness every step of the way, until it finally wears them down. Advertisement Eight ways Nora Ephron changed film for women Eight ways Nora Ephron changed film for women June 28, 20121:36am Email a friend NORA Ephron, arguably the most successful female screenwriter in film history, has died aged 71. She won the respect and admiration of Hollywood for her "love conquers all" rom-coms and praise from women all over the world for giving them films they could relate to. US writer Lisa Belkin summed her up best: "Few women I know actually met Nora Ephron but most feel like we knew her. Or more accurately, like she knew us." She changed the face of film for women. Here's why: 1.

When Harry Met Sally When Harry met Sally is the romantic comedy by which all others are measured but the film was revolutionary when it came out in 1989. It was a comedy that addressed real relationship problems - "Can men and women be just friends?" - and touched on the awkwardness of sex and dating. No other mainstream film had believably done this before. Without it, there would be no Bridget Jones, no Juno. 2. Faking orgasms When Harry Met Sally is most famous for Meg Ryan's fake orgasm in the middle of a crowded restaurant. Angry at Billy Crystal's character's suggestion that he could tell if a woman was faking it, Ryan's Sally starts to moan and purr and then yell and scream as she pounds the table into a thunderous (but very fake) climax. The pay-off is when a middle-aged woman sitting nearby says to a waiter: "I’ll have what she’s having." It is one of best comedy moments of all time and all the funnier for tackling a formerly taboo subject in Hollywood comedies. 3. Women front and centre Ephron wrote strong female characters.

As she put it: "I try to write parts for women that are as complicated and interesting as women actually are." She never trivialised women's problems and her gags were smart. Steven Spielberg once said: "Nora knows how so easily to make us laugh and to make us cry and embrace the human comedy of it all. And she does it without any bathroom humour." 4. Love conquers all Ephron’s gift was finding clever ways to reconcile couples who were clearly meant for each other but just don’t know it. She had a flair for happy endings that didn't seem sappy or contrived. When the credits rolled on her movies, the world always seemed a happier place. She knew what women want out of love. Because of her, a whole generation wants their partner to say something as romantic and smart Billy Crystal's speech to win Sally: "I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts." 5. Meg Ryan Ephron was a huge fan of Meg Ryan and almost single-handedly made her a household name.

Ryan starred in three of Ephron's films - When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless In Seattle and You’ve Got Mail - and they are without a doubt her best roles. Ephron also elevated Tom Hanks to leading man status and saved him from Turner and Hooch hell. 6. Queen of the quotes Ephron's women made the quips we wished we could have, but didn't think of until the time had passed. She was queen of the one-liners and had a way of putting things like no one else could: "I came here tonight because when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." – Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally. “The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self.” — Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail.

“When you're attracted to someone, it just means that your subconscious is attracted to their subconscious, subconsciously. So what we think of as fate is just two neuroses knowing that they are a perfect match.” – David Hyde Pierce in Sleepless in Seattle. “I have to murder and dismember a crustacean." - Amy Adams in Julie & Julia. 7. She told it like it was Ephron was as witty in real life as her characters were onscreen. Here are some gems: “Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy.” “When your children are teenagers, it's important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.” “Summer bachelors, like summer breezes, are never as cool as they pretend to be.” “In my sex fantasy, nobody ever loves me for my mind.” “Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was 26. If anyone young is reading this, go, right this minute, put on a bikini, and don't take it off until you're 34.” 8.

Food, glorious food "I don't think any day is worth living without thinking about what you're going to eat next at all times," Ephron once said. It was this love and obsession with food that brought us her last film, Julie & Julia. We are all at times, as whiny and self-indulgent as Julie and this movie made us want to eat ourselves into oblivion and whip up beef bourguignon like nobody's business.

Question: In which film does Meg Ryan simulate orgasm in a crowded restaurant?
Answer: When Harry Met Sally