WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Estelle Reiner.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

When Harry Met Sally was written by Nora Ephron (Heartburn, Silkwood, Cookie) and directed by Rob Reiner (Princess Bride, This Is Spinal Tap, Sure Thing). It is a romantic comedy with a difference. Harry and Sally meet by chance, meet again years later and, as their paths cross every so often, become friends. The film, in a light way, explores friendship, sexuality, marriage and commitment. The sequence with Harry and Sally in the restaurant with the comment (from Estelle Reiner, mother of the director), 'I'll have what she's having' has become a classic, often quoted and imitated.

Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are Harry and Sally, Crystal a clever comic, Ryan developing a meticulous obsessive character. Their lives in New York are comfortable, except for their emotional ups and downs. They have many witty lines to draw audience sympathy for their troubles.

It is Woody Allen territory. The movie pays homage to him. But it is a much lighter exploration of relationships. (And the film borrows a technique from Warren Beatty's Reds, having couples talk about their long marriages as witnesses to the theme.)

1.Entertaining comedy? Portrait of people? Exploration of themes of love and friendship, commitment?

2.American locations, Chicago, the American highways? The emphasis on New York City and its atmosphere? The range of the seasons? Its realism? Universal appeal as well as American appeal?

3.The musical score, the Gershwin music and songs? The mood, the lyrics, their comment on the action and characters?

4.The title and its tone, structure of the film: a passing of five years, further five years, months? The glimpses of the characters? Audiences filling in the time between? Supplying an understanding?

5.The device of having the married couples as witnesses: the opening, 50 years? The various groups talking about meetings, love, love at first sight, flattery, divorce and remarriage, Japanese couple? The effect of having Harry and Sally as the final couple, the prospect of 50 years of marriage?

6.The opening in Chicago, Harry and his kiss, forgetting Amanda? Sally and the car? The contrast of their styles? The journey, talk, theories, friendship, Harry making a pass? Discussions about love and not having sex? Their friends and relationships? Separating?

7.The passing of five years, the airport? Sally and Joe, the farewell? Love and Harry's theories about beginnings? Harry and his plan to marry? The plane and their recognition? The decision to talk? Separating again? The effect of the encounter? Memories of the Chicago meeting?

8.The passing of a further five years? The bookshop, the meeting? Talk? Sally and Joe and his leaving? The effect on her? Harry and Helen, the marriage, her leaving? The sharing of their experiences? The end of Casablanca? Sad? Movies, meals? The passing of the seasons? The Christmas tree, New Year? Dates and sexual relationships? The development of the friendship?

9.Jess and Harry as friends, the explanations at the baseball? Jess wanting to help Harry?

10.Sally and Marie, the girls, the file, Marie providing dates, hopes? Marie and her theories about marriage?

11.The date for Jess and Marie, reading the articles, the taxi home? Jess and his infatuation with Marie? The irony of the plan going askew? Jess and Marie together, getting phone calls each from Sally and Harry? Falling in love, the relationship, the decision to marry?

12.Harry and Sally and the developing friendship, talk, abuse - about the cold and irresponsibility? Their meeting Helen in the bookshop and seeing her with her new boyfriend? Joe remarrying? The devastating effect on Sally? Her sadness? The night together, their sexual experience - the aftermath, psychological and emotional effect? Harry wanting to leave? The day after, the discussion about the mistake? The meal, bitter recriminations? Sally walking out? Their having to go to the wedding, the fight?

13.The portrait of Jess and Marie, their friendships with Harry and Sally, the meeting, mutual interests, their compatibility, their getting the phone calls from Harry and Sally after the sexual encounter?

14.New Year, the dance, Harry not going, his thinking, trying to get a taxi, running? Sally and her saying that she hated him? The build-up to the reconciliation? The credibility of the reconciliation?

15.Harry and Sally as a couple at the end? Paralleling what the couples had said throughout the film?

16.The lightness of touch, the character portraits, Billy Crystal's comic style? Meg Ryan persuasive as obsessive and meticulous? Friendships? The comic one-liners? An exploration of contemporary values?