Movies at Mechanics' Presents: When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Movies at Mechanics' has welcomed film enthusiasts for classic cinema screenings and salons on Friday evenings for over 20 years. Join us for fresh popcorn, lively discourse, and your favorite films the first three Fridays of the month. Hosted by Lara Gabrielle, film writer and author of Captain of Her Soul: The Life of Marion Davies.

Our tribute to Rob Reiner continues with one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time, the delightful and timeless When Harry Met Sally....

The story begins as Harry Burns and Sally Albright, recent graduates from the University of Chicago, share a ride to New York City to begin their adult lives. The two barely tolerate each other and the trip is filled with bickering. They plan to go their separate ways upon arrival in New York. But Harry and Sally have many chance encounters over the years, slowly warming to each other. Is Harry right that men and women can’t be friends, because “the sex part always gets in the way?”

By 1989, Rob Reiner was on top of the world, having directed several high profile films, including This is Spinal Tap and Stand By Me. In his personal life, however, he had been “thrown back into the dating world” following his 1981 divorce from Penny Marshall. He was eager to make a film about dating, specifically about whether or not men and women could be friends without a sexual component. When he told screenwriter Nora Ephron about the idea, she was just as excited as he was. Ephron based the character of Sally on herself, and Harry was a combination of Reiner and producer Andrew Scheinman. The final result is a heartwarming tribute to the facets of love, with all its joys and pitfalls, against the backdrop of a New York City seen through rose-colored glasses.

The chemistry between the two leads, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, is a marvel. While they argue relentlessly in the car, it is obvious to the viewer, without a word spoken about it, that these are two perfectly complementary personalities. Even as mere acquaintances, they are a charming pair. Ryan and Crystal both won top acting honors at the American Comedy Awards for When Harry Met Sally..., and they have enjoyed a close friendship ever since.

It is hard to overestimate When Harry Met Sally...’s influence on American pop culture. The film is included on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Laughs” list at #23, and the line “I’ll have what she’s having” (delivered by Rob Reiner’s mother, Estelle) has entered the pantheon of most recognizable movie lines in history. But perhaps most significantly, in the process of making a movie about love, Reiner met his future wife, Michele, on the set. They married the same year, and remained together for the rest of their lives.

Join us during Rob Reiner month for our screening of When Harry Met Sally..., a truly wonderful film that will make you fall in love all over again.

Members: $5

Non-Members: $10