![]() ![]() ![]() “Julie and Julia” was also written and directed by Ephron and explores food and feminism in the 21st century, and it does wonders to dissociate cooking from patriarchal oppression. Yes, you can guess where this one’s going, but it has some magnificent lines and a whole slew of unforgettable characters: from Ryan’s boyfriend, who is in love with his typewriter to the point of writing a panegyric extolling it to Hanks’ aunt, who is a quarter of his age to the cast of characters that work in Ryan’s shop. Meanwhile, they are anonymous AOL email buddies, falling madly in love with each other. Ryan and Hanks are at war in the workplace she owns the small children’s bookshop in the Upper East Side he, the big chain bookstore opening across the street, threatening to put her out of business. “You’ve Got Mail” is more than just pure unapologetic sappiness it’s genuinely funny, with unparalleled break-up scenes and non-stop witty repartee. “You’ve Got Mail,” which Ephron wrote and directed, is probably her most under-appreciated film, easily but incorrectly dismissed as a remake of her earlier work, “Sleepless in Seattle.” Both tell stories of couples that fall in love based on letters from strangers and both star Ryan and Tom Hanks, but the similarities stop there. “When Harry Met Sally” is a touching and witty story about two smart people and a film that certainly transcends its genre. ![]() It’s this richness and genuinely wise observations about relationships–one of the characters, for instance, points out the usefulness of a romantic partner: “You have someone to go places with!”–that keeps me coming back to it year after year. From Sally’s fake orgasm in a restaurant and hilariously detailed way of ordering food to Harry’s odd pronunciation of “pecan pie,” the film is full of memorable character details. Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) hate each other when they first meet after college, but become friends and ultimately fall in love after a decade. It was made over 20 years ago but still feels contemporary. “When Harry Met Sally” is indubitably Ephron’s screenwriting masterpiece. In memory of writer-director Nora Ephron, the master of intelligent romantic comedies who died on June 26, Intermission presents a list of Ephron’s greatest achievements in entertainment. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |