Home/Episodes/When Harry Met Sally...
‘When Harry Met Sally’ With Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, and Amanda Dobbins
July 9, 2019 · When Harry Met Sally... (1989) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:36:34 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Amanda DobbinsAgrees with SPEAKER_00's picks, mentions being 'three for three' on their shared list including the pie/chef salad diner scene with 'Sheldon the Wondershlong'▶ 21:25
Bill SimmonsLists multiple scenes: grape spitting scene from 1977, diner scenes, Harry and Sally on the plane in 1982 (airport pickup, white man's overbite, 30 seconds to all night), Carrie Fisher's first scene leading into Bruno Kirby's ballgame scene, and the museum scene at Temple of Dandor▶ 20:55
Juliet LitmanFavors the scene where Harry talks about reading the last page of books in case he dies (second car ride), and discusses details of the museum scene▶ 21:51
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Amanda DobbinsDiscusses the unrealistic apartment sizes and real estate in the movie, noting how this film influenced over-the-top apartments in later rom-coms▶ 32:49
Bill SimmonsQuestions about characters' religions (Is Harry Jewish?) and careers (What does Carrie Fisher's character do for work? How successful is Jess as a writer?)▶ 31:42
Juliet LitmanWeighs in on character career questions, suggesting that being a writer for New York Magazine in the 80s could afford better living than now▶ 33:25
What's Aged the Worst
Amanda DobbinsBad acting in the 'I hate you' scene and the total fetishization of coupledom - everyone must be in couples with no representation of being happily single▶ 54:33
Bill SimmonsHarry's hairline/wigs in college scenes - he looks older in college than in 1989, and lack of diversity (no black people, only heterosexual couples)▶ 54:04
Juliet LitmanThe way they handled Harry's hairline - his wigs are worse than her various hairstyles▶ 53:54
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsAlbert Brooks — Discusses Albert Brooks turning down Harry role (thankful he did), Susan Day as first choice for Sally (finds it weird), and notes Molly Ringwald scheduling conflict would have been disaster▶ 56:25
Juliet LitmanMolly Ringwald — Glad Molly Ringwald wasn't cast because she's 'a real negative in the John Hughes movies' and 'a downer'▶ 57:19
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsNo for Billy Crystal (City Slickers and Oscars hosting was higher level), No for Meg Ryan (despite ruling the 90s), No for Rob Reiner (Misery and Castle Rock came later)▶ 1:05:39
Juliet LitmanNo for Billy Crystal (launches him to next level), Yes for Rob Reiner initially but then accepts it's No due to later successes▶ 1:05:44
Overacting Award
Amanda DobbinsMeg Ryan — Initially suggests Meg Ryan for 'the last scene' but seems to agree with SPEAKER_00's different Meg Ryan nomination, noting she's 'all over the place' with different tones▶ 1:08:08
Bill SimmonsMeg Ryan — Meg Ryan, specifically for the scene when she finds out Joe's engaged and invites Harry over with all the crying - calls it 'really floppy' and 'weird performance'▶ 1:08:18
Juliet LitmanMeg Ryan — Discusses Meg Ryan's performance issues but frames it more as character inconsistency than pure overacting, questioning whether certain moments make sense for the character▶ 1:09:14
Best Quote
Amanda DobbinsLikes the Pesto/quiche line and 'It's Too Bad because you're the only person I knew in New York'▶ 1:22:34
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'Well, that symptom is fucking my wife', 'Thin, pretty big tits. Your basic nightmare', 'Oh, but baby fish mouth is sweeping the nation', 'I just want it the way I want it', and Harry's final speech▶ 1:20:48
Juliet LitmanCarrie Fisher's line: 'I have people, restaurants are to people in the 80s with theater word people in the 60s. I read that.'▶ 1:22:21
Half-Assed Internet Research
Amanda DobbinsCommented on Harry's appropriate sweat level for the distance and confirmed expectation that he ran uptown▶ 1:25:08
Bill SimmonsHarry's run distance: 3/4 mile from Washington Square Park to Puck Building (295 West Lafayette Street) via Bleeker Street, taking 6 minutes at 5 mph▶ 1:24:37
Bill SimmonsConnection between When Harry Met Sally and Seinfeld: Movie's success may have influenced Brandon Tartikoff to order more Seinfeld episodes in 1990 after initial burial▶ 1:25:19
Juliet LitmanAdded context about Puck Building becoming condos and having an REI, referenced Mark Harris's Grantland article from Rom-Com Week▶ 1:25:02
Who Won the Movie
Amanda DobbinsNora Ephron — Nora Ephron - because this established her as a force and led to Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail▶ 1:27:41
Bill SimmonsNora Ephron — Nora Ephron - because she created the rom-com structure that became dominant for 30 years and didn't want to choose between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan▶ 1:28:24
Juliet LitmanBilly Crystal — Initially chose Billy Crystal for the final speech and best non-Meg Ryan scenes, but wavered throughout the discussion▶ 1:26:59
Movies Referenced (44)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 13:22 |
| Casablanca (1942) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 43:22 |
| My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:55 |
| Sleepless in Seattle (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:41 |
| You've Got Mail (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:41 |
| New Year's Eve (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:04:20 |
| Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 14:49 |
| The Apartment (1960) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 32:48 |
| They Live (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Amanda Dobbins, Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 1:32:34 |
| A Few Good Men (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:09 |
| Annie Hall (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | ▶ 4:54 |
| Chef (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 21:25 |
Directors Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rob Reiner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 22 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street | ▶ 9:36 |
| Woody Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman | Annie Hall | ▶ 3:24 |
| Jimmy Breslin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 28:08 | |
| Alison Wonderland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Promising Young Woman | ▶ 48:15 |
| Chris Corner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Saint, Open Your Eyes | ▶ 1:09:39 |
| Jayson Clute | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Titanic, American Psycho | ▶ 44:59 |
| Jill Goodacre | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 38:45 | |
| John Hughes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Juliet Litman | Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club | ▶ 57:19 |
| Leslie Libman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:50 | |
| Penny Marshall | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Big, A League of Their Own | ▶ 1:04:48 |
Actors Referenced (53)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Crystal | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 32 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 8:54 |
| Meg Ryan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 26 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman | When Harry Met Sally..., Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail | ▶ 5:14 |
| Carrie Fisher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman, Amanda Dobbins | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi | ▶ 13:22 |
| Jerry Seinfeld | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:37 | |
| Natalie Portman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | Black Swan | ▶ 1:31:56 |
| Bruno Kirby | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 13:35 |
| Castle Rock | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 16:37 | |
| Marsha Clark | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins | ▶ 27:36 | |
| Charlie Rose | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Ides of March | ▶ 1:26 |
| Heather Burns | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Juliet Litman | You've Got Mail, Two Weeks Notice, Miss Congeniality | ▶ 59:56 |
| They Might Be Giants | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | The Adjustment Bureau, Sky High | ▶ 0:21 |
| Victor Garber | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Juliet Litman, Bill Simmons | Argo, Titanic | ▶ 13:53 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nora Ephron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 28 | Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, Juliet Litman | Julie & Julia, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 9:43 |
| Nancy Meyers | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Juliet Litman | It's Complicated, Something's Gotta Give, Private Benjamin | ▶ 1:32:09 |
| David Letterman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 19:56 | |
| Jay McInerney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:29 | |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 17:21 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 1:25:22 |