Editing When Harry Met Sally... (section)

==Production==
In 1984, director [[Rob Reiner]], producer Andrew Scheinman, and writer [[Nora Ephron]] met over lunch at the [[Russian Tea Room]] in New York City to develop a project.<ref name="keyser">{{cite news | title=It's Love at the box office for ''Harry Met Sally...'' | work=[[The Washington Times]] | date=July 25, 1989 | last=Keyser | first=Lucy}}</ref> Reiner pitched an idea for a film that Ephron rejected.<ref name="dvd1">{{cite news | title=It All Started Like This | publisher=[[20th Century Fox]] | work=When Harry Met Sally... Collector's Edition DVD | year=2008}}</ref> The second meeting transformed into a long discussion about Reiner and Scheinman's lives as single men. Reiner remembers, "I was in the middle of my single life. I'd been divorced for a while. I'd been out a number of times, all these disastrous, confusing relationships one after another."<ref name="weber">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/09/movies/film-can-men-and-women-be-friends.html | title=Can Men and Women Be Friends? | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=July 9, 1989 | access-date=September 23, 2007 | last=Weber | first=Bruce | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091101095514/http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/09/movies/film-can-men-and-women-be-friends.html | archive-date=November 1, 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref> The next time they all met, Reiner said that he had always wanted to do a film about two people who become friends and do not have sex because they know it will ruin their relationship but have sex anyway. Ephron liked the idea, and Reiner acquired a deal at a studio.<ref name= "keyser"/>

For materials, Ephron interviewed Reiner and Scheinman about their lives, creating the basis for Harry. Reiner was constantly depressed and pessimistic yet funny. Ephron also got bits of dialogue from these interviews. Sally was based on Ephron and some of her friends.<ref name= "keyser"/> She worked on several drafts over the years while Reiner made ''[[Stand by Me (film)|Stand by Me]]'' (1986) and ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'' (1987).<ref name= "dvd1"/> Billy Crystal "experienced vicariously" Reiner's (his best friend at the time) return to single life after divorcing comedian/filmmaker [[Penny Marshall]] and in the process was unconsciously doing research for the role of Harry.<ref name= "keyser"/> [[Tom Hanks]], [[Richard Dreyfuss]], [[Michael Keaton]] and [[Albert Brooks]] were all offered the role of Harry Burns but all of them turned it down, with Brooks feeling the movie was too reminiscent of [[Woody Allen]]'s work.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/amp/2011/06/the-lost-roles-of-albert-brooks.html|title=The Lost Roles of Albert Brooks|date=June 30, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/07/14/when-harry-met-sally-turns-25-director-rob-reiner-reveals-the-secrets-of-the-romcom-classic.html|title = 'When Harry Met Sally' Turns 25: Director Rob Reiner Reveals the Secrets of the Romcom Classic|newspaper = The Daily Beast|date = July 14, 2014|last1 = Stern|first1 = Marlow}}</ref>

During the screenwriting process when Ephron did not feel like writing, she would interview people who worked for the production company. Some of the interviews appeared in the film as the interludes between certain scenes featuring couples talking about how they met,<ref name= "keyser"/> although the material was rewritten and reshot with actors. Ephron supplied the structure of the film with much of the dialogue based on the real-life friendship between Reiner and Crystal.<ref name="lacey">{{cite news | title=Pals make "buddy picture" | work=[[The Globe and Mail]] | date=July 15, 1989 | last=Lacey | first=Liam}}</ref> For example, the scene depicting Sally and Harry in split-screen conversing with each other by telephone and simultaneously watching television and channel surfing was something that Crystal and Reiner did every night.<ref name= "lacey"/>

Originally, Ephron wanted to call the film ''How They Met'' and went through several different titles. Reiner even started a contest with the crew during principal photography: whoever came up with the title won a case of champagne.<ref name= "dvd1"/> In order to get into the lonely mindset of Harry when he was divorced and single, Crystal stayed by himself in a separate room from the cast and crew while they were shooting in [[Manhattan]].<ref name= "lacey"/> The script initially ended with Harry and Sally remaining friends and not pursuing a romantic relationship because she felt that was "the true ending", as did Reiner.<ref name= "dvd1"/> Eventually, Ephron and Reiner realized that it would be a more appropriate ending for them to marry, though they admit that this was generally not a realistic outcome.<ref name="featurette">{{cite news | title=How Harry Met Sally... | publisher=[[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] | work=When Harry Met Sally DVD | last=Schwarz | first=Jeffrey | year=2000}}</ref> Reiner related that the film originally had a sad ending before he met his second wife Michele, which inspired him to change the ending.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/when-harry-met-sally-director-rob-reiner-originally-sad-ending-1235828886/|title='When Harry Met Sally' Director Reveals How Meeting Wife Changed Film's Ending|date=February 17, 2024 |publisher=Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>

When posed the film's central question, can men and women just be friends, Ryan replied, "Yes, men and women can just be friends. I have a lot of platonic (male) friends, and sex doesn't get in the way." Crystal said, "I'm a little more optimistic than Harry. But I think it is difficult. Men basically act like stray dogs in front of a supermarket. I do have platonic (women) friends, but not best, best, best friends."<ref name="peterson">{{cite news | title=When boy meets girl | work=[[USA Today]] | date=July 17, 1989 | last=Peterson | first=Karen S}}</ref> Reiner's mother [[Estelle Reiner|Estelle]] and daughter [[Tracy Reiner|Tracy]] both played roles in the film.

===Katz's Delicatessen scene===
[[File:Whenharry3.jpg|thumb|Film still from the famous restaurant scene]]
[[File:Harry und Sally bei Katz' Deli.JPG|thumb|Katz's Deli hangs this sign above the table.]]
In a scene featuring the two title characters having lunch at [[Katz's Delicatessen]], a well-known [[Jewish deli]] in Manhattan, the couple are arguing about a man's ability to recognize when a woman is [[Fake orgasm|faking an orgasm]]. Sally claims that men cannot tell the difference, and to prove her point, she vividly (fully clothed) fakes one as other diners watch. The scene ends with Sally casually returning to her meal as a nearby patron (played by [[Estelle Reiner|Reiner's mother]]) places her order, deadpan: "I'll have what she's having." When Estelle Reiner died at age 94 in 2008, ''[[The New York Times]]'' referred to her as the woman "who delivered one of the most memorably funny lines in movie history".<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/movies/30reiner.html "Estelle Reiner, 94, Comedy Matriarch, Is Dead"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625151050/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/movies/30reiner.html |date=June 25, 2017 }}. ''[[The New York Times]]''. October 29, 2008.</ref> This scene was shot "over and over again",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/132865755/meg-ryan-talks-about-that-scene-in-when-harry-met-sally|title=Meg Ryan talks about THAT scene in When Harry Met Sally|first=Colleen|last=Hawkes|date=September 3, 2023|website=Stuff}}</ref> and Ryan demonstrated her fake orgasms for hours.<ref name= "featurette"/> Katz's Deli still hangs a sign above the table that says, "Where Harry met Sally... hope you have what she had!"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://guestofaguest.com/new-york/movies/12-nyc-spots-used-in-famous-movie-scenes&slide=1 | title=12 NYC Spots Used In Famous Movie Scenes: Katz's Delicatessen | publisher=[[Guest of a Guest]] | access-date=December 23, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224103040/http://guestofaguest.com/new-york/movies/12-nyc-spots-used-in-famous-movie-scenes%26slide%3D1 | archive-date=December 24, 2013 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.yahoo.com/katzs-delicatessen-yorks-famous-unique-deli-181400732.html | title=Katz's Delicatessen: New York's Famous, Unique Deli | work=[[Yahoo! News]] | date=April 1, 2013 | access-date=December 23, 2013 | last=Holden | first=Eric | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224120049/http://news.yahoo.com/katzs-delicatessen-yorks-famous-unique-deli-181400732.html | archive-date=December 24, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref>

The memorable scene was born when the film started to focus too much on Harry. Crystal remembers saying, {{"'}}We need something for Sally to talk about,' and Nora said, 'Well, faking orgasm is a great one,' and right away we said, 'Well, the subject is good,' and then Meg came on board and we talked with her about the nature of the idea and she said, 'Well, why don't I just fake one, just do one?{{'"}}<ref name= "keyser"/> Ryan suggested that the scene take place in a restaurant,<ref>Ephron (?) speaking on [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ BBC Radio 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713194841/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ |date=July 13, 2013 }} programme ''[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m6zpr When Harry Met Sally At 20] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715053600/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00m6zpr |date=July 15, 2016 }}'' (aired August 27, 2009), about 17 mins in</ref> and it was Crystal who came up with the scene's classic punchline – "I'll have what she's having."<ref name= "keyser"/> In 2005, the quote was listed 33rd on the [[AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes]] list of memorable movie lines. Reiner recalls that at a test screening, all of the women in the audience were laughing while all of the men were silent.<ref name= "dvd1"/>

In late 2013, [[Improv Everywhere]], the New York City initiative behind the annual [[No Pants Day]] in the subways and various flash-mob stunts, convened and filmed a re-enactment in Katz's Delicatessen. While a look-alike couple performed the scene, 30 others joined as if it was contagious. Surprised staff and customers responded in appreciation. The film and follow-up interviews are public.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://improveverywhere.com/2013/11/12/when-harry-met-sally-in-real-life-movies-in-real-life-episode-7/ | title=When Harry Met Sally In Real Life | publisher=ImprovEverywhere.com | date=November 12, 2013 | access-date=November 12, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112165718/http://improveverywhere.com/2013/11/12/when-harry-met-sally-in-real-life-movies-in-real-life-episode-7/ | archive-date=November 12, 2013 | url-status=live }}</ref> In October of the same year, Katz's invited [[Baron Von Fancy]] to display his ten-foot-high mural quoting the famous line in its pop-up gallery next door, The Space.<ref>{{Citation | last=Eby | first=Margaret | url=http://forward.com/food/187080/katzs-deli-gets-artsy/ | title=Katz's Deli Gets Artsy | newspaper=Forward.com | date=November 6, 2013 | access-date=July 6, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709131244/http://forward.com/food/187080/katzs-deli-gets-artsy/ | archive-date=July 9, 2015 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2025, Ryan and Crystal recreated the scene as part of an advert for [[Hellmann's and Best Foods|Hellmann's]] [[mayonnaise]] which aired during [[Super Bowl LIX]]. The "I'll have what she's having" line was delivered by [[Sydney Sweeney]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/hellmanns-takes-harry-and-sally-back-to-katzs-deli-for-super-bowl-ad/|title=Hellmann's Takes Harry and Sally Back to Katz's Deli for Super Bowl Ad|last=Daniels|first=Colin|date=29 January 2025|work=[[Adweek]]|accessdate=14 February 2025}}</ref>