When Harry Met Sally ...

BFI Film Classics

by Tamar Jeffers Mcdonald

Ground-breaking in its departure from its predecessors, When Harry Met Sally (1989) established classic romantic comedy themes and tropes still being employed today. Placing the film in its historical, social and generic contexts, Tamar Jeffers-McDonald explores how writer Nora Ephron and director Rob Reiner used structure, filmic devices, music and classic romcom concepts in innovative new ways. In her fresh and timely appraisal of this definitive, much-loved classic, Jeffers-McDonald reflects on the film’s enduring legacy and influence on popular culture to give readers a wider perspective on the continuing evolution and importance of the romcom genre.

Genres: Film

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2015

Reviews

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

no mention of my favourite argument scene but a great excuse to look at pictures of billy crystal

[amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoy reading essays, there is nothing better than reading a well-structured and informative essay about one of your favourite subjects. i loved everything this book focused on and it's given me a load of films to add to my watchlist because i loveeeee watching the films that inspired my favourites !

[Liam Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5

WHMS is my favourite film and will likely continue to be. If originally for the talent and beauty, it's becoming also a fact of nostalgia and comfort and represents - eventually - what makes love beautiful to me.

This book, while short, does a fantastic job at increasing my love for the film (which i didn't think was possible). It's clever and filled with love. It dives deep into several aspects of what makes When Harry Met Sally so phenomenally tender and so groundbreaking for the time and, while formal, doesn't try to be too overtly pretentious in its essayistic style. It's just an articulate lover film explaining what makes it so good and it's contextual significance.

I only wish it was longer.

[Jack Mansfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first of six BFI Film Classics I’ve picked up recently, the deconstruction of what makes When Harry Met Sally such an enduring classic of a romcom is expertly laid out by Tamar Jeffers McDonald. Structuring the appraisal in the same narrative blocks as the film is a nice touch, and allows McDonald to explore the explicit motifs provided by Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner in their respective writing and directing.

The thread that struck me the most was the comparisons (both then and now) of When Harry Met Sally to the oeuvre of Woody Allen, specifically Annie Hall. I’m something of a bad film student for having not seen the latter, but given the strong debate around separating the art from the artist, I’d find it difficult to explore this comparison myself.

I’m excited to read the rest of the BFI Film Classics I’ve picked up, and couldn’t be happier with where I started. It’s lovely to read some long form film criticism again!

[Madelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is my first time reading a bfi film classics book! these are basically long essays analyzing the film in question.

love how this book focused on the brilliance of nora ephron's screenplay !! also loved the broader analysis of the film's relationship to earlier screwballs and battle-of-the sexes films.

it's ironic that when this was released in theaters in 1989, many saw this film as a relief from blockbusters and sequels overcrowding theaters– sound familiar?

[Adam Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge improvement on BFI Film Classics: Jaws.

Possibly because of my own attachment to the film, I found this to be very compelling and intricate; every argument here is packed with evidence, making for not only an entertaining read but an insightful one. Really enjoyed this!

[Greg Gilet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great study of a beloved classic movie, with a strong analysis of its structure, and a good look at the context of its release. It concludes with an overview of the movie’s influence on the whole romcom genre and how it helped revitalising it. Highly recommended for fans of WHMS! 4.5 ⭐️

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

If found it an enjoyable and enlightening read, in some part because I hadn't thought of "When Harry met Sally ..." as an obvious film classic. A welcome addition to the BFI Film Classic series

[Meri Lancis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to use as a response to annoying woody Allen fans

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

it just truly is the best film ever made and i honestly could argue that to anyone

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorite movies and definitely one of the best romcoms ever made, so when I saw this book from the BFI Film Classics series about it during my IBD crawl in March, I knew I had to get it. What interested me about Tamar Jeffers McDonald's analysis of When Harry Met Sally is how the interviews of the older couples perfectly parallel the different points in the story that we see Harry and Sally in. It's not something I ever would have noticed, but now that I'm aware of it, I need to rewatch this again to see it for myself. Definitely recommended if you also love this movie.

[Sebastian Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book making me realise the only reason Harry runs at the end because he simply does not want to waste anymore of his life without Sally… five stars.