Movies Analysis: When Harry met Sally

Table of Contents

1. When Harry met Sally is an American romantic comedy movie produced in 1989. The Movie was directed by Rob Reiner. The main characters in the movie include Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan starring as Harry and Sally respectively. The movie examines differences between sexes and gender roles. It examines issues that were not talked about on the screen. The main theme in the movie is sex and friendship between male and female sexes. The movie helps people understand how the two sexes understand sex and friendship. The characters are confronted with the issue, can a woman and a man be friends without sex being a barrier. The two characters have different views regarding sex and friendship. Harry does not believe in friendship, but Sally does, and this causes conflict between the two.

In act one, Harry claims that a male and female cannot be friends as sex affects their friendship. Harry insists that he cannot be friends with Harry as he believes that men and women cannot be friends without sex interfering with the friendship. However, Sally claims that men and women can be friends as she has man male friends and no sex involved. Harry states that no man can be friends with an attractive woman without sex. He believes that sex affects friendships. This is evidenced later in their relationship. In scene two, Harry and Sally become friends, but their friendship does not last due to sex. Sex affects their relationship and they stop being friends. Thus, act one and act two addresses the main theme of the movie (Ephron 2004)

b. Further, the acting is realistic, and the characters are dynamic. The characters change the movie progresses. They display different characters and qualities as the movie progresses. For instance, Sally and Harry first meet as strangers and have different views about sex and friendship. Though Harry believes Sally and him cannot be friends, they become friends and their relationship is affected after sex. The characters part ways, but confess their love for each other at the end of the movie. The acting is realistic as the characters portray what happens in real life. The characters show the views people have concerning friendship and sex (Wallis 2005).

c. The movie has an excellent cinematography. The cinematographer has used lighting to convey the message to the audience. Another important aspect of the movie is the way it was shot. Reiner utilized simple, short and multiple angles to show the scenes. He used two shots to depict the scenes. Using two scenes was vital because the movie focused on couples. Almost each scene in the movie involves two people. The two shot became the movie theme as the couples share their views about friendship. Additionally, he used wide shots to show the immensity of their environment. The wide shots enabled him to show where the characters were. He has also used an extravagant shot when Harry and Sally were heading to New York at the start of the film. The scene that showed Jess and Marie having a phone conversation after Harry and Sally had sex was interesting. The producer used a split screen to show a phone conversation between Sally and Marie and Jess and Harry. The conversation showed the confusion and awkwardness of the characters (Wallis 2005).

d. Rob Reiner included only the essential scenes in the movie and he managed to develop a fabulous film. He has ensured the movement from one edited shot to the other is consistent to prevent audience confusion. He has organized the narrative well in a chronological order and used appropriate transitions. The audience is able to move from one scene and act to another with ease. Also, he has used a slow pace and tempo, and this enables one to follow the movie and understand the characters differences (Wallis 2005).

e. The art direction and design contribute to the effect and theme. The scenes are shot in different locations, and this has helped in the development of the theme. One of the scenes is shot at Manhattan as the characters are having lunch at Katz Delicatessen in Manhattan. In addition, the costumes and make up are great and making the movie interesting (Wallis 2005).

3. The director uses the classical Hollywood narrative movie style. The director directs the movie in a chronological order in a causal effect relationship. The director focuses on continuity editing. Several scenes in the movie show the director’s style. The various scenes showing couples telling their different love stories and how they got together shows the director’s style. He has managed to direct the movie well to enable the characters tell their varying love stories. In addition, Reiner has managed to portray New York City in a magical manner. Additionally, the scene showing phone conversation between Harry and Jess, Marie and sally shows the director’s style. He has managed to show the feelings of the four characters using a split screen.

4. I liked the movie as it was well directed, and the producer examined an issue that is crucial to the society. The producer showed the varied views people have concerning friendship and sex. People have conflicting views like the characters, and this has affected relationships and friends. The movie shows the function of sex and how it can be controlled to maintain a relationship or destroy it. Sex affects friendship as shown by Harry and Sally in their friendship. The producer clearly shows that a man and woman can be friends if sex does not affect the friendship (Dimare 2011).

Reference

Dimare, P.C. Movies in American History. 2011. ABC CLIO

Ephron, N. When Harry met Sally. 2004. Bloombury Publishing,p1-128

Shumway, D . Modern Love. 2003. New York university press,p179

Wallis, T., Pramaggiore, M. Film. 2005. Laurence king publishing, p1-432

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