36 Years Ago, Rob Reiner Revolutionized Romantic Comedies & We’re Forever Grateful For It

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In the 1980s, Rob Reiner created a truly iconic romantic comedy that redefined the genre. Before achieving rom-com success with films like The Sure Thing, he began his directing career with a humorous mockumentary about rock and roll. Four years later, he delivered what is widely considered his finest romantic comedy.

The movie When Harry Met Sally was a huge hit thanks to a winning combination of talent. Legendary rom-com writer Nora Ephron wrote the script, Rob Reiner directed, and the film starred Meg Ryan – a beloved rom-com actress – alongside Billy Crystal. The result was simply wonderful.

Rob Reiner Revolutionized Rom-Coms With When Harry Met Sally

Rob Reiner, alongside Nora Ephron, significantly shaped the romantic comedy genre with the film When Harry Met Sally. Most rom-coms follow one of two basic storylines: a sweet couple falling in love despite challenges, or two people who initially dislike each other eventually finding romance.

But When Harry Met Sally challenged typical romantic comedy tropes and what audiences expected. The film initially seemed like it would follow a familiar pattern – Harry and Sally meet in 1977 and clash – but instead of falling in love, they develop a deep friendship.

Rather than a simple love story, When Harry Met Sally explores the complications that arise when two close friends discover they’re attracted to each other.

Surprisingly, the first draft of the ending for When Harry Met Sally didn’t involve Harry and Sally becoming a couple. Director Rob Reiner initially didn’t want them to end up together, explaining that his own experiences with marriage and being single led him to believe people rarely find lasting love later in life.

While filming When Harry Met Sally, director Rob Reiner met and fell in love with his future wife. This personal experience gave him a new perspective, and he decided to rewrite the film’s ending to reflect a more romantic New Year’s Eve confession of love from Harry to Sally. Essentially, his own love life influenced and improved the movie’s ending.

This film redefined romantic comedies, proving they didn’t need to focus solely on young, attractive couples. It opened the door for stories about adults finding love, even when they thought it was beyond their reach. It’s gone on to inspire many wonderful films and is still considered one of director Rob Reiner’s best works.

I was so thrilled to hear that Nora Ephron received an Oscar nomination for her amazing writing! And it was fantastic news when the Library of Congress recognized When Harry Met Sally as a national treasure in 2022 by adding it to the National Film Registry. It truly deserves that honor.

When Harry Met Sally Made Meg Ryan A Huge Rom-Com Star

By the late 1980s, Julia Roberts was already a leading star in romantic comedies. But the film When Harry Met Sally helped establish Meg Ryan as a major player in the genre as well. Ryan’s performance earned her an American Comedy Award and her first Golden Globe nomination – the first of three she would receive for romantic comedies.

This success made her the leading actress in romantic comedies during the 1990s. In 1993, she appeared in the hugely popular “Sleepless in Seattle,” directed by Nora Ephron and co-starring Tom Hanks. Like her previous hits, it was a smart and funny romantic comedy that showed audiences didn’t need teen stars to enjoy the genre.

Meg Ryan earned her second Golden Globe nomination for Sleepless in Seattle, which was also nominated for two Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score. She followed this success with a string of popular romantic comedies, including French Kiss, City of Angels, You’ve Got Mail, and Kate & Leopold.

Rob Reiner’s Mother Stole The Movie In One Scene

You can’t talk about the movie When Harry Met Sally without mentioning its most famous scene. While the whole story is what makes it a classic romantic comedy, most people remember one moment in particular: Meg Ryan’s character, Sally Albright, convincingly fakes an orgasm in a busy diner.

But there’s a funny moment that follows. After Ryan convincingly fakes an orgasm, mortifying Billy Crystal’s character, Harry, the camera cuts to a woman at a nearby table. She turns to her waiter and playfully requests, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

A fun fact about this scene is that the actress was Rob Reiner’s mother, Estelle Reiner. Rob comes from a famous family – his father was the legendary comedian Carl Reiner, known for creating The Dick Van Dyke Show, where Dick Van Dyke actually played a fictionalized version of Carl himself. Rob Reiner playfully quipped that his mother was, in effect, Mary Tyler Moore.

Estelle Reiner’s famous line from the movie is considered one of the greatest movie quotes ever, according to the American Film Institute. Ultimately, When Harry Met Sally is still a hugely popular and important romantic comedy, and director Rob Reiner made sure his mother’s brief appearance would be unforgettable.

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2025-12-17 02:59