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It’s long been an understood truth that When Harry Met Sally… is one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Written by the late Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, whose death we’re still trying to process, this legendary rom-com starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is a lot of things to a lot of people. A go-to friends-to-lovers story, a classic ‘80s movie that gave birth to some of the most quotable lines of all time, a great fall film, and the list goes on. However, I’d like to add another descriptor: an iconic New Year’s Eve movie.
I know, I know, When Harry Met Sally… takes place over the course of a decade, has summer scenes, fall moments, Christmas, and just about everything else, but at the end of the day, this is an NYE movie for a number of reasons. Hear me out…
The Movie’s Climatic Moment Takes Place At A New Year’s Eve Party
From Harry Burns and Sally Albright’s first meeting to the classic “I’ll have what she’s having” scene to those adorable interviews with elderly couples, there are just too many wonderful moments. All of those take place throughout the year (or years, really), but the big scene, the one where Harry and Sally finally get together and share a passionate kiss, happens on… You guessed it, New Year’s Eve.
Everything about the final few minutes of the movie is just perfect. What starts as Harry walking through Washington Square Park (the spot where they first went their separate ways upon arriving in NYC) while looking sad and lonely, turns into a confrontation and perhaps the best back-and-forth interaction of all time:
- Sally Albright: I’m sorry, Harry. I know it’s New Year’s Eve. I know you’re feeling lonely, but you just can’t show up here, tell me you love me and expect that to make everything all right. It doesn’t work this way.
- Harry Burns: I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes, and I love that you are the last person I wanna talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
However, When Harry Met Sally… isn’t a great NYE movie simply because of its final scene…
New Year’s Eve Is About Remembering The Past While Looking Toward The Future
It’s not just the climactic New Year’s Eve scene. If anything, the holiday is about looking back on cherished moments from the past year while looking toward the future, and that’s pretty much what this movie is about. Though there were as many bad times (and awkward moments) as there were good times over the course of the 10 years they’ve known each other, they simply can’t let go. Instead, they take what they’ve learned and experienced and use it to get to a better tomorrow, one where they are finally together. However, they still can’t agree on the meaning of “Auld Lang Syne.”
Before I go, I would also like to just add that a local movie house is playing When Harry Met Sally over the holidays. Can you guess when it’s playing? If you guessed New Year’s Eve, you would be right…