History Film / WhenHarryMetSally

* BlindDate

* {{Catchphrase}}: "You're right. You're right. I know you're right." for Marie.

** Harry's confession that his dates always end with him desperate to pull his clothes on and flee out the door.

** Jess and Marie promising not to ditch their dates... and then diving head-first into the nearest cab.

* SecondLove

* SexChangesEverything

* FollowTheLeader: ''When Harry Met Sally'' shares more than a few similarities with ''Film/AnnieHall'' and ''Manhattan''.

* TheCameo: The director's mother Estelle Reiner as the "I'll have what she's having" woman.
* {{Catchphrase}}: You're right. You're right. I know you're right."

* DeadpanSnarker: Harry more than Sally, but Sally has her moments

--->"The fact that you're not answering leads me to believe you're either [[ForInconveniencePressOne (a) not at home, (b) home but don't want to talk to me]], or [[BreadEggsMilkSquick (c) home, desperately want to talk to me, but trapped under something heavy]]. If it's either (a) or (c), please call me back."
* GallowsHumor:
** Harry peruses the obituary section when hunting for apartments.

* MarsAndVenusGenderContrast: Played with, but mostly played straight.

* SlapSlapKiss: ..And back to Slap, again.

* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: Harry's a bit too quick in agreeing with Sally that it was a mistake to have sex with her.

* AlliterativeName: Harry's ex, Helen Hillson.
** ValuesDissonance: Harry mentions that she's keeping her maiden name (presumably for business purposes) during his engagement. This is clearly meant as foreshadowing since Helen's not that into Harry and will ditch him at the first opportunity. Twenty-five years later, a woman keeping her own name still isn't that common, but it's not a red flag.

-->'''Harry''': You know how a year to a person is like seven years to a dog?
-->'''Sally''' [{{beat}}] Is one of us supposed to be a '''dog''' in this scenario?

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Sally loudly fakes an orgasm in the middle of a restaurant, and a patron thinks something Sally ate was just that good.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Helen opting to keep her surname. (It should be noted that plenty of happily-married women keep their surname, but it's definitely meant to be ominous here.)
** Also, Harry's confession that his dates always end with him desperate to pull his clothes on and flee out the door.

* FunnyAnsweringMachine: In reverse. Harry fills up Sally's machine with profuse apologies.
--> *beep* "Hi, it's me! It is the holiday season and I thought I'd just remind you that this is the season for charity and forgiveness. And although it's not widely known, it is also [[AintTooProudToBeg the season of groveling]]. So if you felt like calling me back, I'd be more than happy to do the traditional Christmas grovel."

-->"The fact that you're not answering leads me to believe you're either [[ForInconveniencePressOne (a) not at home, (b) home but don't want to talk to me]], or [[BreadEggsMilkSquick (c) home, desperately want to talk to me, but trapped under something heavy]]. If it's either (a) or (c), please call me back."
* GallowsHumor: Harry peruses the obituary section when hunting for apartments.
-->"Mr Kline died yesterday, leaving behind a wife, two children, and [[TheTriple a spacious three bedroom apartment with a wood burning fireplace]]."

* HypocriticalHumor: Sally can't recall the name of her room-mate in college. A scene later, she shames Harry for forgetting her name, too.
-->'''Harry:''' Riiiight, I remember her, Amanda Rice--\\

* TheImmodestOrgasm: Sally fakes one in the middle of a crowded deli to prove a point to Harry.
** Some consider this [[AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame all there is to know about When Harry Met Sally]].
* IncrediblyLameFun: Battery-operated [[AdventurerOutfit pith helmet]]! [[AndADietCoke With fan.]]
-->'''Sally:''' [wearing hat] ''Why'' is this necessary in life?\\

* KavorkaMan: Harry must be a walking petri dish of venereal disease by this point. (Sally lampshades)

* LoveEpiphany / RaceForYourLove: Harry's running through the streets on New Year's Eve.

** MatchmakerCrush: Harry and Sally set each other up with their best same-gender friends. [[BetaCouple Marie and Jess]] hit it off with ''each other'' instead.
* MeaningfulName: Sally [[ThePollyanna Albright]], Harry ''Burns.''

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The movie was based on Director Rob Reiner's own dating experiences and frustrations (he was recovering from a divorce just as Harry was), and, as he was single at the time, originally Harry would not get with Sally at the end. The decision of the happier ending where they get together apparently was a result of Reiner meeting and eventually marrying a woman during the film's production.

* SeinfeldianConversation: Arguing over whether Ingrid Bergman should have stayed with Bogart in ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''.

* StunnedSilence: After their first meal together, Harry stares at Sally like she's from Mars.
** There's also the entire diner after Sally's 'orgasm'.

* ThereAreTwoKindsOfPeopleInTheWorld: High-maintenance women, and low maintenance women.
-->'''Sally:''' ...And Ingrid Bergman is ''low'' maintenance?\\

* TongueTwister: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.

* TongueTwister: But I would be proud to partake in your pecan pie.

* CaliforniaDoubling: They drive off the University of Chicago campus on the south side to New York.... via a picturesque segment of Lake Shore Drive headed toward the south side [Did they have to visit a friend at Northwestern, Depaul or Loyola first?]

** Grieving over his ex, Harry finds himself watching reruns of ''LeaveItToBeaver'' on Telemundo. By his own admission, he's not a well man.

* OppositesAttract: Sally is perpetually perky, Harry is death-obsessed.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/when_harry_met_sally_5662.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:298:The poster so nice, [[Film/SleeplessInSeattle they used it twice]].]]

[[caption-width-right:298:The poster so nice, [[SleeplessInSeattle they used it twice]].]]

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] (Crystal) and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] (Ryan) first meet in 1977, when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they happen to find themselves sharing an airline flight, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

* BechdelTest : Fails, rather spectacularly. Although on the [[WordOfGod commentary track]], Creator/RobReiner does point out that the main cast talks about things other than relationships, they just don't turn on the cameras during those conversations.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] (Crystal) and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] (Ryan) first meet in 1977, when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they find themselves sharing an airline flight, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] (Crystal) and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] (Ryan) first meet in 1977, when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they find themselves sharing a plane flight, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] (Crystal) and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] (Ryan) first meet in 1977, when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they run into each other in an airport and then find themselves sharing a plane, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] (Crystal) and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] (Ryan) first meet in 1977, when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they are both taken and run into each other in an airport, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

A 1989 RomanticComedy directed by Creator/RobReiner, written by Creator/NoraEphron, and starring Creator/BillyCrystal and Creator/MegRyan.

Billy Crystal and director Creator/RobReiner recently appeared in a [[RealTrailerFakeMovie spoof trailer]] on [=FunnyOrDie=].com for ''[[http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0247468f28/when-harry-met-sally-2-with-billy-crystal-helen-mirren When Harry Met Sally 2]]'', where ExecutiveMeddling has turned a continuation of the original film into a shameless cashing in on the vampire craze.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] first meet when they share a drive from college in Chicago to UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they are both taken and run into each other in an airport, once again resolving that no, they cannot.

Five years later, they re-meet after having been dumped by their other halves, and become friends. They resolve to [[JustFriends just be friends]]... for most of the movie they ''succeed'' in this. Their relationship has little sexual tension, and is punctuated by extended conversations where they discuss love, friendship, scatological humor and ''Film/{{Casablanca}}''. The {{Aesop}} seems to be that people really [[ThePowerOfFriendship need friendships]]- the nonsexual comfort zone Harry and Sally establish with each other is what allows them to move on from their failed relationships. To each other, in case you haven't [[ForegoneConclusion figured that out yet]].

->''I'll have what she's having.''

* DamnedByFaintPraise: What Jess mistakenly thinks applys when Harry mentions that the girl he wants to set him up with Jess on a blind date (i. e. Sally) has "a good personality".

* DamnedWithFaintPraise: What Jess mistakenly thinks applys when Harry mentions that the girl he wants to set him up with Jess on a blind date (i. e. Sally) has "a good personality".

* ThousandYardStare: Post-coital Harry in Sally's bed. Harry looks like he's just seen 'Nam.

[[DeadpanSnarker Harry Burns]] and [[WideEyedIdealist Sally Albright]] first meet when they share a drive from college in Chicago to NewYorkCity. He's seeing her friend Amanda and comes on to her; she turns him down but says they can be friends. He points out that the guy friend will always be attracted to the female friend and want to sleep with her, thus they decide not to be friends. They revisit the question five years later when they are both taken and run into each other in an airport, once again resolving that no, they cannot.