Apple cider vinegar Is Pilates for you? 'Ambient gaslighting' 'Main character energy'
MOVIES
Rob Reiner

'When Harry Met Sally' reunion: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Rob Reiner deconstruct the orgasm scene

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in the classic deli scene from 1989's 'When Harry Met Sally.'

LOS ANGELES – Turns out there were multiple fake orgasm scenes shot featuring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally."

In the 1989 romantic comedy, it took many takes for Ryan (playing Sally) to loudly show Crystal's Harry how women can fake a sexual climax. 

The famous scene was discussed at length in a rollicking "When Harry Met Sally" reunion discussion Thursday featuring Ryan, 57, Crystal, 71, and director Rob Reiner, 72. It was the highlight of the 10th annual TCM Classic Film Festival opening night.

Moderator and Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz drilled down on some of the film's most enduring moments, including that scene.

Reiner revealed that Ryan volunteered to shoot the over-the-top moment, not knowing just how many times she would have to replay it to get it perfect perfectly.

"The idea was we had to tell something that women know but men don’t know," said Reiner, setting up the scene added during filming of Nora Ephron's script. "Meg said: I’ll do it. I’ll actually act it out."

'Matrix' at 20:Keanu Reeves will still blow your mind 20 years later

'Spinal Tap' turns 35:11 ways the world has taken the film love to 'maximum elevenness'

"What Meg didn't realize is that it would be done in front of all of these strangers," Reiner said.

“Everyone at Katz's Deli," Ryan added.

It got more embarrassing. Reiner said he used himself as a model to show a more demonstrative moment for Ryan to emulate.

"The first couple of times, it was like, 'I need it more, I need it more.' And then it was 'Let me show you.' So I sat across from Billy," Reiner recalled.

Crystal seemed traumatized by the memory of his longtime friend Reiner's version of faking it.

"He had an orgasm Mighty Joe Young would have been proud of, " Crystal quipped, a reference to the boisterous gorilla in the black-and-white 1949 movie.

Meg Ryan, left, and Billy Crystal attend the 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival opening night gala "When Harry Met Sally."

The "Harry Met Sally" scene culminates with Sally's feigned passionate cries as Harry eats a pastrami sandwich. Reiner's mother, Estelle, played the diner who watches Sally's theatrics from a nearby table and says "I'll have what she's having."

Reiner paid respect to the small details in the scene, including Ryan's decision to go right back into digging into her coleslaw after her fake excitement show had ended. Crystal revealed he suffered with the food consumption in the multiple takes.

"On the other side of her, I ate 27 pastrami sandwiches," Crystal said. "For any Jew, that's a lot."

Changes to Ephron's script were constant after two weeks of rehearsal for the movie, a rolling collaboration that included Carrie Fisher (starring as Sally's best friend, Marie) and Bruno Kirby (Harry's best friend, Jess).

"It kept growing and growing and growing. You had Nora and Meg and Carrie throwing everything in," Crystal said. "That's why it's such a powerful screenplay."

 

Featured Weekly Ad