Every year when autumn rolls around, you can be guaranteed to find When Harry Met Sally featured in numerous ‘Must Watch’ autumn film lists. This year it is already trending on Instagram and is one of British Vogue’s 25 ‘Cosiest Movies’ to watch this season. Harry and Sally first graced our screens almost 40 years ago, premiering in 1989. What then, makes it hold such lasting appeal, garnering fresh attention every year when autumn comes around?
The working title of the film, ‘Boy Meets Girl’, sums up quite perfectly the simplicity of the plot. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film follows the unique and evolving relationship between Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan), over twelve years and countless chance encounters.
When Harry Met Sally features its fair share of overt autumnal theming. The iconic scene where the couple stroll through Central Park amongst a backdrop of crisp and golden autumn leaves comes to mind. The characters, especially Sally Albright, can also often be found wrapped up in cosy knitted sweaters, paired with stylish hats and gloves.
The majority of the film was shot in autumn, but the storyline spans multiple years and seasons, eventually culminating on New Year’s Eve. It was not perhaps then immediately obvious that the film would become something of an autumn cult classic and inspire such a profoundly cosy feeling.
The soft, non-saturated cinematography, rife with sepia shades and warm tones adds an unmistakably autumnal character to the rom-com. This is enhanced by the profoundly jazzy soundtrack, performed by Harry Connick Jr., which features classics such as the aptly named ‘Autumn in New York’.
More than this, however, the thing that really makes this film feel like the embodiment of autumn is the more subtle themes that lie at the heart of the movie. For many, the start of autumn signals the end of warmer, brighter days and the start of darker evenings, rainy weather and a new routine. When Harry Met Sally, with its simple plot and charming themes, provides the perfect antidote to this. The lack of an inventive plot is what the film tends to receive criticism for, but it is precisely this which makes it something to come back to again and again. You don’t have to worry about keeping up with any twists or turns or remembering any biographical details about the characters (as almost none are given), but instead can be soothed by romance, jokes and happy endings.
The themes of transformation, reflection, and a multitude of fresh starts lend themselves particularly nicely to the season of autumn, but the movie’s lasting appeal is present all year round.
Billy Crystal said it best when he told People magazine, “the movie is beautiful and simple and appropriate.”
