Tags
Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Nora Ephron, Sleepless In Seattle, Tom Hanks, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail
I Never Knew You… Or Maybe I Did – The Films of Nora Ephron
by DarkJade
Last Week, June 26th, was a Truly Sad Day for me… As one of the Greatest Screenplay Writers of our Time Passed away… Nora Ephron.
Nora Ephron (May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger.
Ephron is best known for her romantic comedies and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay): for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally… and Sleepless in Seattle. She won a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay for When Harry Met Sally…. She sometimes wrote with her sister Delia Ephron.[1] Her last film was Julie & Julia.[1] She also co-authored the Drama Desk Award-winning theatrical production Love, Loss, and What I Wore.[1][2]
When Harry Met Sally – 1989
For me My Journey with Nora Ephron began with “When Harry Met Sally”…
Which is to me, what every Romantic Comedy Screenplay Writer should shoot for…
When I pursued Screenplay Writing from 2002-2005, I never tried to Write a Romantic Comedy… But when I thought about the kind of Quality of Content, and Word-Craft I wanted in my Screenplays, “When Harry Met Sally” was definitely one of the Screenplays on the back of my mind.
Brilliant… Human… Wise… Romantic… Honest… Endearing… And the list goes on and on.
To say this Film was Influential on Me as a Film Maker, and a Screenplay Writer, is to be putting it Mildly. It’s Pretty Much an Epic Film.
Sleepless In Seattle – 1993
Now this one, Nora both Wrote, and Directed… Any True Romantic has to agree with me that “Sleepless In Seattle” is just about as Romantic as a Film Can Be.
There are a hand full of Romantic Movies that I tend to watch over and over again when I’m in between Romantic Relationships… And This one, is at the Top of the List
Damn I even Teared up seeing if that Clip Worked, Lol
Ok, so maybe I’m a bit of a softy, but none the less, the Writing, Directing, Acting, Music… It all just works in this Film.
You’ve Got Mail – 1998
Hilarious, and Brilliant… This Film also makes My List of Films to watch when a “Movie’s” all you’ve got going in the Romance Department, Lol
It looks like Meg Ryan Played a pretty big Role in the Ephron Films that got to me… But Billy Crystal and Tom Hanks were Really, Truly, Remarkable in these Films.
To Write a Romantic Comedy is an Art Form… And that’s a Fact
So is Writing a Good Screenplay, or Directing a Good Film.
But to be able to Tap Into a Human’s Heart, Tell Them a Story, And Make it a Part of that Person for the Rest of Their Life… Well, that my friends, is a Gift…
A Gift That Nora Has Given Us, that Shall Stay with us until the End of Our Days…
And for that, I am Truly Grateful.
Rest In Peace Nora Ephron… You will Forever Be Missed.
Thanks For Reading/Watching/Listening
DarkJade-
Have to agree on the romantic movies by Nora. My wife is a hopeless romantic and I have watched each of these films at least ten times. I suspect, knowing Peggy, I will watch them another ten times.
Lol, Yeah, Her Films are Pretty Renowned for such a thing, Lol
Thanks for your Comment Curt
DarkJade-
What a lovely piece you have done on Nora E. She was a wonderful screenwriter and a wonderfully talented and giving woman. Her essays were fascinating, if you haven’t read them I highly recommend getting them. Both “I Remember Nothing” and “I Feel Bad About My Neck” are great reads.
Yeah, sadly it wasn’t until I found out about her Passing that I had Heard much about her other Writing… Not that other People haven’t, as I believe both of those you mentioned are Very Well Liked… But now that I know about them, I Definitely want to check them out.
Thanks Valentine
DarkJade-
Comedy (including rom-com) seems not to get the recognition it deserves on awards nights. You’re right – it is as much as art form as other genres.
And You’re right, it doesn’t… Just because something Brings You Joy, doesn’t mean it’s Easy to do… Some of the Best Screenplays Written are Definitely Comedies, and Romantic Comedies.
Thanks for your Comment The World
DarkJade-
RIP… 😉
Thanks Led
DarkJade-
I loved Julie and Julia, Meryl should have got the Oscar for that. Meg Ryan used to be great, but she has done some real stinkers lately.
Nora Ephron will be missed.
She was Great in “Julia and Julia”… Yeah, Meg was Great, not sure if she stopped getting offered good roles, or just took bad ones
Thanks for your Comment Debra
DarkJade-