The romantic comedy ‘When Harry Met Sally’ has long been part of the golden canon of American cinema. Rob Reiner’s 1989 film starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal became not only a box-office hit, but also a cultural phenomenon, giving audiences one of the most talked-about scenes in the history of the genre.
The scene in question takes place in a crowded restaurant, where Meg Ryan’s character decides to prove — quite graphically — to her companion that women are perfectly capable of faking an orgasm. Sally launches into the demonstration with such enthusiasm — loud moans, cries, and pounding on the table — that she draws the attention of everyone around her. The moment reaches its peak when a character played by Estelle Reiner (the director’s mother), seated at a nearby table, calmly delivers a line that has since become one of the most iconic quotes in film history: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
Years later, Rob Reiner admitted that he may not have fully realized just how awkward the directing of that moment would turn out to be. According to him, Meg Ryan didn’t immediately perform the scene the way he had envisioned it. “The first couple of times she [Ryan] didn’t really go all out. So, I sat across from Billy and started showing her… I’m pounding on the table going, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ And then I realize I’m having an orgasm right in front of my mother, you know? There’s my mom over there,” the director recalled.
Despite the behind-the-scenes embarrassment, the result was flawless. The scene instantly became iconic, and Estelle Reiner’s line remains one of the most quoted lines in cinema history.
