Top 5 Nora Ephron film scenes

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Top 5 Nora Ephron film scenes

By Stylist Team

Updated 8 years ago

Screenwriter and director Nora Ephron died two years ago at the age of 71 of complications relating to acute myeloid leukaemia.

ABOVE: Queen of the rom-com, award-winning writer and director Nora Ephron, who died yesterday

Best known for being America’s queen of the romantic comedy, Ephron’s most famous rom-com writing credits include When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, although she also penned the 2009 foodie film Julie & Julia, and co-wrote the 1983 drama Silkwood – both starring Meryl Streep, of whom Ephron was an avid supporter. An ardent journalist, Ephron contributed numerous columns to publications such the New York Post and The New York Times Magazine, wrote several books, and also turned her hand to theatre production. However, it is for her films – and fantastic lines - that Ephron is best known, and so here we celebrate Nora Ephron's life with some of our favourite clips from her most famous movies…

When Harry Met Sally

While the ‘restaurant scene’ is one of the most famous scenes from When Harry Met Sally, we think Ephron saved the best ‘til last. The New Year’s Eve party scene sees Harry (Billy Crystal) giving one of the most romantic speeches EVER to Sally (Meg Ryan) - who could resist the line: “I came here tonight because when you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Sleepless in Seattle

After so many missteps and near-misses, fate finally comes up trumps at the top of the Empire State Building when Sam (Tom Hanks) and Annie (Meg Ryan) finally get a happy An Affair to Remember ending thanks to a friendly security guard and a teddy bear called Howard.

You’ve Got Mail

Back in the days of a dial-up internet connection, waaay before Facebook and Twitter, Kathleen “Shopgirl” Kelly (Meg Ryan) and Joe “NY152” Fox (Tom Hanks) begin a cyber-space romance – it’s just a shame they hate each other in real life. Here, the pair spar over Pride & Prejudice (both of which they have in abundance), while "Shopgirl" waits for the man of her dreams - not realising that "NY152" is right under her nose.

Julie & Julia

Julie & Julia was a celebration of one of Ephron’s favourite topics – food. Here, Julia Childs (Meryl Streep) is a woman after our own hearts as she tries to figure out what she should do with her life – why, the thing that she does best, of course.

Heartburn

Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, Ephron wrote the film Heartburn, starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, about her tempestuous second marriage to journalist Carl Berstein, who later had an affair. This comic clip shows the beginnings of Ephron's rom-com leanings, as newlyweds Rachel (Streep) and Mark (Nicholson) try to refurbish their new home - although their Hungarian builder has his own ideas. A word of caution: some foul language ensues.

Image credit: Rex

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