film's research paper

Peihong Chen

Professor Church

ART 2010

Oct 28, 2019

When Harry Met Sally

This term's film class is now nearing the end of the period. Through class and after-school sharing, we also watched many movie themes that we had less exposure before. Among the many movies shared, one of my favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally. It is a classic romantic comedy movie and around a question about excluding the involvement of sex, can men and women become true friends. At the same time, it also told the audience how Harry met Sally and what kind of experience is it from friend to lover.

One of the reasons I like this movie is its lines. “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” It is a famous line in this movie that I think is very classic and beautiful. In addition to the lines, the characters in the movie are vivid. Character relationship processing is also representative. From the beginning, Harry and Sally’s relationship has gradually changed. In this movie, when Harry and Sally met for the first time, Harry expressed his appreciation for Sally and disputed whether men and women could be friends. When they met for the second time, each of them both had lover. When they met at the third time, they lost their love. Harry denied his initial judgment and became a close friend with Sally until they develop into a new relationship.

Through the film class, I have watched many types of movies that I have not seen before. At the same time, I also learned a lot about the film techniques. The most helpful technique that I learned is lighting. Light has a close relationship with our daily life. In the film, light can better shape the character, portray the psychological activities, and render the atmosphere to convey the original theme of the founder. The expression of the theme ideas in the film and television screen, the overall narrative structure, and the display of the characters' psychology are all based on the light.

Moreover, lighting is used extensively in this movie. The scenes where they walked together in the park, the picture was bright, with the yellow leaves that covered the streets. As they walked and talked, the light matched the picture looked very harmonious, and it was seen that their relationship has been further developed. Although they still have different opinions. Near the end, Harry walked alone on the street in the night. The light at that time was mainly in the backlight of his face and the window next to him. The strong contrast between light and dark reflects the delicate psychological changes of the characters. He portrays his real feelings about Sally. Harry and Sally met at the party, when the light was dark but soft. When Sally listened to Harry, her expression gradually changed. The expression plus the light also reflects the inner activity of the character. Light can be a kind of color, but it also the extension and materialization of the inner emotional world of the character.

From a friend to a lover, will friendship be destroyed? Who said that love and friendship can not be coexist. Actually, the fact may be the opposite. Friendship is sublimated into love, and loving with the best friends may be the most ideal and beautiful state. Harry knew Sally's embarrassing things and Sally knew more about Harry's bad habits than anyone else. Because they are the closest friends who have everything to say. When they face each other, they don't need to deliberately cover up their fragility and discomfort. It is because they start from friends that they can face each other in the most comfortable state. It is also because of the friendship between the other party's most realistic look, Harry's confession is looks so moving.