Nora Ephron died today at 71. According to news reports, the cause was pneumonia, complications resulting from acute myeloid leukemia. She was an author, one of four sisters and part of a prominent family, once married to Carl Bernstein. But, most of us know her as the writer and director of so many beloved movies. And, did she know women!
The list of Nora Ephron’s movies go on and on: Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Michael, You’ve Got Mail, Julie & Julia. There were others, but those are the ones that stand out for me. My late husband loved Michael. My favorite? I’m a librarian and book lover. I love You’ve Got Mail. That charming bookstore and the whole romance touches my heart.
We’ve lost an icon, one who knew women. Will you remember one of Nora Ephron’s movies? Which one?
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Sleepless in Seattle…my favorite go-to movie when I stop believing in love. I know it was a movie…but I keep praying for a Sam! What a loss! Thank you, Nora, for hours and hours of enjoyment.
When Harry Met Sally, definitely. I know most of the dialogue by heart.
“Harry, you might not believe this, but I never considered not sleeping with you a sacrifice.”
Ephron’s wit will be missed by women with a sense of humor or a heart.
Nora Ephron was such a tremendous talent it is difficult to narrow down what I loved about her, to a single movie. What I will remember most is her spot on wit and wisdom. It poured forth from every pore of her body! She ended her last book, “I Remember Nothing and Other Reflections” in a very unique way. I reread it just now and it brought tears to my eyes. I’d like to share it here:
What I won’t miss:
Dry skin
Bad dinners like the one we went to last night
E-mail
Technology in general
My closet
Washing my hair
Bras
Funerals
Illness everywhere
Polls that show that 32 percent of the American people believe in creationism
Polls
Fox TV
The collapse of the dollar
Bar mitzvahs
Mammograms
Dead flowers
The sound of the vacuum cleaner
Bills
E-mail. I know I already said it, but I want to emphasize it.
Small print
Panels on Women in Film
Taking off makeup every night
What I will miss:
My kids
Nick
Spring
Fall
Waffles
The concept of waffles
Bacon
A walk in the park
The idea of a walk in the park
The park
Shakespeare in the Park
The bed
Reading in bed
Fireworks
Laughs
The view out the window
Twinkle lights
Butter
Dinner at home just the two of us
Dinner with friends
Dinner with friends in cities where none of us lives
Paris
Next year in Istanbul
Pride and Prejudice
The Christmas tree
Thanksgiving dinner
One for the table
The dogwood
Taking a bath
Coming over the bridge to Manhattan
Pie
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This made me cry, something I wanted to do but couldn’t when I heard about Nora’s death last night at a meeting. Thanks for posting this, Khaki. Really causes me to think about what I want to focus on from age 60 today to the big transition in the future! And fortunately, I don’t feel bad about my neck. But I loved Nora Ephron.
Khaki, Thank you for including that from Nora’s book. It’s sad, and it’s moving.
Four of my top 20 all-time favorite movies are Nora chick flicks: Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Michael. When my first husband died in 1995, I dreaded going through the multitude of sweet sympathy messages from friends and family because I was so sad. But I also wanted to read each one and take in the compassion they brought. So I kept putting them into a basket, unopened, till I thought I could give them the time they needed. One evening when I had returned home (after a couple of weeks living with friends through the initial shock, services and out-of-town visitors), I decided it was time to start reading. Instead of putting on music, I popped “Sleepless in Seattle” into my VCR (we VN members remember those). It was the perfect “backdrop” for my reading task and occasionally I could look up at the TV and smile or share Tom Hanks’ grief. I realized that movie was going to give me hope…and it did. I must have played it three dozen times in the next six months, even as white noise to help me fall asleep without med’s. Thank you, dear Nora Ephron, for making my life better with your words, films, creativity and for sharing yourself with us for many brilliant years. And thank you, Lesa, for your thoughtful post!
Shannon, You’re so welcome. I do know what you mean about the notes and letters. I sat down with all of mine and went through them when my mother and sister were there. I loved Nora’s movies. I have to say, though, that the movie that got me through some really rough times was Mamma Mia! I think I watched it five times in one weekend. And, then, the music that has gotten me through so much is by a group called Celtic Thunder.
Nora Ephron understood women so well. Her movies really touch our hearts, and fit our moods.