Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle died over the weekend, a real tragedy. I will always remember Rob as Meathead from All in the Family. A show that broke a lot of barriers with the subjects it covered and how it covered them. All in the Family would most likely not be on the air in today’s “politically correct” world and that is a shame as it was a groundbreaking TV series when it aired.
Rob Reiner became one of the best directors of my lifetime and I thought this would be a good time to look at some of his movies.
Spinal Tap: I believe this is Reiner’s best movie! I know it sounds morbid but there is nothing funnier than how the drummers die in this flick. Spinal Tap’s drummers are legendary for dying in absurd ways, with notable fictional ones including John “Stumpy” Pepys (gardening accident), Eric “Stumpy Joe” Childs (choked on vomit), Peter “James” Bond (exploded on stage), and Mick Shrimpton (spontaneous combustion).
The Princess Bride:
I love The Princess Bride; it is such a simple movie with a great story line. I’m a guy who remembers lines from movies and this flick is full of them. Lines such as: “As you wish“, “Inconceivable” and “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something“. A great family film to watch.
When Harry Met Sally:
In 1989, Reiner effectively set the standard for the rom-com genre with When Harry Met Sally.
It paired Billy Crystal with Meg Ryan as two friends who fall in love, climaxing in one of Hollywood’s most iconic restaurant-based scenes.
After Ryan’s Sally fakes an orgasm to prove a point, it prompts another customer, played by Reiner’s mother Estelle, to declare: “I’ll have what she’s having!“
While directing the film, Reiner was introduced to photographer Michele Singer later to become his wife. The meet-cute influenced his decision to change the film’s ending. Originally Harry & Sally don’t end up together, but this chance meeting with his future wife helped him change to the New Years’ Eve ending.
Misery:
I often say that Stephen King novels don’t translate into good motion pictures. The Shining and this one are the exception. On the surface it’s a horror film, about a writer who finds himself trapped in the home of an obsessive fan. But it also manages to be very funny. This movie really doesn’t do the leading character justice, she is much meaner in the book but still a great character.
A Few Good Men:
This is one of those movies that if you see it on, you sit down and watch it. There is nothing better that the climax scene between Cruise and Nicholson who delivered the immortal line: “You can’t handle the truth!”. Kevin Pollak who also stars in the movie tells a great Jack Nicholson story from shooting the movie below.