The film world is still grappling with the shocking reports surrounding the deaths of iconic director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner. As investigations continue and details remain fluid, the loss has prompted fans to revisit the body of work the Spinal Tap director leaves behind. And it’s an extraordinary one. From definitive Stephen King adaptations like Stand by Me and Misery to courtroom classics and the best romantic comedies, Reiner’s filmography helped shape modern Hollywood. What many fans don’t realize about one of his most iconic films, When Harry Met Sally, is that it almost had a depressingly different ending, until he changed it, and Reiner's wife is to thank.
As the former sitcom star explained in a past interview with CNN (via The Hollywood Reporter), the film began from a much more cynical place. Co-written with the late Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally was initially conceived during a period when Reiner had spent a long stretch alone, unsure whether lasting love was even possible. That uncertainty shaped the early drafts, including a far sadder trajectory for Meg Ryan’s Sally. He explained:
I had been married for 10 years. I’d been single for 10 years, and I couldn’t figure out how I was ever going to be with anybody, and that gave birth to When Harry Met Sally… I met my wife Michele, who I’ve been married to now 35 years. I met her while we were making the film, and I changed the ending.
That single decision reshaped the original melancholy ambiguity of the ending, and was replaced with the now-iconic New Year’s Eve confession; Harry racing through a crowded party to tell Sally he loves everything about her, including the things that drive him crazy. It’s a declaration born from lived experience.
It’s one of those rare moments where real life doesn’t just inspire art — it actively rewrites it. As Reiner’s personal outlook shifted, so did the film’s emotional philosophy. Harry and Sally didn’t just end up together because the man telling the story had rediscovered faith in connection and long-term love.
It’s also a reminder of how collaborative and profoundly personal filmmaking can be. Michele Reiner altered the emotional DNA of one of the most beloved romantic films ever made. Without that relationship, When Harry Met Sally might still be clever, I mean, the iconic fake orgasm scene would still be funny, but it likely wouldn’t be the comfort-watch-classic, audiences return to year after year.
Revisiting that history now, amid heartbreaking and still-unfolding news, adds an extra layer of weight to the film’s legacy. Love didn’t just change Rob Reiner personally, but also changed his work. And in doing so, he gave generations of viewers an ending more hopeful than the one he once imagined.
As reporting around the tragic deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner continues to develop, fans and friends have taken to social media to share their grief. We at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the Reiner family and their loved ones during this profoundly difficult time.
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