Director Rob Reiner Reflects on the Awkwardness of Directing the Fake-Orgasm Scene in Front of His Mother
Estelle Reiner delivered one of the greatest lines in movie history in her son’s 1989 classic.
The director appeared on CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday night, where he discussed his newly released sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and his 1989 hit starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.
The latter starred Crystal and Ryan as the title characters, and the two had a key scene where Sally and Harry are having lunch at a busy deli. Their conversation consists of Sally trying to convince a dubious Harry that at least one of his past sexual partners has more than likely faked orgasm with him.
Sally fakes the act — loudly, banging on her table — and brings stares from fellow diners. The scene ends with one of the greatest lines in movie history, uttered by Estelle Reiner: “I’ll have what she’s having.”
“First couple of times, she didn’t do it full out,” he said. “Finally I sat across from Billy. And I acted it for her. … And I’m pounding the table, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes!’ I’m realizing I’m having an orgasm in front of my mother, you know? There’s my mother over there.”
The movie ends with — spoiler alert! — longtime friends Harry and Sally getting married and talking about their wedding reception.
That wasn’t the way things might have ended: As noted on 60 Minutes, Reiner changed the ending to a happy one after he met his now-wife Michele, who now serves as producer on his films, including Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
“Are we crazy to do another one?” he said. “It’s crazy. The bar is just way too high.”
After Harry Shearer (who plays Derek Small) sued for control of the rights to the original, that paved the way to make a sequel.
“Now it’s 40 years later, we have these rights: Whaddaya do with ’em? And we started throwing out ideas,” Reiner explained.
Both films rely heavily on ad-libbing — or “schnadeling,” as Reiner calls it — from the cast but also from the famous faces who cameo, including Paul McCartney.
“Van Halen had a rider in their contract: ‘No brown M&Ms,’” Reiner said. “So some roadie had to sit there picking out the brown M&Ms. It’s crazy. We looked at that, and said, ‘There’s a scene.’” That inspired a scene wherein Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) complains about the bread being too small.
Mchael Keaton also reprises his role as David St. Hubbins in the film, which was released in theaters last month and is also available on streaming platforms.
