In a world of identity politics, the line between the genders seems to become fainter an fainter in the war for equality. Though less prominent arguments still stand. An important point was raised in the 1989 film “When Harry met Sally” that Men and Women could not be friends. In this film, we follow the lives of both Sally Albright and Harry Burns as they move and grow in the American state of New York. In this film lead character Harry Burns – played by Billy Crystal –states that “men and women can’t be friends because the sex part...
In a world of identity politics, the line between the genders seems to become fainter an fainter in the war for equality. Though less prominent arguments still stand. An important point was raised in the 1989 film “When Harry met Sally” that Men and Women could not be friends. In this film, we follow the lives of both Sally Albright and Harry Burns as they move and grow in the American state of New York. In this film lead character Harry Burns – played by Billy Crystal –states that “men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.” This is a familiar set up in Hollywood as many films contain a romantic string of events which almost always pulls two characters together such as the musical comedy ‘La La Land’ where characters Sebastian and Mia become an unexpected couple and even children’s films such as Shrek where a donkey and a dragon become a couple due to their difference of gender. But is there a way of breaking through this Hollywood stereotype or is it true that in Hollywood men and women cannot be friends?
Personally I feel a movie needs a romantic buzz to keep the story alive and if its not through a high paced love affair between a couple then the interest of a ‘will they/ won’t they’ friendship such as the love story of characters Rachel and Ross in the hit American TV show ‘Friends’ would fulfil that necessary plot point. Though of course it can be seen through movies that don’t include the main love interest forming such as Stephen Kings ‘The Shining’ that this romance less film is possible though if friendships do form, it would only feel empty for me if love didn’t blossom within it.