My Love Affair with Nora and Nancy
As I write this, I’m imagining sitting at the desk of Erica Barry. Evening has come and the lamps are glowing lightly. Windows open to a gentle breeze. I can hear the ocean waves hum. My desk is scattered with papers and books… a freshly made vase of flowers. I’m in easy and comfortable linen whites. Just about ready to shutdown for the night and crawl into my cozy bed fitted with white sheets and a good book to read.
It’s impossible for me to think about the first time I fell in love with either Nancy Meyers or Nora Ephron. For me, they’ve been a constant for so many years now. A staple duo I can count on time and time again to get me through. A warm embrace. Reliable friends I can cozy up with to laugh and cry and share a bottle of wine.
Perhaps it was when I first laid eyes on Kathleen Kelly’s brownstone apartment, filled with knick knacks, frills and florals. Windows open and curtains lightly blowing in the wind. The mismatched furniture and nostalgia of an old computer and AOL sign-on. “Dreams” by The Cranberries played over her morning commute. A fall New York City walk to her snug little bookstore.
Or it’s when I stepped off a flight in London and into the gorgeous world of Elizabeth James. The fabulous taste of British style, timeless and elegant. Her creamy, silky, neutral looks, black sunglasses. A skip across the street in a charming neighborhood, busied with London traffic, as she heads to her design studio to fix a wedding dress shoot dilemma. “Here Comes the Sun” dancing us through the scene.
Maybe it was the Banks’ home, beautiful and warm. Scenes from the lush yard in the summertime, vines crawling up the house, with the perfect white-picket fence. Playing basketball in the evening on the driveway. An intimate backyard wedding. Family traditions and bickers that feel relatable.
It could have been the scenes of a fabulous Julia Childs in a charming kitchen in France at cooking school. Pearls and all. Old copper pots and pans hung by the stove. Mastering the art of french cooking.
There are so many specific moments I could recount. In the world of film, we’re often so drawn to the characters and how they move about the scene. But for me, it’s the settings that I find myself paying most attention to in a Nancy or Nora film. Often pausing the movie for a minute to take in every single little background detail. And the details are abound.
The way that every movie’s home feels lived-in. Whether in a perfect Hamptons beach house or California stunner or a small New York walk-up, every corner is intentional. Books piled on a night stand, mail piled by the door, old artwork on the wall, unfinished dishes by the sink, flowers, fruit or veggies on the counter, coats hung by the door, built-ins filled with collected pieces and books, the glow of lamps, candles, random bits and bobs and everyday things lying around. Interiors that feel less like a movie set and more like the entire crew took over someone’s 30-year home and asked the owners not to move a thing.
Nora, who paved the way for female directors, brings me that sense of “home” more than anyone. Her films often toting eclectic living spaces, mismatched and cozy, city scenes perfectly peppered in seasonal details. Sentimental moments and an affection for 90s nostalgia. Quintessential little worlds. Like we’re peeking in through a window on the most delightful, idyllic scenes.
And Nancy, with her timeless style. Neutral tones. Refreshing. Movies always including a fabulous kitchen and the ceremonies of entertaining. Characters dressed in the most effortless, chic pieces. Gorgeous houses we dream of escaping to. Fresh whites and classic furnishings and patinated details. We feel like guests invited over for a glass of wine or home-cooked dinner or a fabulous little party with close friends. Intimate and warm.
But it’s not just the interiors that suck us in. They’re movies that feature thirty to forty somethings and middle-aged women (whose stories are so often ignored or construed). Women that are desirable just as they are, with all their endearing imperfections. We get the strong, successful female leads and we get the romantic notions. Because it’s completely ok to be an independent woman, but still want to find your person.
Nancy, in particular, feeds us the idea (or rather the reality) that women can have a second act. Her older women aren’t even necessarily on the hunt for a man. And yet (gasp!) they have these incredibly desirable lives on their own. Beautiful homes, friends and family, they entertain, they make delicious-looking dinners, they gossip and laugh with their girlfriends, they garden, they live on the beach, they live in the city, they have fabulous jobs. The men just sort of stumble in without notice. And they’re more like supporting actors, rather than knights in shining armor there to rescue a damsel in distress.
It’s not all about romance though. Twins separated at birth meeting for the first time at summer camp, switching places and going home to a California vineyard and a London townhouse—a classic remake. A real witch moves into a perfect little California charmer and auditions to play Samantha in a Bewitched movie. A father mentally prepares for his daughter to get married as chaos ensues in the family home while backyard wedding preparations are made. A senior intern is hired to the fast-paced world of start-up culture and we fall in love with his endearing storyline as he befriends the young employees.
And it’s the small random moments. Like Jane Adler pulling a croque monsieur out of the oven and refilling a wine glass. Sat with Adam for a casual dinner at the island counter. A gorgeous, rustic California ranch house kitchen. Window over the sink looking out to a garden. It’s collected and busy and perfect. Or the fanciful delight of her baking three pies for her girlfriends while they chat during a ladies night in, lounged around the living room.
Or the late night calls between Harry and Sally on their house phones, curly cords, while they watch the same movie together. Cuddled up in their beds, in their New York apartments. Or every scene inside Iris’s adorable and picturesque English country cottage. Or Amanda and Graham huddled inside a paper star-filled tent with his two daughters. And we haven’t even talked about the perfection that is every single movie’s soundtrack. They make us feel something. And we can’t get enough.
Both women are incredible at what they do. And while some may slap a label of “chick flick” or “guilty pleasure” on their movies, I find their visual story telling to be impeccable. And their writing to be quick, witty, and smart. They simply write movies for women. If anything, these films provide laughter and warmth and always a feel-good moment when we need it most. Plus, a plethora of interior design inspiration.
They give us nothing to feel guilty about. If you’ve never treated yourself to these movies, do yourself a favor.
Nora/Nancy Films to Watch:
Baby Boom, 1987
When Harry Met Sally, 1989
Father of the Bride, 1991 and 1995
Sleepless in Seattle, 1993
You’ve Got Mail, 1998
What Women Want, 2000
Somethings Gotta Give, 2003
Bewitched, 2005
The Holiday, 2006
Julie and Julia, 2009
It’s Complicated, 2009
The Intern, 2015
Add to the list Home Again (2017), a film by Nancy’s daughter, who clearly has learned a thing or two from her mother.
