Nora Ephron, likely the most successful female screenwriter in film history, has garnered the respect and admiration of the industry and the worship of fans around the world who love her "love conquers all" happy endings. Grab a box of tissues and check out this list of her best.
1. Silkwood (1983)
Ephron was at the top of her game with this script based on the true story of Karen Silkwood, a whistle-blower on safety violations at an Oklahoma plutonium plant. Meryl Streep stars as Silkwood, and Kurt Russell and Cher round out the cast. The movie won Oscar nominations for Streep, Cher, Ephron (for screenwriting), and director Mike Nichols and grossed more than $35 million.
2. Heartburn (1986)
The all-star cast of Heartburn included Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, and Jeff Daniels in a story based on Ephron's best-selling novel, which captured her real-life transition between marriages. The movie was in good hands with frequent collaborator Mike Nichols directing and brought in more than $25 million.
3. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
 Nora Ephron wrote the classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. |
Probably the most popular and iconic Ephron film to date, When Harry Met Sally is widely understood to be the romantic comedy by which all others are measured. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film stars comedian Billy Crystal and Ephron favorite Meg Ryan as Harry and Sally try to answer the question: Can men and women be just friends? A bona fide blockbuster, this favorite raked in $93 million at the box office
4. My Blue Heaven (1990)
This light comedy stars Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack, and Carol Kane as FBI agents, mobsters, and other suburbanites. The script was written by Ephron and did okay in theaters, pulling in around $25 million, but it wasn't the follow-up to When Harry Met Sally that Ephron had hoped it would be.
5. This Is My Life (1992)
In this typically quirky-with-a-message Ephron film (she directed this one, too), a single mom chucks her sales job to trailblaze a career as a stand-up comedian in New York City. That's a tough road, especially for a mom whose family has to make its own transitions. The film wasn't one of Ephron's biggest hits, but it grossed nearly $3 million at the box office and was received warmly by critics who were ready to find fault with the first-time director.
With these five, Nora Ephron was only getting started. Continue to the next page to discover more of her romantic comedies and quirky tales.
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