Tribute to Nora Ephron (1941-2012)

While many (including myself) are still grappling with the tragic news concerning the passing of noted writer and filmmaker Nora Ephron who passed away earlier this week, aged 71.

From a distance, she was a creative force that I always admired. As a writer, she struck a wonderful chord that was equal parts romantic, humorous and (at times) tinged with necessary dramatic tension and pathos; it was a rarefied gift that many have tried to replicate, but few have succeeded at.

Here is a condensed list of some of my favorite films that she penned:

• You’ve Got Mail (1998)
• Sleepless in Seattle (1993)*
• When Harry Met Sally (1989)*^

(* denotes Academy Award nod; ^denotes BAFTA, or British Academy Award win)

When Harry Met Sally: A personal favorite

Of course, my VERY small sample of chiefly rom-coms does not begin to touch the surface of all of her accomplishments, but from this collection of films, it was quite clear that her skills as a writer were varied and resonated with many. Let us not forget that she also wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for the whistle-blower tale Silkwood.

Let us not forget that she was also noted for her work BEHIND the camera with films such as Julie & Julia , the aforementioned You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.

Here is a scene from Sleepless in Seattle that always gets me:

In closing, among the various Hollywood tributes to go out to in the wake of this loss, I point you to Tom Hanks’ eulogy in Time magazine to his collaborator and friend.