As a cinephile with a soft spot for romantic comedies, I must admit that watching “You’ve Got Mail” is like stepping into a warm, cozy New York City bookstore – a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The film, much like a well-worn copy of a favorite novel, carries the essence of its creators and resonates deeply with audiences who have experienced love in all its complexities.
Do you hear that sound? It’s your dial-up connecting you to AOL and its chat rooms.
Indeed, we’re transporting you back to an era predating WiFi. The heartwarming romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, was released 26 years ago on December 18, 1998. If only we knew your name and address, we would send you a lovely bouquet of newly sharpened pencils to celebrate the occasion.
Although some might criticize Nora Ephron’s movie for its dated technology, such as AOL, or view it as a sort-of sequel to Sleepless in Seattle titled You’ve Got Mail, there is so much more to this film than that. In fact, the love story between Joe Fox (Hanks), the heir of Fox Books, and Kathleen Kelly (Ryan), the proprietor of The Shop Around the Corner, transcends the technology used to tell their tale, and the movie endures long past its technological era.
This isn’t just a tribute to New York City or small, independent bookstores (though it’s also that), but it could be seen as a nod, albeit an ironic one, to the large chain stores that ultimately closed them down. In essence, it’s a tribute to all heartfelt letters of love.
Come on, this is the movie that inspired Mindy Kaling to throw a themed dinner party at Christmas, because as any true You’ve Got Mail fan knows, it totally counts as a Christmas movie. (Never. Enough. Twinkle. Lights.) In fact, she loves the movie so much she even paid homage to it on The Mindy Project, naming a bar after the “so stylish in that really understated hot Manhattan librarian way” Kathleen Kelly.
Absolutely, not only does Ryan shine on screen, but so does the director, Ephron, who also co-wrote the script with her sister Delia. They both played significant roles in making the movie a success.
Ephron, who sadly passed away in 2012, began as a journalist before transitioning to screenwriting and directing. She is renowned for revitalizing the romantic comedy genre with her unique blend of humor and longing. Her work demonstrated a deep affection for love, yet she also maintained a pragmatic perspective. With her knack for making even caviar amusing and turning flour drifting in the air into something romantic, she left an indelible mark on the genre.
Now, we’re revealing some of the most fascinating hidden gems from this cherished film, a unique production that manages to resonate strongly with its specific time period (their encounter took place in an online forum for those thirty and above!) while retaining a sense of eternal appeal.
Nora Ephron, famously known for her meticulous directing style, had an affection for subtle details that lent authenticity, particularly in portraying New York City – a city she deeply cherished as one of her greatest passions.
In a well-known scene where Joe and Kathleen (Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan) had their famous disagreement over whether caviar was merely a garnish, Nora Ephron, who had a passion for food, insisted on an extravagant feast. It was also noted that she was disappointed about the non-Hass avocados. According to script supervisor Dianne Dreyer, the director expressed his displeasure saying, “Oh, that’s so sad.” (It’s worth mentioning that the caviar garnish part wasn’t in the original script; Ephron added it during filming because she found the word ‘garnish’ amusing. She was correct.)
In an effort to create a sense of unity, she deliberately included similar details as backdrops across different scenes to give the Upper West Side a cozy, tight-knit community vibe; her intention was for it to appear authentically inhabited.
In the initial scenes of the film, the actress portraying the florist was pregnant, as Ephron noted on the DVD commentary. To give the illusion of pregnancy, they added a small cushion to her belly. A detail you’ll notice later in the movie is that when Meg buys flowers from this same florist, there’s a sign in the window saying, “It’s a girl.
2. The original title of the film was “You Have Mail,” but it was changed because a consultant hired by Warner Bros. found out that AOL hadn’t trademarked the famous greeting from 1989, “You’ve Got Mail,” which was said by Elwood Edwards. Unfortunately, his agent couldn’t secure him a voice credit in the movie.
A legal issue the movie couldn’t avoid, however? They had to ask the woman who had the username Shopgirl to give up the name so they could use it for Kathleen’s handle. As Ephron revealed, “She actually worked at an autobody shop.”
3. To convincingly play the role of bookshop owner Kathleen Kelly, Ryan and her co-star Heather Burns underwent training at a real bookstore. As she shared with Vanity Fair, they spent a week working at a children’s bookstore to familiarize themselves with the register so they would appear natural when filming inside the shop.
Initially, the character named Kathleen was intended to be Betsy, a tribute to Elizabeth Bennett from “Pride & Prejudice,” since this connection plays a role in the plotline as well. However, Ryan opted for the name change because it matched her character’s name on “As the World Turns.” Additionally, suggestions were made to include a spinning moment between Kathleen and her mother (which always makes us tear up) and the scene where Kathleen confronts Joe by brandishing a knife after discovering his true identity at the book launch party.
In regards to Kathleen’s now famous librarian-stylish outfits, Ryan specifically requested one particular item: The Marc Jacobs dress she dons in the movie’s final scene. Initially resistant to expensive pieces in the character’s practical yet feminine wardrobe, the costume designer eventually conceded – though they did layer a sweater over it.
Albert Wolsky stated in Erin Carlson’s book, ‘I’ll Have What She’s Having’, that he kept the dress for me.
4. Although the movie appears quite outdated now, it was extremely relevant when it comes to computers, chat rooms, and such contemporary topics. However, one of its actors was somewhat reluctant to adopt technology. Ryan didn’t possess a personal computer until she received a Mac PowerBook on set. Her first email was addressed to Hanks.
She’s always stayed away from online chat rooms, but as for Hanks, he did explore a chat room related to the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” once. Unfortunately, he found himself alone in there.
Luckily for Ryan, she had a top-notch teacher in Internet 101 before going into production. Interestingly enough, the man who would later become famous for creating the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kevin Feige, was just a lowly production assistant when “You’ve Got Mail” was filmed. His main task? Teaching Ephron, Ryan, and Hanks how to navigate email and America Online. After spending nearly three days instructing her, he was delighted when she recognized him on set: “I thought, ‘she remembered my name.’
5. Similar to the renowned hairstyle of Jennifer Aniston’s character on Friends – The Rachel – Ryan’s hair was quite significant in the ’90s. The messy shag, designed by Sally Hershberger, rapidly gained fame and served as a symbol for both the character and the hairdresser. However, Ephron had reservations about the edgier style for Kathleen Kelly, preferring a more refined appearance as mentioned in “I’ll Have What She’s Having”.
A predicament arose soon after filming commenced when the hairstylist hired for the movie found it difficult to replicate Hershberger’s work. Matthew Shields, Hershberger’s former apprentice who was called in to rectify the situation and save the film, confessed that Meg was growing anxious as her hair had become a signature symbol.
1) He gave it a touch more like Kathleen’s style by adding some volume on top, and he kept trimming it every three weeks. He meticulously took photos for consistency and unofficially spied on Ryan, as he would go watch the daily footage, offering feedback on her acting.
6. It was Tom Hanks who spontaneously added one of Joe’s most endearing scenes. After leaving The Shop Around the Corner following his initial meeting with Kathleen, Joe unintentionally shut the shop door on the balloons he had for his brother and aunt. In a quick-witted response, he exclaimed, “Thank goodness it wasn’t the fish!” referring to the fish they had won at the fair earlier. This line was improvised by Hanks in the moment, and Ephron found it so amusing that she decided to keep it in the script.
7. After shooting the climactic scene where Joe Fox’s true identity as NY152 is unveiled, Tom Hanks had taken a vacation and put on some weight. It’s understandable, isn’t it? “You can tell in the film,” producer G. Mac Brown said to Carlson in her book. “He comes back looking a bit plump.” In the end, when they reunite in the park, he has a slight belly, which is quite endearing.” However, this extra weight was noticeable on camera, and Ephron felt it necessary for Hanks to lose about four to five pounds. And an awkward phone call was made to Hanks to discuss this matter.
8. The Ephron sisters drew inspiration for Joe and Kathleen’s ill-fitting love interests from real people. The character Patricia, brilliantly portrayed by indie favorite Parker Posey, was modeled after Judith Regan – a prominent figure in the New York publishing industry who likely made coffee tremble with her presence.
Frank Navasky, who was modeled after critic Ron Rosenbaum from Salon.com, gave his take on the movie (BTW). He wasn’t fond of it or the tribute to him, dubbing Greg Kinnear’s character, a keyboard-fixated culture critic, as “a mild caricature.” He reproached the film for its overly cheerful portrayal of trite emails from unremarkable stars such as Ryan and Hanks. In essence, this review echoes the style of Frank Navasky.
Simultaneously, it was Joe Fox who bore the name of yet another of Nora’s former boyfriends – a book editor who passed away in 1995.
9. Following his decision to decline a role in Forrest Gump, which he later regretted, the comedian Dave Chappelle, at 24 years old, expressed interest in portraying Kevin, Joe Fox’s business partner and dating advisor. Ephron allowed Chappelle considerable creative freedom for improvisation. As Dreyer, the script supervisor, stated in I’ll Have What She’s Having, “I don’t believe there was anyone else on the list who could match his talents.” “He turned out to be everything she expected and more.
10. Sara Ramirez portrayed the role of a cashier in the cash-only queue at Zabar’s. The scene was inspired by an event that took place during the filming of “Sleepless in Seattle,” where a perplexed Ephron observed her first assistant director exerting a similar influence on an airport concierge.
Incidentally, that day marked both the initial and final instance when the renowned Zabar’s grocery store permitted filming within its historic premises. It wasn’t just Zabar’s patrons, but many New Yorkers who felt a bit uneasy with the extensive movie production encroaching upon their city.
In a filming session at an Upper West Side restaurant, a man became agitated, pounding on the window and shouting, “Nora Ephron! Nora Ephron! I thought you cherished this area? Why are you causing trouble for us?!” as stated by cinematographer John Lindley. Eventually, she managed to pacify him.
11. Chris Messina, known later for his role as Mindy Kaling’s love interest (and the Internet’s boyfriend, Danny Castellano) on The Mindy Project, initially had a minor part in a film. In this role, he portrayed a hapless sales associate at Fox Books who sought Kathleen’s guidance when dealing with “The Shoe Books” series by Mary Noel Streatfield.
12. When the movie came in way too long, many sub-plots had to be trimmed down.
Farewell, Christina’s romantic escapades! See you later, George, on his date with a detective he suspects is the Rooftop Killer! Adieu, most of Deborah Rush’s scenes! (Nora had promised her one. And she did keep her promise, casting her in Julie & Julia 10 years later.) If you can’t recall her character in YGM, she was Veronica Grant, the author who got trapped in an elevator with Joe and Patricia, and her dog was played by Nora’s real-life Chihuahua, Lucy. (One of the scenes cut was a book event Patricia hosted for Veronica.)
Additionally, in the original storyline, it turns out that Patricia and Frank, former partners of Joe and Kathleen respectively, become a couple.
Another scene that was cut from the film included a mysterious novelist played by Michael Palin making a pass for Kathleen after he comes out of hiding to try and help her save The Shop Around the Corner. The scene proved rather predatory though, which included the novelist trying to kiss her before she kicks him in the shin and runs away. “I thought it was oddly broad,” Palin explained in I’ll Have What She’s Having. “I didn’t know if I could quite deliver it in a sort of debonair way.”
13. Kathleen’s delightful children’s bookstore, initially established by her late mother, Cecilia, bore resemblance to Books of Wonder on West 18th Street, a favorite haunt of the Ephron sisters since its establishment in 1980. As Delia Ephron shared with Vanity Fair, “We grew up adoring children’s books above all else.” Although not filmed within an actual bookstore, the fictional Shop Around the Corner shelved approximately 7,000 genuine books. Books of Wonder remains open and displays some items used in the movie.
Fox Books, modeled after Barnes & Noble, couldn’t film at an existing location because they didn’t want to close the store for production. Instead, a Barney’s department store that had recently closed was used as the base, and Fox Books was built from scratch. According to “I’ll Have What She’s Having,” around 25,000 books from more than 30 publishers were transported, with Ephron insisting that all the books were arranged in their designated sections. Additionally, there was a real coffee bar available.
14. During an interview on “The Late Show” in 2015, Stephen Colbert openly admitted his fondness for the movie while talking to director Quentin Tarantino (a well-known advocate of the film). As Colbert expressed his affection, he said, “I cried throughout the entirety of ‘You’ve Got Mail’, that’s my admission.
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2024-12-18 14:18