The Tragic Death and Enduring Legacy of Rob Reiner

From the New York Times, I'm Michael. Bubaro. [music] This is the daily. [music]. On Tuesday, prosecutors investigating. the death of Rob and Michelle Reiner. [music] said they plan to charge the. couple's son, Nick, with firstdegree. [music] murder. today. Julia Jacobs on. what we're learning about the death of a. Hollywood legend and [music] Wesley.

Morris on why so many of Reiner's films. are among the most beloved movies ever. made. It's Wednesday, December 17th. Julie, I appreciate you coming in today. >> Thanks for having me.

>> I just want to say at the outset, perhaps this is obvious, but the death. of Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle is a. very gruesome and tragic situation and. we do not want to linger on it for a. long time in this conversation. In fact, I hope we don't have to linger on it. much at all. But I do think we should. briefly talk about what we know at this. point about what actually happened. >> You're right. It's an absolute tragedy. and there are a lot of questions right.

now. But what we do know is that on. Sunday evening, the authorities were. called to Rob Reiner's home in. Brentwood, a neighborhood in Los. Angeles. And the first information that. came out was that there were two. deceased individuals inside. And they. listed the ages, but not initially the. identities. But the ages matched up. roughly with those of Rob Reiner, the. Hollywood director, and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, who is a. photographer and a producer.

And [clears throat] later that night on. Sunday night, their son Nick was. arrested and eventually police said they. were investigating his role in their. deaths. >> Right. Which was a shocking piece of. information. Yes. And then on Tuesday, prosecutors announced that they intended. to charge Nick Reiner with two counts of. first-degree murder. >> Right. Making very official this. genuinely horrible scenario in which a.

child had killed both of his parents. >> Correct. And the son, Nick Reiner, had a. long documented history of drug. addiction. And you know, that story had. been out there for years. He had. struggled since he was a teenager. He. had been in and out of rehab. He had. gone through bouts of homelessness when. he didn't want to be in the rehab that. his parents wanted him to be in. But he. eventually made his way back home and. started living in his parents' guest. house. >> And what I'm told is they had a very.

tight-knit, warm household. They spent a. lot of time together. And in fact, on. Saturday night, some of my colleagues. were told that Rob Reiner and Nick. Reiner were at the house of Conan. O'Brien for a Christmas party. >> Um, >> the night before, >> the night before. And that, you know, one person told my colleague that Rob. Reiner said something about his son's. behavior, something to the effect of, "You can't act this way.". >> And this was the night before Rob and.

his wife Michelle were found stabbed to. death allegedly by Nick. And what we all. had to reckon with thereafter was that. this huge force in Hollywood, this. enormously successful and influential. director and producer who himself had. quite famously escaped the shadow of his. own father, had allegedly, as you said, been killed by his own son. And I wonder.

if you can tell us that story of Reiner. and how he became what he became. >> So after the news of Rob Reiner's tragic. death, everyone automatically started. reliving his career. And something that. he talked about a lot is his father, Paul Reiner. He was a giant of 20th. century television. and he helped define. the medium of television comedy. He was.

a performer, a writer, director. He. created the Dick Van Dyke Show, one of. the most celebrated comedies of all. time. He won nine Emmys and and directed. many movies. He worked as a close. collaborator with Steve Martin. And. throughout Rob's long career in. Hollywood, he could actually be quite. candid about how overwhelming it could. be to live in the shadow of his father. How did he talk about it? >> He talked about feeling misunderstood as.

a child once he was quoted as saying it. was frightening to be compared to him. And he tells this story about how a. friend of his father Norman Lear, another giant of television, pointed out. to Carl Reiner that, you know, his son. Rob was quite funny. But Carl Reiner was. surprised like my son funny. I think. he's quite quiet and sullen. And in. Rob's later years, he would tell that.

story a lot as an example of how he just. felt like his father didn't get him, >> didn't know him, >> right? But he wanted to be like his. father, just like his father. And he. didn't shy away from that either. He. told another story that when his father. at one point encouraged him to. differentiate himself, he suggested, you. know, what other name would you want to. take on? what would you want to change. your name to? >> And Rob said, "What if I changed it to. Carl?". >> And so he embraced this desire to be.

like his father. He was a teenager on. the set of the Dick Van Dyke show, learning everything he could about. entertainment. And you know, eventually. he got into theater. He struck out on. his own. And his first major television. role, he was cast by Norman Lear, his. father's friend. And this was for the. sitcom. >> from television city in Hollywood. >> All in the family. >> Boy, the way Glen Miller [singing]. played.

songs. >> It was a defining television show of the. 1970s for the way it put generational. conflict on display. [music]. This was a time when, you know, members. of the silent generation like the show's. patriarch Archie Bunker were really. grappling with the youth counterculture. that stemmed from the 1960s and the. anti-war movement. [music] And Rob. Reiner's character was this guy named. Michael Stivik. He was a leftist, a.

pacifist hippie, and he was really the. avatar for that younger generation. >> Anything interesting in the paper? >> Yeah. 200 arrested in Vietnam Day peace. demonstration. 200. They should have. thrown a whole bunch of them in the can. >> Well, I think they just don't like the. idea of America fighting an illegal and. immoral war. >> Well, if they don't like it, they can. lump it, take it down the road, and dump it.

And a lot of the show's comedy came from. this back and forth between Archie. Bunker, the conservative father-in-law, to Mike Stivic, who he calls, "You are a. meatthead." [laughter]. >> Meatthead, >> right? >> A meatthead. Dead from the neck up. Meat. head. >> And even though they weren't, you know, father and son by blood, this was a show. with a strong undercurrent of this. familial narrative.

And the two would fight over politics, over Michael's lack of a job that Archie. would deem respectable. >> That's all you care about, Archie, is. what you got and how you can keep it. >> Well, YOU'D CARE ABOUT IT, TOO, SUNNY. BOY, IF YOU HAD ANYTHING. [laughter]. >> It wasn't living on for me without a pot. to peel a potato in. >> And yet, there's also this deep. undercurrent of love between them, >> right? There are moments of real. connection. And the scene that comes to. mind immediately is one where they're.

stuck together in a storage room full of. alcohol and you know both of them are. drunk and talking about their fathers. >> Did you ever think that that possibly. your your father just might be wrong? >> Wrong my old man. Don't be stupid with. my old man. I mean tell you about him. He was never wrong about nothing. Huh? Yes, he was, Arch. >> I. >> My old man used to call people the same. things as your old man, but I always.

knew he was wrong. So was your old man. >> No, he was. >> Yes, he was. >> Your father WAS WRONG. >> YOUR FATHER WAS WRONG. >> It's this moment where Archie Bunker. >> kind of whether he wants to or not, unloads. a lot about his own. childhood. father who made you. wrong. Your father, the bread winner of the house there, the.

man who goes out and bust his butt to. keep a roof over your head and close on. your back. You call your father wrong. Hey, your father. Archie Bunker has this conviction that. he shares with Michael Spivik that a. father cannot be wrong. >> And yet he explains all that his father. did to him as a child. >> My father had a hand on him. Now let's.

tell you he busted that hand once and he. busted her on me. to teach me to do good. [laughter]. I far a shoved me in a closet. Mr. 7. teach me to do good. cuz he loved me. He loved me. >> And yet there's still this nagging. conviction that a father can't be wrong. >> Let me tell you something. You're supposed to love your father.

cuz your father loves you. And how can any man that loves you. tell you anything is wrong? >> And as Archie Bunker is telling the. story, the reaction of Michael, it seems to dawn on him why his. father-in-law is like this, why he's so. harsh on him, why their relationship can. be so at odds, because he doesn't always.

act like his father-in-law is always. right. And at the end of the scene, you. know, as Archie Bunker lies down and. falls asleep, there's this really tender. moment where Michael gets up and. puts the blanket over him almost in a. fatherly way, >> right? The son-in-law, Reiner, becomes. in a sense the father, the parent of a. suddenly quite openly wounded, although. not self-aware, of his wounds, Archie.

Bunker. It's a really tender moment and. in this comedy it really stands out as. a moment of real substance. This was a huge breakout role for. Reiner. He won two Emmys and he spent. really the second half of his 20s and. into his 30s on this show. But he had. this nagging feeling that he wanted to. do more. He wanted to direct. And so. after All in the Family ended, he became. a prolific film director and his first.

major feature film was This is Spinal. Tap in 1984. >> Your first drummer was uh. >> Stampy Peeps. >> Great great uh tall blonde geek with. glasses. >> Uh. >> good drama. >> Great look. Good drama. Yeah. Fine. >> What happened to him? >> He died. He he died in a bizarre. gardening accident some years back. >> And for those who don't know that movie, it's quite specific. >> Yes. It's this satire about a hapless.

British metal band that really helped. define the form of mockumentary. >> This is a top to you know what we use on. stage, but it's very very special. because if you can see. >> Yeah. >> the numbers all go to 11. Look right. across the board. 11. And most of the. amps go up to 10. >> Exactly. >> And Reiner's in this movie. He doesn't. just direct, >> right? He's in it as kind of the. straight man. >> Louder. >> Why don't you just make 10 louder and. make 10 be the top number and make that.

a little louder? >> These go to 11. And this release really. started the spectacular eight years of. cinema for Reiner where he leapfrogged. from genre to genre and really became a. force in Hollywood. You had the coming. of age drama Stand by Me. >> You had the fantasy adventure film The. Princess Bride. >> Hello, my name is Enigo Montoya. You.

killed [music] my father. Prepare to. die. >> Stop saying that. You had the. psychological thriller Misery. >> You dirty bird. How could you? >> The courtroom drama A Few Good Men. >> You want answers. I THINK I'M ENTITLED. YOU WANT ANSWERS. >> I WANT THE TRUTH. YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE. TRUTH. >> And of course, the romcom, probably his. most famous movie of all, When Harry Met. Sally. >> But I would be proud. >> But I would be proud. >> to partake.

>> to partake. >> of your pean. of your peacon pie. >> Peac, >> right? And these movies are not just. memorable. They literally become part of. pop culture, part of our vernacular. There is a quote from each and every one. of the movies you just mentioned that. either one of us could recite back to. each other, including, and this is from. Spinal Tap. It's such a fine line. between stupid and clever.

>> or from a few good men, you can't handle. the truth. >> I can't handle the truth. >> And what's fascinating about this string. of movies is that Reiner would often tap. into his own personal experiences in. making them. >> I think he said that's what kept him. honest as a filmmaker. And one example. of that is Stand by Me, which is based. on a nolla by Stephen King. >> It's not the secret. I forget the secret. Let me in. >> Ver.

>> And it's about four pre-teen boys who. have this adventure. >> So, what are you pissing and moaning. about, Verno? >> You guys want to go see a dead body? >> Trying to find this dead body. And along. the way, they're revealing the story of. who each of them are, >> right? >> And when it comes to the protagonist, this 12-year-old aspiring writer, he has. this devastating scene where he breaks. down in front of his friend. Why did he. have to die, Chris? Why did Denny have to die?

Why? >> His brother, his beloved older brother, had just died. And he was expressing how. he felt like his father wishes that he. was the one who died. >> He hates me. He doesn't hate you. He hates me. >> No, he just doesn't know you. >> He hates me. My dad hates me. and his friend is sitting there trying. to console him in the best way he can, you know, as a kid. And Reiner would say.

that that is how he felt as a little. boy. >> You're going to be a great writer. someday, Gordy. You might even write about us guys if. you ever get hard up for material. [laughter]. >> He felt like the character Gordy talking. to his friend, >> right? And he felt like his father. didn't know him. And of course, Reiner's personal life. ends up figuring into the plot of When. Harry Met Sally, >> right? Reiner had the idea for When. Harry Met Sally after he divorced his.

first wife and he was back in the dating. pool. And actually in the making of that. movie, he was introduced to his wife. Michelle. And the way he tells it, he. actually changed the ending of the movie. after meeting Michelle. He changed it so. that the two protagonists end up. together, >> right? And it's actually kind of. unfathomable that that movie would end. any other way than it did with Harry and. Sally in that famous scene telling each.

other that they love each other and that. they will be together. >> Absolutely. It's film history. And over. the years, Riner's success goes beyond. even directing. He starts this. production company, Castle Rock, that. ends up creating some of classic movies. and Seinfeld. >> Exactly. It actually produced one of the. most successful comedy series in. history, Seinfeld. >> Pretty full circle for a guy who stars. in one of the great sitcoms of his era. >> Right. And he also has this vibrant. political life. He gets really involved.

in the fight for gay marriage. He. actually spearheads a ballot measure. revolving around early education in. California. He becomes this really. multiaceted figure that is known for. more than just his film making. >> Right. And he becomes a thorn in the. side of President Trump. >> Absolutely. I mean Reiner was against. Trump from the beginning became a vocal. critic over the years and in one of his. final interviews in recent months warned.

that Trump was leading the country into. autocracy. And this was all thrown into. sharp relief after his death when Trump. suggested that his death had to do with. Reiner's own opposition to him. >> Right. Which is a pretty wildly. unsubstantiated, I dare say reckless. claim. And I think that Julia brings us. back to Reiner's relationship with his. son, which we started with. And I know.

that the two father and son end up. working on a film together, >> right? As everyone sifts through what. there is on the internet about the. relationship between Nick and his. parents, what keeps coming to the four. are these interviews that he did with. his father when they were making this. movie together. >> Right. And just remind us about this. movie. It's called Being Charlie and. it's actually loosely based on their own. relationship focused on a son who is.

battling a drug addiction and a father. who's an actor turned politician. >> And the idea from this movie came from. Nick Reiner when he was in rehab. You. know, throughout his teenage years, he. said he was in treatment roughly 18. different times. Wow. And in one of. those rehab facilities, he meets a. friend who he starts working on a script. with, and they're pulling from their. experiences with drug addiction. Now, eventually, Rob Reiner embraces the idea.

of making the script into a fulllength. film, and that becomes Being Charlie, which is directed by Rob Reiner. Mhm. >> There was clearly a deep conflict. between Nick and his parents over how to. approach his own addiction recovery. And. those themes really shine through in the. movie. >> There's this line where the father in. the movie is talking to his son who's. battling drug addiction. And the father. says, "All I could tell myself was, I'd. rather have you alive and hating me than. dead on the streets.".

>> Wow. And so during this round of. interviews, Rob and Nick are talking. about how this movie affected their. relationship. >> And how did it affect it? >> We didn't do it to be cathartic, but it. turned out that that's what what. happened. I mean, >> Rob said it made him understand his son. a lot more and that he hoped it made him. a better father. >> And that brought us closer together. >> And Nick said, >> we didn't bond a lot as a kid. Like he. really liked baseball. I like. basketball. and he could watch that with. my brother. But baseball,

>> even though he and his father didn't. bond a lot as a kid, it better helped. him understand his dad. >> It made me feel closer to him. >> And in those interviews, it's clear. that, you know, Nick and his parents had. worked very hard to keep him sober. But. Nick also talked later about relapsing. after the movie came out. It was. >> after this healing exercise of making a. movie with his dad, >> right? There was a podcast where he. talks about having a heart attack on a. plane from cocaine use and ending up in.

the hospital. And there's another time. he talks about being on cocaine and. completely wrecking his parents' guest. house which he lived in where he punches. the television, punches a lamp, you. know, and that the whole place ends up. in shambles. So, in these interviews, it's clear that the whole family was. striving for sobriety for Nick and some. lasting stability in terms of the family. relationship. >> Right. >> But it never came.

>> Well, Julia, thank you very much. We. appreciate it. >> Thanks for having [music] me. After the break, Wesley [music] Morris. on why Rob Reiner's movies are so. beloved. We'll be right back.

>> Wesley, thank you for making time for. us. >> Of course. I mean, I'm sad that it has. to be under these circumstances. >> It's a really sad circumstance. as our. colleague Julia Jacobs just walked us. through. It's a really it's a really. tragic end to a remarkable. >> career. And the reason we've asked you. to come in the studio is because we. wanted a critics's assessment of the. career and the work of Rob Reiner. You.

are the Times chief critic. You're also, and I know this from firsthand. experience, a genuine film buff. So in. that context, what is the significance. in your mind of Reiner and the films. that he directed? What kind of a. filmmaker was he in your mind? He was. the sort of director who was really. interested in pleasing people, right? He. wanted to make movies that made people. happy. even when they were like dark movies. He.

was looking for a way to. find the pleasure centers that we as. movie goers needed met when we went to a. movie theater or you know because a lot. of the times with Reiner, you would be. watching these movies at home over and. over and over again over and over again. and because they somehow made their way. onto your TV screen at home over and. over and over. >> Oh yeah. Whether you went to a video. store and pulled one of those movies off. the shelf or it was just on cable all.

the time. >> Mhm. >> The thing about them that is so. wonderful is also the thing that made. Rob Reiner kind of um he wasn't a. critics's director, right? >> In a lot of ways, you go back and read. the reviews of his movies and it would. always be the charge would be the movies. didn't go far enough. They didn't go. deep enough. They weren't getting into. like the nitty-gritty of human. relationships in the way that they.

probably could have, right? In fact, I. went through this exercise within the. last 24 hours and it should be humbling. to the film critics of the world. You go. back and look at the reviews of. something like Stand By Me. >> Sure. >> I just wish. that I could go someplace when nobody. knows me. >> [laughter]. >> in the times. Too much saccharine, but. that that's not the experience of a.

young Michael Barbaro watching Stand by. Me and finding it to be a complete. revelation of what brotherhood, fraternity, >> and youthful adventure. >> might look like. I mean, I think the. thing about Rybriner that's that's. important to make the distinction. between is a question of what the. greatest movies are and what your. favorite movies are. He makes your. favorites. >> That man has made your favorite movie. He has made one of your favorite movies.

and everybody's got one. He's made two. of my favorite movies. And like, you. know, uh, when Harry Met Sally, I mean, come on. There's a couple things with. Rob Reiner that makes this outpouring of. grief over his death important. His peak. as a director was at a time when the. movies were interested in just simple. things brought to life by a good script. and a couple of stars. These are not.

values the movies have anymore. These. are bygone aspects of American movie. making. And he embodied he was one of. the principal embodiment his movies were. of that era. For me, when Harry Met. Sally was great because it had these two. people that I kind of knew, Meg Ryan and. Billy Crystal. >> Rob Reiner made them movie stars. This. movie made them movie stars. >> It's kind of hard to imagine that they. weren't movie stars before that, but.

somehow. >> Yeah, you had seen them in things. before. And you know, Billy Crystal was. a well-known comic and Meg Ryan was. somebody who'd been in other movies as. like a supporting character. And you. also had in Harry Metal this great. script by Norah Efron. Norah Efron, William Goldman, Aaron Sorcin, they. wrote the great Rob Reiner movies and he. knew what to do with a good screenplay. and good actors. And part of the.

pleasure of watching them all congeal. just come together and you know. transmogriphy into this like amazing. experience of just feeling right. I mean. you watch the princess bride and it's. all exuberance. You watch when Harry met. Sally and it's just whatever you believe. about people getting together and like. spending time with each other and. communicating. It's amazing. You look.

like a normal person, but actually, you. are the angel of death. >> Are you going to marry him? >> We have only known each other for a. month, and besides, neither one of us is. looking to get married right now. >> I'm getting married. >> You are? >> Mhm. >> You are? >> Yeah. >> Just some great talking issue. >> Well, you're getting on your own to what. I. >> deeply would love for you to do, >> okay? which is to take us into one scene. of a [laughter] Reiner directed film.

And at this point, I have to believe. because of what you've already said that. that scene is going to be coming from. when Harry Met Sally. >> Sure. And there's a lot of scenes in. that movie. I think when Harry Met. Sally, to me, it's the peak of all his. priorities as a filmmaker. the human. part, the love part, and obviously if. you're gonna boil this movie down to one. scene, it's the diner scene, right? It's. the deli scene. >> Me, Ryan, Sally, and Billy Crystal,

who's Harry. These people have been. friends now for a few years, and they. are very familiar with the cadences of. each other's dating and sex lives. They go to have lunch one day and they. proceed to talk about Harry's latest. disappointment romantically. >> It's not working out. >> It's not working out and she's gone and. he has moved on. >> So, what do you do with these women? You. just get up out of bed and leave. >> Sure.

>> Well, explain to me how you do it. What. do you say? >> Just have an early meeting, early. haircut, or like squash game. >> You don't play squash? >> They don't know that. They just met me. >> That's disgusting. >> I know. I feel terrible. And she's like, "Well, you probably wouldn't know that a. woman's never been satisfied by you.". [laughter]. >> Hey, I don't feel great about this, but. I don't hear anyone complaining. >> Of course not. You're out the door too. fast. >> I think they have an okay time. >> How do you know?

>> I mean, how do I know I know? >> And he's like, I think I would know. because I was there. >> I created the satisfaction. >> Because they. >> Yes. Because they. >> How do you know that they're really? >> What are you saying? That they fake. orgasm? >> She's like Me Ryan. Sally says, "Well, >> why? Most women at one time or another. have faked it?". >> I'm telling you that most women at some. point in their lives have faked it. >> Well, they have never faked it with me.

>> How do you know? >> Because I know. >> And he's like, "No, they haven't. That's. insane, >> right? That's right. I forgot you're a. man. >> What is that supposed to mean? >> Nothing. It's just that all men are sure. it never happened to them and most women. at one time or another have done it. So, you do the math. >> You don't think that I can tell the. difference? >> No. >> Get out of here. >> So, cut to me Ryan. Her eyes go, "Oh, okay." There's a like a twinkle, like a.

little mischievous twinkle. >> She's telling us, she's telegraphing to. us what she's about to do. And she kind. of half smiles and she proceeds to start. her orgasm. [laughter]. >> Oh, are you okay? >> And she does not break. [laughter] And. this is a really difficult thing to do.

both directing and editing wise because. you have to there's a rhythm that has to. be maintained here. >> Oh god. Ooh. Oh god. >> But you also have to establish that she. is staying in this orgasm and he is. going to suffer through the discomfort. of watching her perform it. >> Oh yeah. Right there. And that all of this, we should just. remind the listener, revolves around the. consumption of a very averagel looking.

sandwich. That's we got to talk about. the sandwich [laughter] cuz it's just a. pile of meat. But there's a cut to Harry. and his increasing awareness that what. is happening is happening and he is. about to lose this this argument. But. Billy Crystal is performing increasing. mortification at the fact not it's. interesting because it's simultaneously. him losing this argument and him being. embarrassed by this spectacle that she's.

creating. >> and there's so many looks on his face of. just like oh my god she's oh my god oh. my god and he's like oh my god. [laughter] and so there's this tension. there's this like physics between his. mort mortification and her ecstasy. And an important thing happens at about. the 30th second in this scene. >> Wow. You really. >> of the orgasm part of the scene. The. scene goes like 3 minutes long. It's.

this. The cameras on Meg Ryan mid fake. orgasm and a man turns around behind her. and he is wearing a Yankees cap and he. is completely dead pan but looking in. her direction and it's just the two of. them in this shot and you realize, oh my. god, you as a viewer realizes they're. not going to do the thing that a. television show would do. This is the. Rob Reiner going to the movies part.

This is Norah Efron knowing how the. world works. We're not going to pretend. that this is a closed environment and. these people are just here to make you. think you're in a diner. >> Mhm. >> People are going to hear [laughter] this. orgasm. >> Lots of people. >> Cuz it could have ended just like that. It could have ended the minute that guy. in the Yankees cap turns around. Even. before that, Billy Crystal was selling. the comedy in this bit as much as Meg. Ryan is. You could have just ended it. right there. That scene could have ended. and she would just like arrest my case.

>> But instead, this scene goes on for like. another 30 seconds. >> Yeah, it's it's deeply uncomfortable. >> No, Michael. No, it's not uncomfortable. at all. It's hilarious. >> Hilariously uncomfortable. >> And the thing that makes it hilarious is. us, the people watching this woman fake. this orgasm. They don't know she's. faking it. They don't know what's going. on. This This sandwich must be real. good. [laughter] This pile of meat must. be doing something to this woman.

Every subsequent shot during this. sequence, we've established how Meg Ryan. is going to perform her fake orgasm. We. understand that Billy Crystal is. mortified. But now we spend the rest of this. sequence, most of the rest of it, watching everybody else in the deli. react. [gasps]. >> Oh yes. >> Like not even react. They're just. watching her do this. And it's it's an. amazing site because some people are.

concerned, some people are like, you. know, it's New York, so this is also one. of the great New York movies, [laughter]. right? So it's New York and people are. like, "Oh, it's orgasm day, I guess, on. the deli." [laughter]. Okay, great. Fantastic. And she reaches her climax. >> YES. YES. OH. OH, GOD. >> She picks up her fork. She stabs her. salad or whatever it is that's on that. plate. She takes a bite and we go from.

shot, reverse shot, cutaway, cutaway, cutaway to a like I would say a a master. shot of the two of them facing each. other in the booth. And you can see in. the background two women also having a. meal looking at me Ryan. >> and the famous line cuz the scene could. have ended. >> Right. Right. >> When she picks up the fork, we're done. We're done. This scene is already. killed. But he goes for it. We're done.

And this woman says to the waiter, you know the line. >> I'll have what she's having. [laughter]. >> I'll have what she's having. Yeah. It's. one of the most memorable lines in all. of cinema. [laughter]. >> It never gets old. You could watch that. once a week and still pee your pants. because. >> that's how that's how joyful it is. >> It's just how joyful it is. Also, it's. so New York. I just.

>> But by the way, that's his that's his. mom who says it. >> Oh, yeah. Estelle Reiner is the person. who delivers the line. >> Perfection. >> Perfection. But also, the thing that. kills is not just the line. It's the. look of like, I guess I'll have to have. what she's [laughter] having. like her. face is like it's not she does not look. delighted. >> She looks kind of disgusted. >> and repulsed, but it's like I just need. to see what this is all about. It's as.

funny as it is because Rob Reiner keeps. going, right? >> And he understands there's still another. joke in there somewhere. I want to I. want to get all the jokes out. So, I. want to pause. >> Yeah. for just a moment. >> and talk about how you how we should. juxtapose. all of the hilarity and joy that you. just described. >> that defines these films. How we're.

supposed to hold that in one hand and. the brutality and the awfulness of how. his life ends. in the other. [sighs and gasps]. The terrible thing about this death, a. terrible thing about it in terms of the. millions of people who never met, didn't. know Rob Reiner, but whose lives were. touched by his work is that the work was. about the opposite of how he died.

And yet, you know, the very moving. aspect of this grizzly tragedy is, I. mean, from all reports, you know, the. Riners were determined to like help. their son, right? The ethos of the. family life is the ethos of the film. making. >> You know, sometimes to the movies's. detriment because the movies didn't want. to go to really dark places. The movies.

weren't about the real darknesses, right? The real difficulties. They were. about the the attempt to believe in our. better natures, our better selves. >> And that is what is so shocking about. his death. But you know, I was, you. know, as one, as at least I do, when. great or important people die in popular. culture, >> you were often tasked with eulogizing. them in print. >> Yeah. And so you go back and you look.

and see how things went for them in in. real time or how they've been. memorialized before their death, how. their work is considered. And I found, you know, one of the great tomes, one of. the great movie projects ever. >> Yeah, you're holding a very, very thick. book. >> is David Thompson's biographical. dictionary of film. >> It's right here. New I got a new. biographical dictionary of film. the. Marryiam Webbsters of movies written by. one man, David Thompson. And his Rob. Reiner entry is.

kind of amazing because he's a little. more dismissive of the wonderful movies. Um, he gets it, but he doesn't really. they're not for him apparently. But. here's what he says in his dismount and. it's deep. As a director, Rob Reiner, he. seemed more struck or paxed by the. notion that niceness could save the. world. It is a petty thought, but one. that stifles so many human and social. realities. And so his work turns to pie.

in the sky with good and bad all too. clearly labeled. He's carried along by a. fundamental decency and a sense of. scenes that play. But his films are. predictable from their first moments and. they begin to establish a weird dumb. orthodoxy. That if we're good to our. kids, everything will be okay. >> This is not true. Life is more. interesting. >> Wow. >> I mean, >> that is Rob Reiner was very alive when.

that was written. And I think. >> that is terribly preient. I think the. thing that made him lovable, Rob Reiner, as a human being, the reason he was so. beloved by so many different people. [sighs]. was that he. really believed in the fundamental. goodness of people. no matter what. You know, it's an. impossible situation for a parent to. turn your back on a child,

>> right? >> And in the end, he did not. And he. didn't because you know those movies. were this man [laughter]. for better and for worse but ultimately. for better because they were about our. better selves. >> This was a man who believed in life. He. believed in people and the movies stand. as a testament to that belief as far as. I'm concerned. And when [snorts] it. clicked and for like I'd say 10 years.

this man was humming. [laughter]. It really really really made people. happy the work that he made and it's. just that you know there's the family. tragedy part and then there is the the. happy guy part. He just seemed like such. a joyful like a he was a big bear of a. man and. you just he seemed like either he was. going to hug you or you could hug him. >> completely. >> And he would be okay with that. [laughter].

[music]. His movies were like that too for the. most part. [music] They were they're. always there to hug you. And if you want. to hug him back, feel free [music]. because they're on HBO. right now [laughter]. >> and Netflix and Amazon. Um [music]. Wesley, thank you very very much. Appreciate it. >> Michael, you're welcome. And I'm sorry. that [music] I'm sorry that I have to be. here to do it.

[music]. [music]. We'll be right back. [music]. Here's what else you need another day. On Tuesday, President Trump expanded the. US travel ban to cover [music]. five more countries and added partial.

bans on 15 additional countries. The. bans which began in June started with. countries including Afghanistan, Myanmar. and Haiti. The newly banned countries. include Mali, Nishair, South [music]. Sudan, and Syria. Palestinians are also. now banned. Those affected by [music]. the bans cannot immigrate to or enter. the United States. Trump has described.

[music] the banned countries as quote. third world and declared that their. citizens pose a threat to Americans. And [music]. the Australian government said that the. gunmen who carried out the mass shooting. at a Jewish celebration over the weekend. were motivated by ISIS. [music]. Police said that they found two homemade. Islamic State flags in the car that the. suspects, a father and son, [music] had. driven to the site of the massacre.

Today's episode was produced by [music]. Michael Simon Johnson, Moo Sadi, and. Luke Vanderplug. It was edited by. Brendan Clinkenberg [music] and Michael. Benois. contains music by Diane Wong and. Dan Powell and was engineered by Alyssa. Moxley. [music].

That's it for the daily. [music] I'm. Michael Babar. See you tomorrow.