R.I.P. Baby Fish Mouth…
Actor Bruno Kirby, who delivered some of the funniest lines in one of my favorite movies, When Harry Met Sally, died yesterday of leukemia. He was 57.
The movie starred Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, but it was Kirby’s role as Harry’s best friend Jess, along with Carrie Fisher as Sally’s best friend Marie, that gave us some of the movie’s best moments. Here’s some of my favorites…
(Harry and Jess are at a batting cage. Harry is trying to explain his relationship with Sally to Jess while hitting baseballs.)
Jess: You tell her about other women?
Harry: Yeah. Like the other night. I made love to this woman, and it was so incredible, I took her to a place that wasn’t human, she actually meowed.
Jess: You made a woman meow?
Harry: Yah. That’s the point, I can say these things to her. And the great thing is, I don’t have to lie because I’m not always thinking about how to get her into bed. I can just be myself.
Jess: You made a woman meow?
(A bunch of couples are playing Win, Lose or Draw)
Jess: Uh, it’s a monkey. It’s a monkey, monkey see monkey do! It’s… an ape, going ape!
Woman: It’s a baby!
(Sally points to her.)
Jess: Planet of the apes!
Harry: Planet of the apes? She just said it’s a baby. How about planet of the dopes?
Jess: It doesn’t look like a baby.
Harry: Hmm a big mouth… Mick Jagger is a baby!
Jess: Baby ape, baby ape!
Harry: Stop with the apes would you please?
Woman: Uh… baby’s breath!
Harry: Rosemary’s Baby’s mouth! Won’t you come home Bill baby!
Woman: Babababy…kiss the baby!
Harry: Melancholy baby’s mouth!
Jess: Baba…baby fish mouth, baby fish mouth!
(Out of shot: fifteen seconds.)
Woman: Baby boom!
Jess: Draw something resembling anything!
Woman: Crying baby, kiss the baby.
Harry: Uh…Baby spitting up, exorcist baby!
Woman: Yes sir that’s my baby!
Harry: No sir don’t mean may be.
(Out of shot: That’s it times up.)
Sally: (exasperated) Baby talk!
Jess: Baby talk? What’s that? That’s not a saying.
Harry: Oh but baby fish mouth is sweeping the nation. I hear them talking.
I know Bruno had other classic roles throughout his career (The Godfather II, City Slickers, and The Freshman), but I will always remember him as Jess. Thanks for the laughs, Bruno, and rest in peace…
I was so sad to stumble upon your posting and see that Bruno died. I, too, will always remember him as Jess in When Harry Met Sally. RIP.