The Princess Bride

This film is based on a novel by S. Morgenstern, a pen-name for author William Goldman, to whom this was read by his grandfather. It has every great staple of a fairy tale: fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, chases, escapes, monsters, miracles, true love. Goldman wrote the screenplay, and in the film the grandfather is played by Peter Falk, while he reads it to his grandson, played by Fred Savage. “Is this a kissing book?” the grandson worries, requesting that his grandfather skip those parts to get to “the good stuff”.

The plot centers on a beautiful farm girl named Buttercup (Robin Wright), who enjoys riding her horse and bossing around her servant Wesley (Cary Elwes). Whenever she requests something of him, he replies, “As you wish”, a gesture that she soon discovers means “I love you”. Predictably, they fall in love, but we skip the “kissing parts” and move along to learn that he went overseas to seek his fortune, but was attacked by pirates.

The plot centers on a beautiful farm girl named Buttercup (Robin Wright), who enjoys riding her horse and bossing around her servant Wesley (Cary Elwes). Whenever she requests something of him, he replies, “As you wish”, a gesture that she soon discovers means “I love you”. Predictably, they fall in love, but we skip the “kissing parts” and move along to learn that he went overseas to seek his fortune, but was attacked by pirates.

Buttercup, heartbroken over the loss of her true love, is betrothed to the Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), doomed to a loveless marriage. One day, while she is out riding her horse, she is captured by three bandits: the cunning Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), the gentle giant Fezzik (Andre the Giant), and experienced swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin). It does not take the bandits long to discover that a mysterious man in black is on their trail.

The story takes a number of twists and turns, and their adventures involve treks through eel-infested waters, forests inhabited by giant rats, a six-fingered Count (Christopher Guest) who thrives on torturing people to death, and Billy Crystal in a scene-stealing performance as a miracle man who brings dead men back to life.

This film is delightful, the performances across the table are enjoyable, and the screenplay is incredibly smart. At 98 minutes, it moves along at a brisk pace. Even if the plot gets a bit too ridiculous sometimes, it’s difficult to fault a script that seems constantly aware of how silly it is. The characters are also endearing, and the film is highly quotable. Director Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap) brings Goldman’s screenplay to life remarkably well.

The Princess Bride is a cult classic for good reason. It is highly entertaining, well-cast, and smartly-scripted. It is also exciting, funny, and well-paced. To not watch this film would be, well, inconceivable.

Rated PG

1 hour, 38 minutes