Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, The Princess Bride should've been awarded the designation of best comedy of the year. Having built a large cult following since its 1987 release, The Princess Bride continues to entertain whole new generations of fans. Its enduring tale and timeless humor are certain to cement its place among the hallowed halls of the movie classic elites. The Princess Bride is one of the few movies that every person absolutely should see - if you miss it, then you'll miss out on an entire world of fun.
When a kindly old grandfather (Peter Falk) reads a story to his grandson (Fred Savage), his grandson is in for the story of a lifetime. The Princess Bride follows the story of the beautiful maiden, Buttercup (Robin Wright), who falls in love with a poor stable boy named Westley (Cary Elwes). But the two are torn apart when Westley is captured by a band of pirates, and Buttercup is kidnapped by the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), who intends to make her his wife.
But when the Dread Pirate Roberts (who just might be Westley) arrives on the scene, he's intent on rescuing Buttercup from the clutches of the evil prince. To do so, he must overcome a series of obstacles, and he must take on the skills and strength of a master swordsman, Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and a giant, Fezzik (Andre the Giant). When the two men find out that the Dread Pirate Roberts is more than a match for their combined skills, they join him in his noble effort to rescue the princess bride, Buttercup. But Prince Humperdinck and his evil henchman (including a six-fingered man who may have killed Inigo Montoya's father) stand in their way.
The Princess Bride plays host to a number of hilarious scenes, but among the best is a sword fight that takes place between Westley and Inigo Montoya atop a large cliff. The two men talk trash to each other in rested voices while a well-choreographed fencing match takes place. It simply needs to be seen in order to enjoy the level of hilarity. In addition, Andre the Giant shows off his abilities as a likeable and loveable big guy with a big heart. All the various characters and their conflicts are drawn together with an original score featuring organ music that highlights the climax of each struggle. It fits nicely with the overall fantasy theme and makes The Princess Bride a better film from every perspective.
Article comments
1 - PoizonMyst
What a fantastic movie - so funny, so romantic, so timeless - a brilliant package.
I saw the premiere of this film when it was released in Australian cinemas years ago - the entire movie theatre was in stitches the whole way through. When I saw the DVD on the shelf at my local video store, I rented it immediately for my kids to watch. Definately a movie for young and old alike.
Ahh, your review brings back wonderful memories - to find a film with similar qualities of entertainment is particularly rare. A treasured gem in a field of quartz.