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The Princess Bride

1987, Movie, PG, 98 mins

The Princess Bride: Review

A hilarious mixture of Errol Flynn swashbuckler and Monty Python send-up, THE PRINCESS BRIDE works as love story, as adventure, and as satire. In the framing story, a sick 10-year-old (Fred Savage) is visited by his grandfather (Peter Falk), who reads him The Princess Bride, a "kissing" story set in a medieval make-believe land. In it, the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright) reluctantly becomes engaged to a prince (Chris Sarandon) when her true love, Westley (Cary Elwes), disappears. Soon, however, she is kidnapped by a crafty Sicilian (Wallace Shawn) and his hirelings, Spanish swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and gargantuan Fezzik (Andre the Giant). Buttercup is rescued by a mysterious man in black, who turns out to be Westley; but after surviving the Dreaded Fireswamp, they are apprehended by the prince. Buttercup agrees to marry the prince when he promises to free Westley, but the dashing lad is actually tortured to death--or is he? With the help of a wizened miracle maker (Billy Crystal), Inigo and Fezzik join forces with Westley to fight the forces of evil. With tongues in cheeks and hearts on sleeves, director Rob Reiner and scripter William Goldman create a dazzling adventure for younger viewers, while at the same time hilariously satirizing the same genre. Goldman's screenplay, adapted from his own novel, made the rounds for 14 years before finally making it to the screen. The wait was worth it. When it comes to pleasing both kids and adults, you can't do much better than THE PRINCESS BRIDE. leave a comment