The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride (1987)

Director: Rob Reiner

Writer: William Goldman

Cast: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin. Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, Peter Cook, Mel Smith, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal

Synopsis:

An elderly man (Falk) reads the book The Princess Bride to his grandson (Savage), home sick with the flu. The book tells the story of Buttercup (Wright), a farm owner in the kingdom of Florin, who falls in love with Westley (Elwes), one of her hired hands. After Westley is killed while seeking his fortune, Buttercup agrees to marry Prince Humperdink (Sarandon), even though she does not love him. However, while enjoying a spirited horse ride early one morning, Buttercup is abducted by Vizzini (Shawn) and his associates Inigo (Patinkin) and Fezzik (André the Giant). The abduction was orchestrated to bring about a war between Florin and its rival Guilder. Things don't go according to plan, though, as the kidnappers are pursued by Prince Humperdink and his men and a mysterious man in black. 

First Impressions:

My parents took my brother and me to see this film when I was 11 years old. I remember not hearing about the movie before seeing it, and I honestly didn't want to go because it sounded stupid. Oddly, my feelings before watching mirrored those of Fred Savage's character, who is resistant to having the book read to him because he fears it may be a "kissing book." Those were pretty much my thoughts as well. Fortunately, I quite liked the movie despite more kissing than I cared for. It was exciting and funny, and it created a sense of fantasy and wonder that appealed a great deal to a young me. Decades later, I still consider it a fantastic movie, and I often recommend it as the perfect date night film. It's been quite a while since I watched it, and I'm excited to view it with my critical eye. So, let's get down to it.

Story/Direction: 

"As you wish."

 So this movie basically amounts to being a romantic action-comedy. As a general rule, I loathe romantic comedies. I think they're stupid, pointless and usually present an unrealistic portrayal of love and courtship (that's right, I said courtship). However, this movie may be the lone exception in that opinion. Typically, I find romance in most films to be trite, rushed and generally unsatisfying. Still, the romance between Buttercup and Westley seems genuine and never made me roll my eyes once. Believe me, that's a rare thing. As far as the rest of the story goes, I think it hits all of the right notes. It's paced beautifully, and the 1 hour and 38-minute runtime just fly by. The voice-over narration from Peter Falk's character handles any exposition needed quickly and efficiently, so the audience doesn't get bogged down in "world-building." We're given what we need to understand the story, and that's it. 

One of the things that I love about the movie is its handling of the more fantastic elements of the story. The film was released in 1987, many years before Hollywood's current fantasy renaissance. During that period, most fantasy films were B-movie schlock and not taken seriously in the least (with a few exceptions). In this case, director Rob Reiner handles all of the fantastic elements with a sincerity not seen during that era but also sprinkled in a fair amount of cheek to give the audience a chuckle. Reiner really does an excellent job balancing all of the film's different elements (romance, action, comedy) without letting one overtake the other two. 

Speaking of the comedy, it's undoubtedly one of the film's high points. It's very much British in its dryness, wit and sarcasm. However, there's also a fair amount of slapstick for those who prefer more silliness. Most importantly, the comedy is pretty universal and has aged better than most era comedies. This is just a feel-good movie, and I can't help but smile all through it, and the ending is just...well, it's a happy and hopeful ending which is something we need more of today.

Acting/Characters:

I've always found Rob Reiner, regardless of the type of movie he's directing, has a talent for casting the right people for the right roles. The cast of The Princess Bride is top-notch, not a stinker to be found. I wish I had space to go over everyone in the film because just about every performance deserves recognition. 

Cary Elwes' Westley is the closest thing the film has to a "hero." I've always liked Elwes as an actor, and it's a shame he didn't get more leading roles throughout the 80s and 90s. As Westley, he shifts between humble and cocky with ease, and he's just such a likable character that you really root for him and Buttercup to end up together.

Speaking of Buttercup, let's talk about Robin Wright for a second. The Princess Bride was Wright's first-ever film role, and I think she nailed it. The character of Buttercup is an interesting one because she's basically a walking MacGuffin. So often, a character in that position isn't given a lot of agency and is usually relegated to being rescued. While much of the film's point is to rescue Buttercup, she's still in control of her own destiny. She knows that she's powerless to escape Prince Humperdink on her own, but she's also not afraid to do what needs to be done to save herself from a lifetime of unhappiness. 

The rest of the cast is excellent, and I'll do my best to mention as many as possible. Mandy Patinkin does a great job as the revenge-driven Inigo Montoya, giving us one of the greatest (and most quoted) lines in cinema history. Wallace Shawn is delightfully obnoxious as the criminal Vizzini. Chris Sarandon and Christopher Guest revel in their villainy as Prince Humperdink and Count Rugen, respectively. There's even a pair of great cameos from Billy Crystal and Carol Kane that are worth the price of admission. Even André the Giant's Fezzik works well. Fantastic cast, no question about it.

Visuals/Special Effects:

Being a fantasy movie, there are quite a bit of special effects in The Princess Bride, with most of them being very good for the time. Of course, being released in 1987, all effects would have been practical and in-camera. We're treated to quicksand, fire spouting out of the ground, and, of course, let's not forget the Rodents of Unusual Size. While these effects may seem dated nowadays, they worked well within the film and didn't take me out of it at all.

Music/Soundtrack:

The music for the film was composed by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, who really understood the feeling of the film. Oddly the music seems contemporary for the 80s but at the same time has a timeless quality that lends itself to the setting of the film. Unlike many modern fantasy movies, the score is understated and doesn't rely on big brass and powerful percussive beats. Instead, it just hangs in the background elevating the action on the screen. I can't say enough good things about it.

Action:

For a romantic comedy, there is a ton of good action beats. The first one that comes to most people's minds is the fencing duel between Inigo and the man in black. It's one of the best-choreographed swordfights in cinema history (in my opinion, at least), and it throws in quite a few laughs as the cherry on the sundae. There are also a few more decent fight scenes and a good chase. Additionally, Buttercup and Westley's trip through the Fire Swamp is full of good action beats.

Final Verdict:

I still love this movie. How could I not? It has a great blend of action, comedy and romance. Honestly, it should be set up as the standard for all similar types of films. It's unlikely that most people reading this review haven't seen The Princess Bride, but if you are one of those people that haven't, do yourself a favor and check it out. Preferably with a loved one. And if you've already seen it, see it again. C'mon, you know it's worth it.