The Princess Bride (1987)

September 25, 1987

September 25, 1987

The Princess Bride is a 1987 American fantasy adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner and starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, André the Giant, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Billy Crystal and Carol Kane. Adapted by William Goldman from his novel of the same name, it tells the story of a swashbuckling farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. The film preserves the novel's metafictional narrative style by presenting the story as a book being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson.

The film was first released in the United States on September 25, 1987, and received widespread critical acclaim. After only having modest initial box office success, it has over time become a cult film and gained recognition as one of the greatest films of the 1980s as well as one of Reiner's best works. The film is number 50 on the Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies", number 88 on The American Film Institute's (AFI) "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" list of the 100 greatest film love stories, and 46 in Channel 4's 50 Greatest Comedy Films list. The film also won the 1988 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. The film also won the People's Choice Award at the 12th Toronto International Film Festival. In 2016, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".

Storyline

A grandfather reads a novel to his sick grandson, who initially dismisses the story. The book is about Buttercup, a young woman living on a farm in the fictional kingdom of Florin. Whenever she tells farmhand Westley to do something, he always complies, saying, "As you wish", as his way of telling her he loves her. The two fall in love, and Westley leaves to seek his fortune overseas so they can marry; however, Westley is presumed dead after his ship is attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Five years later, Buttercup is forcibly betrothed to Florin's Prince Humperdinck. Before the wedding, she is kidnapped by crafty Sicilian criminal Vizzini and his henchmen: Fezzik, a giant, and Inigo Montoya, a Spanish fencing master obsessed with revenge against the six-fingered man who murdered his father. A masked man in black pursues them, as do Humperdinck and his soldiers.

Atop the Cliffs of Insanity, the man in black defeats Inigo in a sword duel and knocks him out, chokes Fezzik into unconsciousness, and kills Vizzini by tricking him into drinking a deadly poison. He takes Buttercup and flees ahead of Humperdinck's party. She correctly guesses he is the Dread Pirate Roberts, rebukes him for killing Westley, and shoves him down a steep hill. While tumbling down, he shouts, "As you wish!" Realizing the man is Westley, Buttercup tumbles after him, and they are reunited.

While making their way through the Fire Swamp to avoid Humperdinck and his soldiers, Westley explains that "Dread Pirate Roberts" is a transferable title that he assumed when the previous Roberts retired. Having found Buttercup, Westley intends to retire himself and pass on the title to someone else. Humperdinck captures the pair after they emerge from the Fire Swamp. Buttercup agrees to return with Humperdinck after he promises to release Westley; however, he secretly orders Count Rugen to take Westley to his torture chamber, the Pit of Despair. After Westley notices that Rugen has six fingers on his right hand, Rugen knocks him out.

When Buttercup threatens to commit suicide if the wedding happens, Humperdinck falsely promises to find Westley for her. His real plan is to start a war with the neighboring country of Guilder by killing Buttercup and framing them for it. Humperdinck had secretly hired Vizzini to kill her, but Westley interfered. Meanwhile, Fezzik becomes part of the brute squad ordered to clear the thieves' forest before the wedding. He finds a drunk Inigo in the forest, whom he sobers up and tells about Rugen. Inigo says that he and Fezzik need Westley's help to storm the castle.

Buttercup realizes that Humperdinck did not search for Westley and calls him a coward. Enraged, he imprisons her and tortures Westley to near death. Inigo and Fezzik follow Westley's screams to the pit and take his body to Miracle Max, a folk healer whom Humperdinck recently fired. The "mostly dead" Westley is revived by him, though he is severely weakened. As Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik storm the castle during the wedding, Humperdinck panics and orders the priest to conclude at once. Inigo confronts Rugen, who flees and then stabs him in an ambush, taunting his obsession. Inigo braves his injuries and kills Rugen.

Westley locates Buttercup as she is about to commit suicide and assures her that the marriage is invalid as she never said "I do". Humperdinck finds them and challenges Westley to a duel, but Westley intimidates him into surrendering. Inigo finds Westley and Buttercup, and Fezzik procures four horses for their escape. When Inigo is unsure what to do next with his life, Westley offers him the Dread Pirate Roberts title. As dawn breaks, the reunited Westley and Buttercup share a passionate kiss. The sick grandson eagerly asks his grandfather to read him the story again the next day. His grandfather replies, "As you wish."

Movie Trailer

  • The Princess Bride (1987) (Trailers)

Sound Effects Used

Other Audio Used

  • MGM Roar (Heard once in a high pitch in the 2012 logo on the Criterion Blu-ray. Note that the movie itself is still normal-pitched on that Blu-ray.)

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Audio Samples

External Links