The Princess Bride
For some strange reason, “The Princess Bride” was not a big
thing in Denmark. I had never even heard of the movie until I was introduced to
it by my astonished wife. Although I have watched it multiple times since, this
is an excellent movie, it is not one of those eighties’ movie with a patina of
sweet childhood memories. To me, it does not feel that old.
The story of “The Princess Bride” is a bedside story told by
a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his grandchild (Fred Savage), a bedridden child
of around 10. This is a fairytale, so it takes place in a fairytale world. In
this world a girl, Buttercup (Robin Wright) is in love with a farmhand, Westley
(Cary Elwes). Westley leaves to seek his fortune, but is captured by the Dread
Pirate Roberts and rumoured dead. Buttercup is devastated and five years later
betrothed to the arrogant prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), a man she does
not love.
Shortly before the wedding, Buttercup is kidnapped by an
unlikely trio led by the dwarf Vizzini (Wallace Shawn). He is accompanied by a
giant, Fezzik (André the Giant) and a Spanish swordsman, Inigo Montoya (Mandy
Patinkin). They are chased by a mysterious stranger which they first take for the
Dread Pirate Roberts, but eventually turns out to be Westley. What ensues is too
good to reveal in a synopsis. Suffice to say that Prince Humperdinck and his
evil advisor, Count Tyrone Rugen (Christopher Guest) are the true bad guys here
and both Buttercup and Westley must pass a lot of trials on their way.
The plot of “The Princess Bride” is nothing special. It is
the characters and the dialogue that wins the price here. Both are magnificent.
Vizzini as the Sicilian smartass has some fantastic lines including his ubiquitous
“Inconceivable” and “Never enter a land war in Asia”. Inigo Montoya is hunting
for the six-fingered man who killed his father and dream of telling him “My
name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die”. This is his life
mission and for this he has become a master swordsman. Both Humperdinck and
Rugen are absolutely awesomely evil and ridiculous. Exactly the over-the-to
villains that makes a good movie great. Guest is particularly awesome and such
a departure from his role in “This is Spinal Tap”. We even get Mel Smith and
Billy Crystal in small but vital roles.
Because of these fantastic characters, “The Princess Bride”
is amazingly rewatchable. It is one of those movies you enjoy quoting the lines
from so that if you hear someone screaming “The cliffs of insanity!”, you know
what they have be watching. This is the kind of comedy that may not have you
rolling on the ground on first view, but one that drops so many pearls that, I
at least, cannot help loving it more every time I watch it.
This also happens to be one of my wife’s favourite movies.
Not long ago Rob Reiner got murdered, apparently by his own
son. It was such a crazy story and it made me think of all those great movies
Reiner made, especially back in the eighties, and not least “The Princess Bride”.
He had a very good streak and even though his late movies may not have reached
the same level, he was one of Hollywood’s great directors (and producer).
“The Princess Bride” is a fun watch and an essential comedy
of the eighties. If it had not been on the list, I would have added it in a
heartbeat.
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