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| The Princess Bride - 1987 |
Coming up next we have 1987's "The Princess Bride", a story about kidnapping, pirates, swordfights, miracles, true love, and rodents of unusual size.
The film's cast includes Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre The Giant, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, and Carol Kane.
In the city of Chicago, a sick boy is visited by his grandfather, who brings a book to entertain his grandson. The book is called "The Princess Bride". The boy is very unsure about the subject matter, but his grandfather convinces him to give it a chance.
In the story, a young woman named Buttercup takes pleasure in ordering her farm boy named Westley about. His response is always "As you wish". He has feelings for her, but she doesn't realize it.
Eventually, she comes to share his feelings and the two fall in love. "This is true love," says Wesley. "You think this happens every day?"
Wanting to get married and knowing he has no hope of raising money on the farm, Westley goes to seek his fortune elsewhere. A tearful departure ensues with Westley promising Buttercup that he will always come for her. Buttercup later hears that Westley was killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts and vows never to love again.
Five years go by. Buttercup is forced to become engaged to Prince Humperdinck of Florin. She accepts her fate with resignation.
While out on a ride one day, Buttercup is kidnapped by three men in the forest. They are a Sicilian mastermind, a Spaniard with an axe to grind with a six-fingered man, and a giant from Greenland.
The kidnapping is far from uneventful. They must face shrieking eels, the Cliffs of Insanity, and a masked-man in black who is chasing them. The man succeeds in catching up with them and besting the Spaniard in swordplay, the giant in strength, and the Sicilian in wits.
We find out that Westley is the man who has been following them. He didn't die as was previously thought and is now here to save Buttercup from marrying Prince Humperdinck.
With Humperdinck's men on their trail, the two lovebirds make their way to the Fire Swamp, which has a unique set of dangers. There are fire columns, quicksand and, R.O.U.S.es (rodents of unusual size).
They make it out of the Fire Swamp and are able to relax for just a moment before Humperdinck's men surround them.
Buttercup agrees to return with Humperdinck if he will spare Westley's life. The Prince agrees with this, but has Westley tortured to death without Buttercup's knowledge.
The Spaniard and the giant arrive. The Spaniard has found out how to get to the six-fingered man he has long sought, but he needs Westley's help to infiltrate Humperdinck's castle. They take the "mostly dead" Westley to Miracle Max who gives them a miracle pill that revives him.
"Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togever today. Mawage that bwessed awangement, that dweam within a dweam," begins the clergyman. However, the marriage ceremony of Buttercup and Humperdinck doesn't get very far with the interruption of Westley and his friends.
During the raid on the castle, our Spaniard finds his six-fingered man. "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die," he tells his victim.
Westley and Buttercup succeed in escaping Humperdinck's clutches, and they share a kiss.
With the story finished, the Grandfather prepares to leave. His grandson asks him if he will come and read the story again to him the next day. "As you wish," says his grandfather with a grin.
Cast rundown:
Robin Wright.............................Buttercup
Cary Elwes................................Westley
Mandy Patinkin..........................Inigo Montoya
Billy Crystal...............................Miracle Max
Chris Sarandon..........................Prince Humperdinck
Christopher Guest......................Count Rugen
Wallace Shawn..........................Vizzini
Andre The Giant........................Fezzik
Fred Savage..............................The Grandson
Peter Falk..................................The Grandfather
Carol Kane.................................Valerie
And that's it for The Princess Bride. Mandy Patinkin says that the role of Inigo Montoya is his personal favorite role of his entire career. He has also said that the line "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die," gets quoted to him two or three times a day. Patinkin says he loves hearing the line quoted back to him.
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