The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American fantasy adventure comedy film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner and starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, and Robin Wright. Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel, 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 was well received by critics at the time. After only having modest initial box-office success, it has over time become a cult film and gained recognition as one of the best 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. 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".
Oh, Westley, will you ever forgive me? What hideous sin have you committed lately? I got married. I didn't want to. It all happened so fast. - It never happened. - What? - It never happened. - But it did. I was there. - This old man said, "Man and wife." - Did you say, "I do"? Uh, no. We sort of skipped that part. Then you're not married. If you didn't say it, you didn't do it. Wouldn't you agree, Your Highness? A technicality that will shortly be remedied.
The Princess Bride
But first things first. - To the death. - No! To the pain. I don't think I'm quite familiar with that phrase. I'll explain. And I'll use small words, so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced buffoon. That may be the first time in my life a man has dared insult me. It won't be the last. "To the pain" means the first thing you lose will be your feet, below the ankles. Then your hands at the wrists. Next, your nose. And then my tongue, I suppose. I killed you too quickly the last time, a mistake I don't mean to duplicate tonight. I wasn't finished! The next thing you lose will be your left eye, followed by your right. And then my ears. I understand. Let's get on with it. Wrong! Your ears you keep, and I'll tell you why. So that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out, "Dear God, what is that thing?" will echo in your perfect ears. That is what "to the pain" means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever. I think you're bluffing. It's possible, pig. I might be bluffing. It's conceivable, you miserable, vomitous mass, that I'm only lying here because I lack the strength to stand. Then again... perhaps I have the strength after all. Drop... your... sword.
The Princess Bride
Where's Fezzik? - I thought he was with you. - No. In that case... Help him. - Why does Westley need helping? - Because he has no strength. I knew it. I knew you were bluffing. I knew he was bluffing. - Shall I dispatch him for you? - Thank you, but no. Whatever happens to us, I want him to live a long life alone with his cowardice.
The Princess Bride