On October 9, 1987, the movie “The Princess Bride” was released, and the film world has not been the same since. It is mostly the humor that keeps it in the forefront of people's minds. The iconic “Have fun storming the castle” line and the “mostly dead” scene still make most people laugh, and of course the “Mawidge, mawidge is what bwings us togevver today” scene. It was an influential movie of its time and still is today.
The film is the perfect combination of, to quote the script, “Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases. Escapes. True Love. Miracles.” Despite its current popularity, it did not do well in the box office originally. While it did not necessarily flop, it didn’t soar either. The original screenplay had bounced from studio to studio for years until director Rob Reiner took up the torch and began working on it in 1986.
The first person the director casted was Carl Elwes as Westley without really entertaining any other actors, as both Reiner and the casting director Jane Jenkins believed that Elwes was the only one good enough for the role, with his blonde hair and blue eyes and for his performance in “Lady James.” Strangely enough, Robin Wright was not chosen to play Princess Buttercup until a week before filming actually began. Mandy Patinkin auditioned for the role of Inigo Montoya, and Wallace Shawn was chosen for Vizzini mostly because of his height and personality.
When William Goldman, the author of the book, originally workshopped the script, he wanted Andre “The Giant” Roussimoff to play the character of Fezzik, mainly due to the size of the wrestler—at a whopping 7 feet 9 inches and 529 pounds, it was an understandable casting choice. When the casting director approached Roussimoff, there was a scheduling conflict with a wrestling match, and Arnold Schwarzenegger was nearly given the role. This was a blow to production, but luckily the issue was resolved as the match was canceled and Roussimoff could play the role. The rest of the cast was filled in from there.
Although it’s been over 30 years since “The Princess Bride” came out, it continues to impact people today. Most of the people in my life have found themselves watching it over and over again during quarantine and throughout the pandemic. Interestingly enough, several scenes and lines from the movie still have bearing on the events of today.
The first quote comes only twenty or so minutes into the movie. The Dread Pirate Roberts is making his way up the Cliffs of Insanity while chasing Vizzini, Inigo Montoya and Fezzik. The trio had stolen the Princess Buttercup and Roberts is trying to steal her back for what the trio believed was his own benefit. Vizzini tells Inigo Montoya to fight the man once Roberts reaches the top, and as he leaves, Fezzik leans down and says to Montoya, “You be careful—people in masks can’t be trusted.”
When I rewatched the movie with my friends on campus, we all found ourselves laughing because of the irony of watching this in 2020. We are at a point in our lives where everyone wears masks, and Fezzik’s point is one to focus on.
The following scene after the duel is between Fezzik and Westley. In this scene, Fezzik is dueling a masked man, whom he does not recognize as Westley. Throughout the fight there are comments about each other’s skills and at a break in the fight, Fezzik asks the man in the mask, “Why do you wear a mask? Were you disfigured at birth or burned by acid or something like that?”
The masked man responds, “Oh no, it’s just that they’re terribly comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.”
The pure chance of this line being so accurate this year is wild, and while Westley’s mask is worn over his eyes and not his mouth, it is still funny to hear.
The final moment comes maybe five minutes later, in a battle of wits. Well, one sided wits. In the scene, Westley presents Vizzini with two cups, telling him that one contains iocane powder, an odorless, tasteless poison that dissolves in water.
This scene was referenced during this year’s Mac Movie Night. In Chi Alpha’s movie, one of the hallmates, Aly Davis ’20, was poisoned by a glass of juice without her knowledge, much like Westley poisoned Vizzini.
Overall, the movie is a fantastic watch, and the best part is the fact that this movie is appropriate for all ages. The kids that I babysit enjoy it, and my grandmother back home from Wales loves it, and practically everyone who's seen the movie can admit its charms.