The Princess Bride (1987)

The Princess Bride is one of my all-time top-ten favorite movies for two reasons. First, it's a whimsical comedic fairy tale that bends the rules. Second, the script is amazing in its originality and cheekiness plus the entire cast has such amazing comfort in their roles and chemistry together. This movie is so densely packed with superb dialog and one-liners that it's highly quotable with a shelf life of forever. I'll never tire of seeing it one more time! Our story begins with young Fred Savage -- home from school, sick in bed, and already bored with his Commodore 64 baseball video game. (Oh, the deprivation!) His grandpa, the mumblety-peg Peter Falk, comes by with a special book to read to him: The Princess Bride by S. Morgenstern. The boy is more interested in the promise of swordfights than romance but shrugs "I'll see if I can stay awake." The story develops a grip on him though since it is pure delight: The lovely girl Buttercup (Robin Wright Penn) discovers True Love with "Farm Boy" Westley (Cary Elwes) but after he goes to seek his fortune, news reaches her that "the dread Pirate Roberts" (who kills all prisoners) has taken his ship captive. The light goes out of her heart but her beauty wins the eye of the pompous Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), who plans to wed her (among other nefarious things). After an ultimatum, an impasse, subterfuge etc., Buttercup is kidnapped by three hired outlaws -- Spanish swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), dull giant Fezzik (Andre), conceited Sicilian Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) -- then pursued by the dread Pirate Roberts himself. Brilliant supporting roles and bit parts include the sociopathic Six-Fingered Man (Christopher Guest), Miracle Max (Billy Crystal) with his crone of a wife Valerie (Carol Kane). It is impossible to describe how much fun every character in this ensemble cast is or how perennially quotable the script is. (The list of my favorite quotes was as long as this review.) Even the soundtrack with Mark Knopfler's theme song is classic and sweet. For you to not love this movie would be "absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, inconceivable!" 5 stars.