Force Fed Films: "The Princess Bride" (1987)

Just like Jim explaine,d the new format of F.F.F. we are doing this week, I gave one of my best friend the opportunity to make me watch something I normally won’t. And she did that; she gave me “The Princess Bride”. Just by looking at the cover with the silhouette of a couple holding hands and in the background a castle in the sky, I was real reluctant to see this movie. It looked real childish and girly, not a good movie to watch on my month of Arnold. But I gave it a go and all the fun stuff after the jump.

The story is told by a grandpa who reads it to his grandson, who’s sick. He, just like me, doesn’t want to hear a story about a princess. But the grandfather says this movie is about adventure, fencing, vengeance and even kissing. The book tells about a young couple, Buttercup and Westley who fall in love and decide to get married. But the future husband doesn’t have enough money for marriage, so he leaves her for work. News later arrives that he has died on the seas, and now Buttercup morns his loss. Five years later the King gets engaged with Buttercup but has some evil plans for her. Now it is up to Westley, who actually wasn’t dead, to save Buttercup and rejoin their true love.

The two love birds.

I don’t believe the story is the main enjoyment of the film; by far the most entertaining part are the characters. They have this certain story book charm to them. Even though both Buttercup and Westley are fairly ‘normal’, one's a damsel in distress and the other is the heroic lover. Inigo Montoya, Vizzini and Fezzik are the Dread Pirate Roberts and they are so awesome. They originally kidnap Buttercup to start a war with her kingdom, but are soon chased by a mysterious man in a mask (we later find out it is Westley). Montoya is a master swordsman who has his own side plot of getting vengeance for his father (‘My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!’). Vizzini (played by Wallace Shawn, who is hilarious), is the brains of the operation. And Fezzik is the tough muscle, with a soft spot for Buttercup. But later on, Montoya and Fezzik turn sides to help Westley get his bride to be. The way the three interact through their adventure is just so cartoonish and entertaining.

Now there is plenty of comedy in this movie, but I think it was all directed to the kids. I got the humour; it just didn’t make me laugh. But by all means, it isn’t bad. And yes there is some romance because it is a “kissing book”, the kids words not mine, but it doesn’t over shadow any other part of the movie. The amazing part is, I was expecting something girly but what I got was a movie with great characters and even action. The sword fight between Westley and Montoya was amazing to watch for two reasons: the actual choreography of the fight was stellar and the lines they say to each other through the fight was entertaining. They were making a few insults and jokes that even I found a bit funny.

Vizzini, Montoya and Fezzik about to kidnap Buttercup.

What caught me off guard was how complex the story was. I gave the most basic synopsis, but this movie evolves so much from almost a generic love story. There is a whole lot of twists that I did not see coming, and they all made the movie fun to watch. I was even at times gripping onto my chair wondering what’ll happen to Westley.

All I want to say is, I was surprised at this movie. Not only about how much I enjoyed it, but the fact that this movie was not what I thought it was going to be. It was this thrilling tale with sword fights, monsters, trickery and even some kissing. It is ‘inconceivable’ how much I enjoyed watching it and I am sure others will too.