Thoughts On The 30th Anniversary Of The Princess Bride

A few weeks ago, The Princess Bride celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Fred Savage plays a young boy who is home sick from school. His grandfather, played by Peter Falk reads the boy a story. The story is The Princess Bride.

Buttercup (Robin Wright) is a young lady from a poor farm family chosen to marry Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). While she has agreed to go on with the match, she is mourning the loss of her true love, Westley (Cary Elwes). It has been five years since he was murdered. Needing a break from the craziness  of her upcoming wedding and her memories of her late beloved, Buttercup goes out for a ride. The rest is movie history.

This movie, except that it is pure genius. While the basic narrative to heavily steeped in classic fairy tales, the humor is modern and is can be very adult.

If I had to choose a favorite scene, it would be the one with Billy Crystal and Carol Kane. It is comedy at it’s best.

Here is to the 30 years of laughs from The Princess Bride. I hope that in 30 years, we will continue to laugh.

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Marriage

Marriage is many things.

Marriage is a daily compromise between two individuals who have chosen to spend their life together.

Marriage is a commitment.

Marriage is the willingness and the want to wake up to one person every day for what will hopefully be the rest of your life.

The landmark decision late last week to make same sex marriage the law of the land was met with fervor on both sides of the aisle. Couples who have been together (and some by extension, raising their children together) for years, will now be recognized with the same rights, privileges and responsibilities that straight couples have taken for granted.

But there are some that are mourning this ruling.  Their point of view is that the voters, not the Supreme Court, should have made the decision.

While I respect their point of view and their right to state their opinion, I disagree with them.

Marriage and the concept of marriage has come a long way. It is no longer a husband lording over his wife. Marriage is the want of two adults, who are ready, willing and able to make a life together.

I believe that the people who oppose same sex marriage should applaud this ruling, not fight it. Watching same sex couple finally get to tie the knot reminds us why we value marriage. If they really value marriage and what it represents (stability, a solid home life, raising children in a two parent household), then they are only fighting against what they state is the ideal way to live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throwback Thursday-The Princess Bride (1987)

The other day, I reviewed As You Wish, Cary Elwes’s memoir of making The Princess Bride (1987) .

The subject of this Throwback Thursday post is The Princess Bride.

A young boy (Fred Savage) is home sick. His grandfather (Peter Falk) is watching his grandson and reads him the story of The Princess Bride.

Westley (Cary Elwes) is a farm boy in love with Buttercup (Robin Wright), the daughter of the owner of the farm where he works.  She returns his love, but he does not say “I love you”. He says “as you wish”. Wanting to better himself, Westley leaves the farm to change his fate. Several years pass and Buttercup is engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). But the prince is not so charming. He needs a reason to start a war with a neighboring kingdom. Buttercup is kidnapped in order to start the war.  What is not known to Buttercup is that the man who rescues her is the man she has loved all along.

This movie is incredible. It is part satire, part traditional fairy tale and extremely enjoyable.

I recommend it.

As You Wish Book Review

The Princess Bride is one of the best movies of the last 30 years. Based on the book of the same name by William Goldman, the story is tale of true love against all odds. Part satire, part fantasy and part traditional fairy tale, this movie is extremely entertaining and easily quotable.

Late last year, the movie’s made lead, Cary Elwes (Westley) wrote a memoir of his time making the movie. Entitled As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride, this book is a great read not just for fans of the movie, but for movie fans in general. Elwes takes the reader by the hand and leads them through the initial audition process, then through making the movie and finally ending with a retrospective. Included are pictures and interviews with his co stars and some of the higher ups in the production.

I absolutely recommend this book.