Princess Bride

Synopsis

The film is framed as a story told by a grandfather to his sick grandson.

A young man, Westley, leaves his sweetheart Buttercup, to seek his fortune so he can marry her. When he is presumed killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts, Buttercup is devastated. Five years later she is to marry the prince of the land Humperdink, though she does not love him.

Before the wedding, however, she is kidnapped by a Sicilian rogue named Vizzini and his 2 hired henchmen, the Spaniard Inigo Montoya who is sworn to revenge the death of his father who was killed by a man with six fingers on one hand and Fezzik a giant. Vizzini reveals that she will leave the body of Buttercup on the border of the neighbouring state to start a war.

In pursuit of the kidnappers is a mysterious stranger who first defeats Inigo in a sword fight, then Fezzik in fist to fist and finally kills Vizzini with poison.

After rescuing Buttercup she correctly accuses him of being the Dread Pirate Roberts, she pushes him down a hill. However she realises that he is actually Westley and pursues her down the hill.

Together they flee Humperdink and his count Hugen by escaping through the Fire Swamp, however they are caught when they emerge on the other side.

Buttercup sacrifises herself to save Westley, however the Prince and Hugen conspires to kill him instead. As Buttercup is led away by the prince, Westley notices that Hugen has six fingers on one hand.

As the wedding draws nearer Buttercup is convinced Westley will save her again however he is being tortured by Rugen in a secret hideout.

Inigo and Fezzik meanwhile teams up and finds out the Rugen is the man Inigo is seeking revenge on. With the extra security they decide they need the help of Westley. They find him, but he has already been killed. With the help of a local healer, Miracle Max he is revived, but severely weakened.

The 3 storms the castle using a combination of guile and force. Inigo kills Rugen, and Prince Humperdink is humilated. Westley, Buttercup, Fezzik and Inigo escape together.

Impressions

This must be the 4th of 5th time I watch this film, and it’s still great, although I wish Buttercup was slightly less useless (especially in the fight against the Rodent of Unusual Size in the Fire Swamp). The cast have a great energy and the whole film feels like an old school swashbuckling adventure.