An achingly beautiful romance and laugh-out-loud comedy, "The Princess Bride" (1987) is the ultimate romantic comedy film because it succeeds on both counts.
Directed by Rob Reiner, written by William Goldman, and starring Cary Elwes (Westley), Robin Wright (Buttercup), and Mandy Patinkin (Inigo), this fairy tale portrays a beautiful maiden (Wright) and handsome servant (Elwes) who love each other, but are kept apart by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, including societal class, physical distance, villains, and even death. The delicious writing, perfect direction, and inspired acting have made this cult classic endure for more than 20 years.
How curious that some of today’s comedies fail to be funny and some romances fail to have chemistry between the leads when The Princess Bride manages to do both so well? There’s also the sweet nature of The Princess Bride to consider. Few PG-rated love stories or comedy films get made anymore. Yet without blatant sexuality or course language, this film expresses the passionate nature of the couple’s relationship and humorous dialogue/situations.
Compare The Princess Bride to today’s romantic comedy films, many of which have been quite successful at the box office and on subsequent DVD sales (indicating a huge market for gross-out humor). Take away the raunch factor in movies such as Superbad, Good Luck Chuck, Mr. Woodcock, Blades of Glory, and The Heartbreak Kid, and then ask yourself “Would they still be funny?”
After many dozens of viewings, I still get goose bumps when Westley whispers, “As you wish.” I still feel sick when The Albino tortures Westley in The Pit of Despair. I still thrill to the beauty of Goldman’s dialogue. I still laugh at Inigo’s sword-fighting antics. And after all this time, I still feel disappointed that a sequel to this film never made it to the screen.
