"The Princess Bride" debuted September 25, 1987 having moderate success in the box office. Then gaining a huge cult following after it got distributed on VHS and Laserdisc.
Based on a book of the same name "The Princess Bride" starred Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, and Andre the Giant. In fact it is believed part of the films initial success is because it drew in the fans of Andre the Giant who was a popular wrestler in the 1980's.
The story is about Buttercup, a young maiden, who falls in love with her farmhand. When he goes out to earn a fortune so they may marry he is attacked by pirates and thought dead. Five years pass and Buttercup becomes betrothed to Prince Humperdinck.
Before they can marry however three men kidnap her. Prince Humperdinck pursues the outlaws with a regimen of soldiers and a hired mercenary dressed in black and wearing a mask. The man in black catches up to Buttercup and her captors, defeating the captors. He gets Buttercup who tells him he should die (thinking he is the pirate who killed the farmhand Westley whom she had loved). The man in black says, "As you wish." and hurls himself into a gorge.
Buttercup realizes then that the man was Westley and jumps in after him. They flee through a swamp and are captured on the other side by Humperdinck and his men. Buttercup agrees to go with Humperdinck if he releases Westley which he agrees to but secretly imprisons Westley anyway.
While imprisoned Westley is tortured and near death. The outlaws, Inigo and Fezzik, help Westley by taking him to a miracle worker who revives him though he suffers from temporary paralysis.
Inigo, Fezzik, and Westley invade Humperdinck's castle so Westley can rescue Buttercup. While that is happening Inigo goes after Humperdinck's vizier who killed his father. What happens next? Does Buttercup get rescued? Does Inigo get his revenge upon the vizier? Well I don't want to spoil the ending for you so you will just have to watch the film and find out.
The movie is entertaining and something the whole family can enjoy. Well worth finding a copy of and watching it.
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