Everyone can enjoy "The Princess Bride"

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 2016)

Anyone may be skeptical of another fantasy film with "fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles," as is the young boy (Fred Savage) in "The Princess Bride." However, even the toughest little boys will fall for this enchanting tale. Framed within the narrative of a grandfather (the delightful Peter Falk) entertaining his sick grandson, everyone will enjoy Rob Reiner's adaptation of William Goldman's beloved fairy tale.
Any other director would have struggled to turn Goldman's masterpiece into a one-hundred-minute movie, but Reiner handles the romantic comedy with ease, capturing the simple genius of the story with the help of a phenomenal cast. Within the first five minutes, the bedrock of the story is completed. The most beautiful girl in the land by the name of Buttercup (Robin Wright) falls for the handsome farm boy Westley (Cary Elwes), however to afford the wedding, he goes over seas in seek of fortune. His ship is taken over, and she "will never love again." Crown Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon) chooses her to be his wife, and she is whisked away into an unhappy engagement, only to be kidnapped by three henchmen (Wallace Shawn as the conniving and shrewd Vizzini, Mandy Patinkin as the Spanish swords master Inigo Montoya, and Andre the Giant as Fezzik the giant).
Although Reiner could spent more time developing Buttercup and Westley's relationship, he does an efficient job of moving the plot along to move on to the fanciful fight scenesand the rest of the story. The remaining eighty minutes of the movie are handled spectacularly—the cinematography does not overshadow the plot, and yet it captures the majestic and fantastical sets with ease.
No doubt Mr. Goldman had a say in how his beloved story should be handled, without fanfare, only with modest admiration for what makes romantic fairy tales like "The Princess Bride" so widely beloved. While the audience, and the grandson, are not spared from the "kissing parts," Mr. Reiner counteracts the mush with comedy brilliantly.
The cast handle Mr. Goldman's wit with obvious relish and respect for the material. Even the minor characters, such as Miracle Max and his wife Valerie are casted perfectly, Billy Crystal and Carol Kane create the perfect bickering couple. Sarandon struts with the grace of a narcissistic secret villain, while Christopher Guest accompanies him with the lethal quietude of the perfect sidekick. Props to costume designer Phyllis Dalton for those glorious tunics—and to Sarandon for utilizing the swish of extra fabric in every twirl.
The score perfectly coincides with the action, Mark Knopfler composed a work of perfect melodrama to accompany the script. Interestingly enough, it adds to the comedic effects more so than the actual jokes. The classical guitar sets the mood and time so perfectly—genius!
Overall, "The Princess Bride" is a movie for all ages and genders. Rob Reiner took William Goldman's adapted golden script and created a cult classic to last. Children will enjoy the magic on screen as the parents laugh at the wit of the script. This is a true masterpiece, a movie that follows the book (almost) perfectly. "You think this happens every day?"