A True Whimsical Fantasy Classic

Rating: 10/10 (18 September 2018)

Charming, witty and beautiful, a short saga which wears its fairy tale inspirations on one sleeve and fantasy inspirations on the other. And, if there were a third sleeve, there we'd see the trace of a swashbuckling influence, too. This one hits all the right notes, from the gently-plucked musical score (provided by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) to the familiar-yet-surprising twists and turns of the plot to the positively irreplaceable casting decisions.
That last one really stuck with me on this viewing, the realization that every last role was occupied by the perfect actor. Cary Elwes and Robin Wright as the smitten, star-crossed lovers; Mandy Patinkin in a vigorously youthful revenge role, complete with a spectacularly great catchphrase; Andre the Giant as the good natured, softly-spoken mountain of a man; Wallace Shawn as a smooth-talking Sicilian who might be too smart for his own good; Billy Crystal and Carol Kane effortlessly lightening the mood; Christopher Guest as a cowardly enforcer; Peter Falk and Fred Savage as the story's connection to the modern world. Take away any one of those players and the film suffers.
Rob Reiner, working from novelist William Goldman's screenplay, brings an inherently literary tale to life in ways that must have seemed impossible at the onset. Together, they deliver just the right mix of levity and romance, dramatic tension and comic timing. A few seams show here and there, particularly when scenes aren't shot on-location or monsters threaten the key players, but somehow that just adds to the bemusing magic of it all. Tough to think of a better love letter to the not-so-innocent myths of old, or a more timeless rendition of their common themes.