# Inconceivable! The Princess Bride movie turns 20 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2007, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518 "2007-07-20T09:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/1 "2007-07-20T09:53:50Z")
On September 25th to be exact. After _Casablanca_ I think this movie has the most memorable quotes: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3EkBuKQEkio/hqdefault.jpg "Princess Bride - Battle of Wits") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EkBuKQEkio) > [@](#): > > Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha But the main reason I’m thinking of The Princess bride is that it is inconceivable that this bit was not pointed out yet in the SDMB: ABC news recently posted how the actors look like today and what are they up to: [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/popup?id=3370726](http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/popup?id=3370726) I’m just going to have to find myself another giant ☹ I think Westley got the fat the Albino lost. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/2 "2007-07-20T11:43:01Z")
At the risk of being dumb, someone has to explain the “Inconceivable” joke to me. I always thought he used the word correctly, no one should have been able to catch his ship, no one should have been able to climb the wall, no one should have been able to beat the best swordsman, no one should have beaten a giant twice the size of him. So what am I missing, why did they keep saying “You keep saying that word, I don’t think you know what it means.”? This has bugged me for almost 20 years now. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/3 "2007-07-20T11:50:55Z")
actually Inigo says “Why you keep using that word? I do not think it meaans what you think it means” and Vezzini was using it correctly (straight out of Webster’s) > [@](#): > > inconceivable > > Main Entry: > in·con·ceiv·able > Pronunciation: > ?in-k?n-?s?-v?-b?l > Function: > adjective > Date: > 1624 > : not conceivable: as a: impossible to comprehend b: unbelievable > — in·con·ceiv·abil·i·ty -?s?-v?-?bi-l?-t?\ noun > — in·con·ceiv·able·ness -?s?-v?-b?l-n?s\ noun > — in·con·ceiv·ably -bl?\ adverb but it’s a funny line anyway ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/4 "2007-07-20T12:24:14Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] actually Inigo says “Why you keep using that word? I do not think it meaans what you think it means” and Vezzini was using it correctly (straight out of Webster’s) [/QUOTE] Well, “inconceivable” has two meanings: literally, it means that you cannot form a mental image, but metaphorically it means imposible or highly improbable. Vezzini is using the word in the figurative sense, while I suspect that Inigo is being too literal. But one of the best quotes comes from Vizzini: > [@](#): > > Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line! Famous last words (literally). [And I should have read more of the OP] ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/5 "2007-07-20T12:28:18Z")
[QUOTE=Edward The Head] At the risk of being dumb, someone has to explain the “Inconceivable” joke to me. I always thought he used the word correctly, no one should have been able to catch his ship, no one should have been able to climb the wall, no one should have been able to beat the best swordsman, no one should have beaten a giant twice the size of him. So what am I missing, why did they keep saying “You keep saying that word, I don’t think you know what it means.”? This has bugged me for almost 20 years now. [/QUOTE] Look at it from Inigo’s point of view. Inigo is supposed to be mentally inferior to the Sicilian. . .perhaps not knowing – but guessing at – the meaning of the word, “inconceivable”. So, when several “inconceivable” things happen, the joke is that the Sicilian has the definition wrong, not that his conceptions are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/6 "2007-07-20T12:34:01Z")
> [@](#): > > ABC news recently posted how the actors look like today and what are they up to: That’s an AWFUL picture of Cary Elwes – the guy doesn’t look that bad (Look at him in **Saw** , for instance. I think Elwes is a talented actor, but I’m disappointed at how little he’s done. The picture of Billy Crystal is unflattering and bad, too. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/7 "2007-07-20T12:42:53Z")
I see, I just would have never thought of it that way and it always bugged me. At lease now when I watch the movie I’ll not get pissed at that section. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/8 "2007-07-20T13:27:21Z")
[QUOTE=Edward The Head] I see, I just would have never thought of it that way and it always bugged me. At lease now when I watch the movie I’ll not get pissed at that section. [/QUOTE] how can you get pissed off at a beautiful Mandy Patankin delivering a beautiful line? This movie ranks right at the top of my all time favorite and most re-watchable movies ever and yeah, some of the actors look terrible in the “now” pics - Robin Wright-Penn especially - all leathery and lifted - now she’s just another Hollywood 40-something trying to stay young-looking ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/9 "2007-07-20T13:43:59Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] That’s an AWFUL picture of Cary Elwes – the guy doesn’t look that bad (Look at him in **Saw** , for instance. I think Elwes is a talented actor, but I’m disappointed at how little he’s done. [/QUOTE] I thought that 1. he looked terrible in **Saw** and that that picture does him justice 2. his ACTING in **Saw** was noticeably, standout, bad – even compared to the unknowns he was acting with. Loved him in the Princess Bride, though. Up until my college days, that was definitely my favorite movie of all time. One that we watched tons. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/10 "2007-07-20T13:45:21Z")
I had always believed that Inigo thought that Vizzini was using “inconceivable” as a curse word, possibly having to do with “conception” or otherwise referencing sexual intercource. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/11 "2007-07-20T14:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=GIGObuster] ABC news recently posted how the actors look like today and what are they up to: [http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/popup?id=3370726](http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/popup?id=3370726) [/QUOTE] Carol Kane’s really gone into the whole plastic movement, hasn’t she? And it’s funny how little Wallace Shawn has changed over the years. He’s a bit more pruny, but otherwise the same. Probably the most career out of any of that cast, Billy Crystal excepted. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/12 "2007-07-20T14:22:02Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] and yeah, some of the actors look terrible in the “now” pics - Robin Wright-Penn especially - all leathery and lifted - now she’s just another Hollywood 40-something trying to stay young-looking [/QUOTE] Oh man, she looks **awful**. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/13 "2007-07-20T14:25:48Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] Carol Kane’s really gone into the whole plastic movement, hasn’t she? [/QUOTE] Too bad that vanity didn’t extend to her teeth. Oh my. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/14 "2007-07-20T14:57:11Z")
[QUOTE=ShelliBean] Too bad that vanity didn’t extend to her teeth. Oh my. [/QUOTE] Really, now… All she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth (to be bleached). ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/15 "2007-07-20T15:31:58Z")
I’m not much bothered by how they look **now**. What’s important is that we’ll always have what they did **then**. _The Princess Bride_ is a shining example of what movie artists can produce when everyone is emotionally involved in a project. Their love for the dialogue shows in every scene. If they do nothing else in their careers, they did one thing supremely well. I’d be quite happy to manage as much, myself. Hats off to that gallant company and their sinister antagonists! Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/16 "2007-07-20T15:33:28Z")
I don’t know what Cary Elwes looks like these days; the last movie I saw him in was _Shadow of the Vampire_. But almost anybody would look bad next to that photo of him as Westley. 😛 Particularly a man 20 years older. ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/17 "2007-07-20T16:01:23Z")
The thing I’ve always loved about the scene linked to in the OP is that Vizzini actually _was_ pretty clever, and was spot-on with his deduction that he pretty much couldn’t choose either of the glasses. It’s fun watching Wesley squirm while he realizes this. I adore this movie…I’ll never forget my dad taking me to see it for the first time in the theater when I was a little girl, I would have been 10 I suppose if the movie’s now turning 20. Both of us were crying laughing. When Inigo delivered his famous “I want my father back you son of a bitch” line, the entire audience cheered and applauded, it was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/18 "2007-07-20T16:08:23Z")
Ironically, the only one that has improved in looks is “Prince Humperdink” (Chris Sarandon) ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/19 "2007-07-20T16:42:37Z")
[QUOTE=NailBunny] It’s fun watching Wesley squirm while he realizes this. [/QUOTE] :eek: Wesley \*\*\*never \*\* \* squirms! the Dread Pirate Roberts knows \*\*\*exactly \* \*\* what he’s doing at all times. Wesley revealed he’d been building up a ressitance to iocaine powder over the last few years. And throughout the scene, he has one of the best poker faces I’d ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/20 "2007-07-20T16:50:25Z")
[QUOTE=DrFidelius] I had always believed that Inigo thought that Vizzini was using “inconceivable” as a curse word, possibly having to do with “conception” or otherwise referencing sexual intercource. [/QUOTE] Me too. I thought it was a pregnancy joke. And oddly I was just thinking about this today in the shower. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518.md?page=2)