# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/21 "2007-07-20T18:09:43Z")
[QUOTE=Giles] 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. [/QUOTE] I always took it as simply as “Why do you keep saying things aren’t possible/probable when they keep happening one after the other? Maybe you’re just not as smart a planner as you thought?” It was just a dig that Vezzini kept covering for his lousy planning and overblown sense of intelligence by claiming that none of the problems could have been imagined. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/22 "2007-07-20T18:16:38Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] I always took it as simply as “Why do you keep saying things aren’t possible/probable when they keep happening one after the other? Maybe you’re just not as smart a planner as you thought?” [/QUOTE] That’s how I always understood it also. And quite frankly any other interpretation is just, just, just …(wait for it)… **inconceivable!** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/23 "2007-07-20T20:33:19Z")
He only squirms to bluff Vizzini into thinking he’s winning. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/24 "2007-07-20T21:13:10Z")
[QUOTE=JSexton] He only squirms to bluff Vizzini into thinking he’s winning. [/QUOTE] You’re trying to trick me into giving something away… Won’t work. ---
**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, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/25 "2007-07-20T21:23:08Z")
[QUOTE=simster] You’re trying to trick me into giving something away… Won’t work. [/QUOTE] It has worked! You’ve given everything away! ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/26 "2007-07-20T21:30:43Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] It has worked! You’ve given everything away! [/QUOTE] Look! Over there! ---
**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, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/27 "2007-07-20T22:21:20Z")
[QUOTE=Only Mostly Dead] It has worked! You’ve given everything away! [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=simster] [del]Look! Over there![/del] [/QUOTE] “I know exactly which [del]glass[/del] cup the poison is in. It’s in - what in the world is that?!?!?!” ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/28 "2007-07-20T22:53:37Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] 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. [/QUOTE] Also as a Spaniard Inigo obviously still has a little trouble with the English. That’s why its funny he is the one telling Vizzini he is using the word wrong. ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/29 "2007-07-20T22:56:45Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] “I know exactly which [del]glass[/del] cup the poison is in. It’s in - what in the world is that?!?!?!” [/QUOTE] nope – it’s “…what in the world can that be?” Nice try, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2007, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/30 "2007-07-20T23:01:33Z")
**Jophiel:** > [@](#): > > I always took it as simply as “Why do you keep saying things aren’t possible/probable when they keep happening one after the other? Maybe you’re just not as smart a planner as you thought?” Agreed. ---
**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, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/31 "2007-07-20T23:09:01Z")
[QUOTE=stargazer] nope – it’s “…what in the world can that be?” Nice try, though. 😉 [/QUOTE] hrmph well, I was a lot closer than **simster** , anyway 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/32 "2007-07-21T00:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=stargazer] nope – it’s “…what in the world can that be?” [/QUOTE] It can’t be a rodent of unusual size… I don’t believe they exist. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/33 "2007-07-21T03:04:58Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] hrmph well, I was a lot closer than **simster** , anyway 😃 [/QUOTE] I’m not one to be trifled with, that’s all you ever need know. ANYWAY - 😃 So, You’ve decided then? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/34 "2007-07-21T05:45:10Z")
Not remotely. ---
**Author:** ![bigdfrombigd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bigdfrombigd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigdfrombigd)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/35 "2007-07-21T07:01:17Z")
Am still not getting it. God dammit I want to, but am not. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/36 "2007-07-21T10:53:39Z")
[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. The picture of Billy Crystal is unflattering and bad, too. [/QUOTE] On the other hand, the picture of Mandy Patinkin has him looking the best he has in a few years, IMO - the couple episodes of Criminal Minds I’ve seen, he’s looked about to collapse in on himself. Elwes and Crystal both seem to have put on some weight, and seem to have been caught in an awkward pose, with their heads pulled back, which really accentuates the fat in their faces. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/37 "2007-07-21T17:33:43Z")
Let me explain… …no, there is no time. Let me summarize. (Now I have to see if I have time to watch it before I head off to work. _checks watch_) ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/38 "2007-07-21T23:20:59Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Let me explain… …no, there is no time. Let me summarize. (Now I have to see if I have time to watch it before I head off to work. _checks watch_) [/QUOTE] \*\*Let me '_splain_… …no, there is _too much_. Let me _sum up_.\*\* People people. If you haven’t seen it at least 100 times, . . . . My absolute FAVORITE line is “Your strength, his steel, and my brains against _60_ men, and you think a little head jiggle is going to make me happy? Hmmmm???” ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/39 "2007-07-21T23:28:31Z")
[QUOTE=anyrose] \*\*Let me '_splain_… …no, there is _too much_. Let me _sum up_.\*\* People people. If you haven’t seen it at least 100 times, . . . . My absolute FAVORITE line is “Your strength, his steel, and my brains against _60_ men, and you think a little head jiggle is going to make me happy? Hmmmm???” [/QUOTE] Now, if we only had a holocost cloak… ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518/40 "2007-07-22T00:24:36Z")
[QUOTE=Jophiel] I always took it as simply as “Why do you keep saying things aren’t possible/probable when they keep happening one after the other? Maybe you’re just not as smart a planner as you thought?” It was just a dig that Vezzini kept covering for his lousy planning and overblown sense of intelligence by claiming that none of the problems could have been imagined. [/QUOTE] I never saw as a dig- just that Fezzik was trying to be helpful- maybe the word didn’t mean what Vezzini thought it did because the opposite of the inferred meaning (to Fezzik) was coming to pass. He just wanted to point that discrepency out to Vezzini, in case Vezzeni was wrong. I always saw Fezzik as earnest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inconceivable-the-princess-bride-movie-turns-20/412518.md?page=3)