# "Princess Bride" nitpick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709 "2014-05-19T02:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/61 "2014-05-23T00:27:53Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Huh? Dread Pirates Roberts most certainly do take prisoners. Ryan, as the DPR, took Westley prisoner when he captured Westley’s ship. I believe that he was taken prisoner with a Poetic License. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/62 "2014-05-23T11:32:06Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > But he’d have to live up to the reputation. Take no prisoners. Ummm, the reputation was that he never left _survivors_, not that he never took prisoners. This type of life-or-death matter is the kind of nitpick that you simply cannot neglect when discussing this novel/film among us acolytes of Unca Cecil. In other words: _Never go in against a Cecilian when DEATH is on –_ waitaminute, I’ve used this joke before, haven’t I? My apologies. Do carry on. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/63 "2014-05-23T19:24:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Ummm, the reputation was that he never left _survivors_, not that he never took prisoners. This type of life-or-death matter is the kind of nitpick that you simply cannot neglect when discussing this novel/film among us acolytes of Unca Cecil. > > In other words: _Never go in against a Cecilian when DEATH is on –_ waitaminute, I’ve used this joke before, haven’t I? > > My apologies. Do carry on. You’ve committed one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is, “never get involved in a board war on the SDMB.” ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/64 "2014-05-23T21:37:19Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > In other words: _Never go in against a Cecilian when DEATH is on –_ waitaminute, I’ve used this joke before, haven’t I? Nitpick: Sicilian. > [@appleciders](#): > > Dread Pirates Roberts most certainly do take prisoners. Ryan, as the DPR, took Westley prisoner when he captured Westley’s ship. Only after Westley spoke of his true love’s beauty. And it’s reasonable to assume that the “current” DPR was already seeking a worthy replacement so he could retire in luxury. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/65 "2014-05-23T21:50:30Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > And it’s reasonable to assume that the “current” DPR was already seeking a worthy replacement so he could retire in luxury. Yeah, one may not advertise for that. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/66 "2014-05-23T21:54:59Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Nitpick: Sicilian… Whoosh! ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/67 "2014-05-25T23:47:31Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Ummm, the reputation was that he never left _survivors_, not that he never took prisoners. This type of life-or-death matter is the kind of nitpick that you simply cannot neglect when discussing this novel/film among us acolytes of Unca Cecil. > > In other words: _Never go in against a Cecilian when DEATH is on –_ waitaminute, I’ve used this joke before, haven’t I? > > My apologies. Do carry on. NO! He never left survivers, as you said. Westley begged for his life and the pirate before him was looking to retire, so he granted it to Westley, only Westley. What is Inigo going to do? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/68 "2014-05-26T00:52:53Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > You’ve committed one of the classic blunders! The most famous of which is, “never get involved in a board war on the SDMB.” And the other is, “Never enter into a contest which your enemy has designed and prepared.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/69 "2014-05-26T00:54:18Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > NO! He never left survivers, as you said. Westley begged for his life and the pirate before him was looking to retire, so he granted it to Westley, only Westley. What is Inigo going to do? The whole point of Roberts’ reputation is so ships will surrender to him without a fight – obviously they wouldn’t if he had a reputation for killing people afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/70 "2014-05-30T15:50:07Z")
Did anyone else notice that Alan Smithee’s posts captured the exact tone of the book/movie? Is Alan perhaps William Goldman/S. Morgenstern incognito?? Loved the posts, by the way… ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/71 "2014-05-30T16:36:27Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Huh? Dread Pirates Roberts most certainly do take prisoners. Ryan, as the DPR, took Westley prisoner when he captured Westley’s ship. > [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > NO! He never left survivers, as you said. Westley begged for his life and the pirate before him was looking to retire, so he granted it to Westley, only Westley. What is Inigo going to do? Something about Westley intrigued Cummerbund (The former DPR) and so he decided since he’d never had a valet, Westley could try the job… until tomorrow, when the DPR would most likely kill him. Personally, I think Cummerbund had actually gone soft, and was afraid of the job becoming “work, work, work, all the time…” so passed it on to Westley and shipped off to Patagonia. ---
**Author:** ![TheseGoToEleven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@TheseGoToEleven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheseGoToEleven)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/72 "2014-05-30T16:47:08Z")
> [@DirkGntly](#): > > Did anyone else notice that Alan Smithee’s posts captured the exact tone of the book/movie? Is Alan perhaps William Goldman/S. Morgenstern incognito?? > Loved the posts, by the way… Absolutely. And ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/73 "2014-05-30T16:53:51Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Well, yeah, but if you let everyone go, you didn’t take any prisoners, and it’s these non-prisoners that spread the tales. Jack Sparrow pointed this out in POTC when the same thing was said about the Black Pearl. Standard warfare through the ages. Mongols, Romans, etc. If you surrender first, we might let you live (or we may just sell you off into slavery). If you make us fight, we’ll kill the lot of you. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/74 "2014-05-31T00:38:00Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Something about Westley intrigued Cummerbund (The former DPR) and so he decided since he’d never had a valet, Westley could try the job… until tomorrow, when the DPR would most likely kill him. > > Personally, I think Cummerbund had actually gone soft, and was afraid of the job becoming “work, work, work, all the time…” so passed it on to Westley and shipped off to Patagonia. It’s hard to believe that Westley learned in (how many years? two, three?) how to beat Inigo, who’d been training most of his life. My hubby didn’t know Patagonia was a real country either. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/75 "2014-05-31T01:52:20Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > It’s hard to believe that Westley learned in (how many years? two, three?) how to beat Inigo, who’d been training most of his life. > > My hubby didn’t know Patagonia was a real country either. Fear of Death is quite an incentive, and there is nota much money in the Revenge Business. And of course, Westley is much more cool, despite Inigo’s hair. :rolleyes: [Cavies](http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet/patagonian-cavy) come from Patagonia. It is obviously a Real Country. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/76 "2014-05-31T01:53:24Z")
> [@DirkGntly](#): > > Did anyone else notice that Alan Smithee’s posts captured the exact tone of the book/movie? Is Alan perhaps William Goldman/S. Morgenstern incognito?? > Loved the posts, by the way… Thanks for the kind words. Interesting theory. Sounds plausible to me. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/77 "2014-05-31T01:58:17Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > Thanks for the kind words. > > Interesting theory. Sounds plausible to me. I hope I make it to 83 and still post on the Dope. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/78 "2014-05-31T02:07:37Z")
I’ve been incognito so long, I can’t remember _who_ I am! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![curious11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@curious11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curious11)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/79 "2014-06-03T18:45:22Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I always loved that Humperdink smells the empty vial, and pronounces it as being iocane. He is so sure, He’ll bet his life on it! (as others had already done) ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709/80 "2014-06-05T21:06:01Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I always feel a little sorry for the ROUSes. I mean, what did they ever do. I feel bad for saying this, because IANAC\* and I really have no professional expertise in this field, BUT… My major nitpick with the film is that, while I love the work and recomend it to everyone, every time I see it I feel that they blew the reveal with the ROUS. IMHO, they should have delivered the line “ROUS?! I don’t even believe they exist!” and the following ROUS attack out of the blue, without much preamble (beyond some talk of the fire swamp threats, including ROUS). Instead, this exchange is preceded by a ROUS wandering in front of the viewers, I suppose to occupy us while Westley and Buttercup are deeply involved in lightning sand. Westley is actually dubiously eyeing a ROUS when he delivers his line avowing disbelief in their existence, I suppose to be gallant. :dubious: This makes the whole thing seem less funny to me. Glad to have that off my chest. I do feel bad saying this, as the movie was great, and everyone in it is much funnier than me… \*I am not a comedian [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/princess-bride-nitpick/688709.md?page=5)