Since we are having so much fun discussing the finer points of Inigo’s prowess in GD (“Who would win?”) I figured we really could use a dedicated “Princess Bride” thread.
So, here we go.
Favorite scenes? Characters? Lines? Line you use in real life? Wish they would make a sequel (no, I don’t know how either)? Things you didn’t like (heaven forbid)? Differences between the book(s) and the movie that you feel are relevent to point out?
Concerning that last, boy, am I glad they eliminated Inigo and Fezzik’s quest for the resurrection items from the movie. That was a very tedious part to the book in my opinion.
I love the start of the book where the author is talking about the original (which I have never read, and from the sounds of it don’t want to … several PAGES of packing a suitcase followed by several pages of unpacking a suitcase)!
When they are sword fighting and the masked man asks Inigo why he is smiling and he tells the masked man that he is not left handed and then switches hands. Then when Wesley says “I am not left handed either”
Of course Inigo carries his scabard on the left side indicating that he is likely right handed, so Wesley likely would have already been aware of this. Yet, Wesley carries his scabard on his back and draws with the left hand therefore hiding his being right handed.
I have to admit that I always found Wesley fighting left-handed odd. Afterall, he is rather pressed for time (as opposed to Inigo who really doesn’t care how long the duel will take). The villians are getting away with his true love and yet he is going to spend time duelling with his off hand? My answer has always been that Wesley noticed that Inigo was going to fight with his offhand and did so out of fair play … BUT Wesley is the Dread Pirate Roberts! Fairplay doesn’t exactly strike me as the top of a dread pirates list of things to keep in mind.
“Fighting gangs for local charities. That kind of thing.” (Glitch’s notes: I always wished that a local charity would ask me to fight a gang for them)
“His strength, your sword, my wits against 60 men. Impossible. Maybe if I had a week to plan I could come up with something. … If only we had a wheelbarrow.” (Glitch’s notes: I just love the way he goes from impossible to essentially “I have a plan if only we had a wheelbarrow” in a matter of seconds. I sense a bit of Scotty in Wesley (Captain, it’ll take 3 hours. 3 seconds later. Warp power back Captain)
“It’s not that bad. I mean it’s not like I would want to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely” (Glitch’s notes: I tried watching this scene over and over, and somehow I get the impression that Wesley is only saying that in order to calm Buttercup)
Favorite “primary” lines: Well, lots of them.
“Rodents of Unusual Size. I don’t think they exist”
“I could do that. I still got some rope up here, but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you.”
“were up against 60 men and you think a little head jiggle is going to make me happy.”
As a side note… I believe its Indigo Mantoya not Inigo (though thats what it sounds like when he says it) I remember watching the credits and it Im sure it had Mandy Patakin as Indigo Mantoya. Correct me if I am wrong however.
Yes, indeed, for those of you who were taken in, William Goldman wrote The Princess Bride and used the “good parts” version as a clever literary device. I must admit that I was duped the first time I read it.
Also, although there is some stuff in the book that wouldn’t have worked in the movie and vice versa, I do regret the decision to leave the majority of The Sicilian Crowd’s origin out of the film. (“Two was company, three a crowd, even then.”) I almost choke up when Domingo says, “You are an enemy of art and I pity your ignorance.”
Amazingly enough, I think that the duel over the Cliffs of Insanity is just as exciting in the book as in the movie. Also, I believe that the reason Wesley started left-handed was the pirate reasoning of an ace up his sleeve. Wesley got Inigo to show him the extent of his skill and, although it was necessary then to reveal his own hand, Wesley had the advantage of sneakiness, which is about the only way to beat Inigo. (Count Rugen took advantage of Inigo’s purity of battle mentality when he hit him with that dagger.)
“Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha… plop”
-BrainWeasel
“Yes, O evil one! …Oh, did I say evil?”
“What a giveaway.”
“I said evil once, but I think I got away with it.”
“Three times!”
“What?”
“You said it three times!”
“Oh, I hate that.”
-Hack and Slash
Nobody is taking this thread to Cuba.