# Why is the Princess Bride (movie) held to such high esteem? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 2, 2026, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266 "2026-01-02T04:23:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/141 "2026-01-14T00:16:26Z")
I had completely forgotten until now, but I used to have a license plate holder that read Twu Wuv. I don’t know what ever happened to it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/142 "2026-01-14T01:06:44Z")
For the record, I started reading the book a couple days ago and it is freaking _delightful._ ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/143 "2026-01-14T04:51:36Z")
I don’t have the patience to sit through all that, but I got some idea of the man behind the story. Ignorance fought, thank you. No, he doesn’t sound like the type to cling to a self-contained alternate reality. Looking back on it… and I stress that he was **very adamant** about not being the author in the expanded version of he book.. it really sounds like he’s playing an alternate version of himself. Seems needlessly convoluted if you ask me, but whatevs. Stephen King has his quirks too. Getting back to the movie… I remember all the parts that were supposed to be funny, or entertaining, or “wow” moments. I thought they were _good,_ I thought they _worked,_ I just never considered any of them screamingly funny or iconic. Swordfight? It was fun. Minister’s speech impediment? Kinda funny. Vizzini’s histrionics? Okay. Miracle Max? Entertaining. Nothing that ever elevated this beyond 7/10. (And I _loved_ Labyrinth, so it’s not prejudice!) ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/144 "2026-01-14T08:49:26Z")
Does anybody still quote Labyrinth 40 years later? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/145 "2026-01-14T08:53:34Z")
Only to myself. I don’t think the general public wants to hear my Hoggle impression as I explain what an oubliette is. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/146 "2026-01-14T09:06:37Z")
Haha! 🤠 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/147 "2026-01-14T20:15:11Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Does anybody still quote Labyrinth 40 years later? “Smell baaad!”- Bog of Eternal Stench, used just last week in our D&D game. “The Power of Voodoo- Who do?- You do!” ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/148 "2026-01-14T20:28:24Z")
TPB is in the same league at Galaxy Quest or maybe even more so, A Christmas Story. They all have an earnestness which more than makes up for any flaws, and meme-inspiring, quotable dialog. All are A++++++++++++++! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/149 "2026-01-14T22:31:18Z")
I loved both movies, but I can’t deny that The Princess Bride is much more quotable. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2026, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/150 "2026-01-14T23:51:03Z")
True, we use a half dozen or more from TPB, and only a couple from Labyrinth. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266/151 "2026-01-15T00:39:10Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > Getting back to the movie… I remember all the parts that were supposed to be funny, or entertaining, or “wow” moments. I thought they were _good,_ I thought they _worked,_ I just never considered any of them screamingly funny or iconic. Swordfight? It was fun. Minister’s speech impediment? Kinda funny. Vizzini’s histrionics? Okay. Miracle Max? Entertaining. Nothing that ever elevated this beyond 7/10. It’s been mentioned in this thread how _re_watchable the movie is, so I wonder if your opinions might go up on repeated watches. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-princess-bride-movie-held-to-such-high-esteem/1026266.md?page=7)