The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner, is an adaptation of the 1973 novel of the same name, which provided an original take on classic fairytale structure, told as a story within a story. The film begins with a grandfather coming to read his sick grandson a story. The grandson is excited until he discovers that it is a love story, but agrees to suffer through it if his grandfather skips “all the kissing stuff”. The film then shifts primarily to the inner story, framed by the grandfather reading, following the story of Westley and Buttercup, two lovers torn apart by the supposed death of Westley at the hands of the Dread Pirate Roberts. Years later, believing Westley to be dead, Buttercup agrees to marry Prince Humperdink of Florin, but is kidnapped by a Sicilian boss and his henchmen to provoke a war between Guilder and Florin. Along the way she is stolen away by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who reveals himself to be Westley in disguise, before she is taken back by Humperdink. Together with Inigo Montoya, a master fencer, and Fezzik, a Turkish giant, Westley attempts to rescue Buttercup before it is too late.

This film makes a very effective use of soundscape and the Gaze to emphasize the story. Creative blocking and camera techniques allow for some truly incredible scenes. Since its release, the film has become somewhat of a cult classic in America, with Inigo Montoya becoming a household name because of his famous repeated line: “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” The story within a story structure worked especially well for this film, providing a framework to tie the whole thing together, and moments of realism in an otherwise fantastical tale.