As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From the Making of The Princess Bride

As You Wish: The Perfect Christmas Present from Cary Elwes!

If you are looking for a great Christmas gift this year for someone you love (or for someone to give to you), look no further. I am going to take a wild guess that The Princess Bride is one of your favourite films of all time. So you will definitely want to read As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From The Making of The Princess Bride.

Grandfather: That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying "As you wish" what he meant was "I love you". And even more amazing was the day she discovered that she truly loved him back.

"As you wish"

This film is extra special for me as I saw it in the movie theatre (not many people did!) and it was the first movie date I had with my now husband of 25 years. We have watched it many times since, especially with our 2 now grown sons who love it as much as I do.

Vizzini: HE DIDN'T FALL? INCONCEIVABLE!
Inigo Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

"Inconceivable!"

This is a wonderful little book. You will wish it were longer, however there are lots of great stories about what a magical time it was making it. And how much fun they had. And lots of great pictures!

Inigo Montoya: Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

Vizzini: No more rhymes now, I mean it!
Fezzik: Anybody want a peanut?

"You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles!"

Miracle Max: Have fun stormin' da castle!
Valerie: Think it'll work?
Miracle Max: It would take a miracle.

So when you have read the book, and watched the DVD again with all of the extras (if you don't have a copy with the extras, that would make another great Christmas present!) then you are ready for William Goldman's book. Yes, the book that the film was made from, The Princess Bride- S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure-The "good parts" version- Abridged by William Goldman. There is a wonderful story in Cary's book about how many people in Hollywood had wanted to turn it into a film and failed (or failed to convince Goldman who was very jaded by 1987). But Rob Reiner loved William Goldman's book. By the way, there is no S. Morgenstern...it is all Goldman and I think as a screen writer, he could see how he wanted it made all along. And so of course he wrote the screenplay himself.

So there. Christmas is sorted for you all!

"When I was your age, television was called books!"

The Grandson: Grandpa, maybe you could come over and read it to me again tomorrow.
Grandpa: As you wish.

Valentine's Day Film Suggestions

The Princess Bride 1987

The Princess Bride is, according to my 17 year old son, the best film ever! And very romantic.

Westley: I told you I would always come for you. Why didn't you wait for me?
Buttercup: Well... you were dead.
Westley: Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.
Buttercup: I will never doubt again.
Westley: There will never be a need.

A Knight's Tale 2001

A Knight's Tale is also a fairy tale, a sort of Cinderella tale for the guys. Anything is possible if you believe.

William: It is strange to think, I haven't seen you since a month. I have seen the new moon, but not you. I have seen sunsets and sunrises, but nothing of your beautiful face. The pieces of my broken heart are so small that they could be passed through the eye of a needle. I miss you like the sun misses the flower; like the sun misses the flower in the depths of winter. Instead of beauty to direct its light to, the heart hardens like the frozen world your absence has banished me to. I next compete in the city of Paris, I will find it empty and in the winter if you are not there. Hope guides me, that is what gets me through the day and especially the night. The hope that after you're gone from my sight, it will not be the last time that I look upon you.

Shakespeare in Love 1998

Shakespeare in Love is romance itself. Who better than The Bard of Avon to teach us about love.

Queen Elizabeth: Playwrights teach us nothing about love. They make it pretty, they make it comical, or they make it lust, but they cannot make it true.
Viola De Lesseps: Oh, but they can! 

The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is romance with a comic twist. Oscar Wilde mixes equal amounts of love and silliness.

Cecily: You must not laugh at me, darling, but it has always been a girlish dream of mine to love a man named Ernest.

Sense and Sensibility 1995

Sense and Sensibility takes a wonderful book by Jane Austen and brings it to life on the screen so well, it will make your heart ache.

Elinor Dashwood: What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering. For weeks, Marianne, I've had this pressing on me without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature. It was forced on me by the very person whose prior claims ruined all my hope. I have endured her exultations again and again whilst knowing myself to be divided from Edward forever. Believe me, Marianne, had I not been bound to silence I could have provided proof enough of a broken heart, even for you.

Jane Eyre 2011

Jane Eyre is an incredibly romantic book. The recent film leaves a lot out, but not the romance!

Rochester: I offer you my hand, my heart. Jane, I ask you to pass through life at my side. You are my equal and my likeness. Will you marry me?
Jane Eyre: Are you mocking me?
Rochester: You doubt me.
Jane Eyre: Entirely.

Miss Potter 2006

Miss Potter is sweet and romantic. You're never too old for love! (and bunnies!)

Let me teach you how to dance
let me lead you to the floor
simply place your hand in mine
and then think of nothing more
let the music cast its spell
give the atmosphere a chance
simply follow where I lead
let me teach you how to dance

Lady Jane 1986

Lady Jane is a tragedy as well as a romance. It is not historically accurate, but it will make you believe in true love. Hey, Carey Elwes is in 2 of my picks! Fancy that.

Jane: [reading] The soul takes flight to the world that is eternal... invisible. But there arriving she is sure of bliss, and forever dwells in paradise.

An Ideal Husband 1999

An Ideal Husband is another Oscar Wilde, but this one is more of a commentary on the kind of love you find in an established marriage. Still a bit silly, but a very lovely ending.

Lord Arthur Goring: Gertrude, it is not the perfect, but rather the imperfect who have need of love.
Gertrude: You seem to know a great deal about it all of a sudden.
Lord Arthur Goring: Oh, I hope not. All I know, Gertrude, is that it takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it. And even more courage to see it in the one you love. Gertrude, you have more courage than any woman I have ever known. Do not be afraid now to use it.

Persuasion 1995

And for my final suggestion, Persuasion 1995 for the letter scene alone...

"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago."

Sigh! Please add your romantic film suggestions in the comments. I just listed period dramas, but tell me which ones you can't live without, period or not. Happy Valentines Day!

The Princess Bride- A True Classic!

The Princess Bride Movie Poster

I was on a roll last month with my sentimental favourites, so here is my next one.  The Princess Bride was the first movie I saw with my husband in 1987.  Much better than our second date movie, Fatal Attraction!  The Squire, as I call him in my blog, wondered what kind of a movie I had taken him to, as it seemed to be a children's flick at first.  He also ate an enormous amount of popcorn, as I recall.
But this has turned into a film which I have to pop in the DVD player at least once a year, and if it comes on TV, I have to leave it on and watch it.  Twenty-three years later, it holds up beautifully, with only a few special effects looking a bit cheesy (the rodents of unusual size for example).

"Is this a kissing book?"

The Grandson: A book?
Grandpa: That's right. When I was your age, television was called books. And this is a special book. It was the book my father used to read to me when I was sick, and I used to read it to your father. And today I'm gonna read it to you.
The Grandson: Has it got any sports in it?
Grandpa: Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles...
The Grandson: Doesn't sound too bad. I'll try to stay awake.
Grandpa: Oh, well, thank you very much, very nice of you. Your vote of confidence is overwhelming.

This film appeals to men and women (despite the girly title) and young and old alike.   It is a light-hearted fantasy, an adaptation of the tongue in cheek book of the same name, and directed by the fantastic Rob Reiner, whose comic sense is perfect for this.

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die"

So many wonderful actors in this.  Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya, the revenge crazed swordsman, Carey Elwes as young Westley, Robin Wright as Buttercup/The Princess Bride, Chris Sarandon (Susan's ex) as Prince Humperdinck, and Christopher Guest (husband of Jamie Lee Curtis) as the Count Rugen, the six-fingered man.

"You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles."

Billy Crystal had one of his best roles ever as Miracle Max.  Wallace Shawn also shone as the lisping Vizzini and Andre the Giant was a lovely gentle giant in his role as Fezzik.

That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying "As you wish", what he meant was, "I love you."

Fencing Scene
Inigo Montoya: You are wonderful.
Man in Black: Thank you; I've worked hard to become so.
Inigo Montoya: I admit it, you are better than I am.
Man in Black: Then why are you smiling?
Inigo Montoya: Because I know something you don't know.
Man in Black: And what is that?
Inigo Montoya: I... am not left-handed.
[Moves his sword to his right hand and gains an advantage]
Man in Black: You are amazing.
Inigo Montoya: I ought to be, after 20 years.
Man in Black: Oh, there's something I ought to tell you.
Inigo Montoya: Tell me.
Man in Black: I'm not left-handed either.
[Moves his sword to his right hand and regains his advantage]

"As you wish..."

So if you haven't seen this, buy it!  It's cheap and you'll watch it a lot.  And for the rest of you who are already fans of The Princess Bride...

"Have fun stormin' the castle!"