Is it impossible for somebody to not enjoy The Princess Bride, a movie whose charm is so infectious that it practically marked itself as an established fantasy classic the moment it first shipped into theatres? When writing the original novel on which the movie is based, William Goldman - best known for his work on films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All The President's Men - set out to pen something for a younger audience. Following through on some suggestions from his daughters, this is what he came up with. And what a fantasy! The Princess Bride, in essence, feels like something of a deconstruction of the fantasy genre; the elements and the plot itself are almost cliched, but they're employed with a self-awareness that renders them fresh and exciting. So we get swashbuckling heroes, beautiful princesses (duh!) and a whole host of strange and wonderful creatures, all of whom are expertly handled with director Rob Reiner at the reins. Reiner, of course, proved himself capable working in a variety of genres throughout the '80s and '90s; this is one of his best ever efforts.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
