Rob Reiner directed The Princess Bride, a playful fantasy-adventure, starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, and Chris Sarandon.
Adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel “The Princess Bride,” the romantic tale revolves around Westley, a farmhand who’s joined by companions along the way.
He is determined to rescue his true love, Princess Buttercup, from the odious Prince Humperdinck.
The film maintains the novel’s narrative style by presenting the story as a book being read by a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his sick grandson (Fred Savage).
Upon initial release, September 25, 1987, the movie was well-received by critics but was only a modest box office success ($31 million against a budget of $16 million).
However, over the years it has become a cult film due to repeat showing on TV, successful DVD campaigns, and commentaries by a younger generation of critics and viewers..
Critical Status:
In 2016, the film was inducted into the National Film Registry, being deemed as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”
I am not a big fan of the film, though I can see why it’s regarded as a sweet movie for the whole family (you can’t say that about many Hollywood features). The postmodern mixture of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy has its high and bright moments alongside some irritating ones.