You find Game in the strangest places

[Wilko]

I was picking over my neighbour's DVD collection the other day (on my way to the pawn shop, jks) and I stumbled across The Princess Bride. I remembered it as being good, very good, but after re-watching it I decided it's just about perfect (as far as living up to its intended purpose).

Read any review of the film and people will inevitably talk about re-watching it and being rewarded with new gags and subtleties they'd previously missed. I don't know how faithful the movie dialogue is to the book, but whoever wrote it, knew a thing or two about men and women.

Superficially at least, Wesley (the hero) starts off as an AFC with crippling one-itis for Buttercup. He goes away to college and attempts to do the long-distance relationship (roughly speaking). He's captured by the dread pirate Roberts and under his tutelage becomes a badass DJ. Buttercup learns of his "death", goes into mourning, and becomes reluctantly betrothed to some alpha-d!ck (Prince Humperdinck). Wesley returns disguised as the Dread Pirate Roberts and plays Buttercup like a goddamned fiddle.

Once he's satisfied with her loyalty, he drops the hardcore DJ'ing but continues to maintain control of the frame like a BOSS. Here's a couple of fun exchanges between Wes (Dread Pirate Roberts) and Buttercup.

Wes: "You admit to me you don't love your fiancé."
Buttercup: "He knows that I do not love him."
Wes: "That you're uncapable of love is what you mean."
Buttercup: "I have loved more deeply than a killer like yourself could ever dream!"
Wes: "That was a warning highness. The next time my hands flies unrestrained. Where I come from there are penalties when a woman lies. (masked man)

Another

Wes: "Why loose your venom on me?"
Buttercup: "You killed my love."
Wes: "It's possible. I kill a lot of people."

Another

Buttercup: "You mock my pain!"
Wes: "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."

Another

Wes: "And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you really are."
Buttercup: "And what am I?!"
Wes: "Faithfulness, he talked of Madam, your enduring faithfullness. Now tell me truly. When you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince the same hour or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?"

 

[Wilko]

I just wanted to pass comment on the Wesley we see at the start of the film, I said he was an AFC with crippling one-itis and that's not strictly true at all. The guy is controlling the frame with Buttercup from day one. He's hired help and Buttercup enjoys needlessly ordering him about, looking to get a rise out of him, but he never gives it to her. He blows through these daily sh!t-tests apparently unaffected, dismissing her with the same response every time, "as you wish"*. Jeez, can you say "agree and amplify"?!

*In the movie they explicitly state that when Wes says "as you wish" he actually means "I love you". Meh.

And he eventually leaves Buttercup behind at the farm to pursue his fortune. I don't think his one-itis was that crippling.

Anyway, the point is that despite mostly conforming to the usual saccharine recipe for faery-tale romance, there's some surprisingly realistic and insightful moments in this film. Which is cool and worth sharing here, if only for the I-see-what-you-did-there factor.

 

[Wilko]

Alright, I know there's not a lot of interest in this but I accidentally left out one killer quote, and it's probably the one that will resonate most:

Buttercup: If you'll release me whatever you ask for ransom, you'll get it I promise you.

Man in Black: [laughs] And what is that worth, the promise of a woman? You're very funny Highness.

Just keep in mind this is a film which looks and sounds like a classic (AFC inspired) Disney faery-tale for the most part. But! It's peppered with these very subversive DJ like moments. Very, very cool.