An Oldie But Goodie...The Princess Bride

We've all seen this movie, I bet. It's from 1987, after all. I think I may have still had a mullett the first time I watched this. I know I was defintely still in love with Corey Hart at this point. So this movie is old news, right?

Maybe. Or maybe this is a timeless, classic fable that needs to be revisited. The Princess Bride was directed by Rob Reiner - whose other great movies include Stand By Me and Sleepless in Seattle (I'm going to be fair here and not point out any of his serious flops) - and written by William Goldman (he also wrote the screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid).

The premise is beautifully simple - Buttercup (Robin Wright before she added the Penn) loves a farmboy named Wesley (Carey Elwes, Men In Tights). Wesley takes off for the high seas to make his fortune...and his ship is attacked by the Dread Pirate Robert. He is assumed dead.

Buttercup, who I'm guessing is the most beautiful maiden in the land and who has a really awesome wardrobe, is set to marry the Prince (Chris Sarandon). She is kidnapped by ruffians...which brings me to one of the best attributes of this movie - Andre The Giant. Playing a sweet, kind lump of a man whose stuck in his job as a Brute. And even better...he's an aspiring rhyming poet.

OK - we all know the story and I don't want to give too much away just in case you don't. Suffice it to say Buttercup needs some rescuing, and maybe someone is still around to do it (hint hint).

I love the way the story is told - a young boy is stuck at home in his sick bed (Fred Savage) and his Grandfather (Peter Falk) comes over to read him a story. A story he doesn't want to hear from a Grandfather he doesn't really want to see. Their story is quietly tender and sweet.

The dialogue is fresh, even a little smart-alecky. The scenery is perfectly unreal. And every character is a fairy tale unto themselves.

Watch this movie with your kids. Rediscover it. You won't regret it.