Movie Minx

Starring: Robin Wright (pre-Sean Penn), Andre the Giant, Christopher Guest, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Mel Smith, Billy Crystal, etc etc
Director: Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, Primary Colors)

Plot: Beautiful blond Buttercup (Wright) is kidnapped by a Spaniard, a giant and a cunning crook as she is waiting to marry a prince she despises. Will her one and only True Love rescue her? “As you wish!”

But is it any good?

Yes, yes it is. What sounds like a sappy love story is proved to be anything but, as a sick kid (Savage) has The Princess Bride read to him by his cheek-pinching granddad (Falks).

The boy provides the cynicism - he can’t stand kissing scenes and he only wants to hear about death and torture. But as Grandpa makes clear, this is a story for everyone: there is love, death, dueling, sorrow, poison, revenge…

How can you not love a movie with the Pit of Despair, a six-fingered man, the concept of being Mostly Dead and shrieking eels? And that’s not to forget all the classic lines:
“Inconceivable!”
“My name is Inego Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
“Sleep well… I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”
“I’m not left-handed either!”
“Mawwidge!”
There have been movie geeks muttering these lines ever since the movie screened 20 years ago.

The sick kid, who intially just wants to play his (very 80s) video games, becomes as entralled by the fairytale as we do, and by the end you feel you’ve been immersed in another world entirely, very Neverending Story or Lord of the Rings-like, and been enchanted by each and every character.

I first saw this move as a child and loved it. I watched it again last year and was just as impressed, if not more so because of its satirical edge. A lighthearted fantasy/comedy, The Princess Bride may not change your life but it’s an evening well-spent, even if you saw it, er, 20 years ago.

My rating: 8.5/10

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