The princess brideThe Inigo Montoya actor, Mandy Patinkin, recently celebrated the film’s 35th anniversary with an emotional post. The fantasy adventure film, directed by Rob Reiner and based on William Goldman’s 1973 novel of the same name, is often regarded as one of the best works of the 1980s and has built a cult following in the years since its release. Framed like a story read to a young boy, The princess bride follows Westley (Cary Elwes), a farmhand who, accompanied by a group of companions, tries to save his true love from a loathsome prince. In addition to Patinkin and Elwes, the film’s cast includes Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Peter Falk and Fred Savage.
Inigo Montoya’s character was hired to kidnap and kill Princess Buttercup before a duel with Westley landed him in the Thieves’ Forest. In the end, Montoya helped save Westley’s life and aided in his efforts to save the princess, giving him the opportunity to take revenge on his father’s killer, Count Rugen. Over the years, Patinkin’s Princess Bride character has become a favorite as more audiences continue to discover the film, and the actor himself has used social media before to interact with fans of Montoya.
Next The princess bridethe 35th anniversary, patinkin shared a series of videos on Twitter in which he talked about his time spent making the film. In a touching post, he expressed his gratitude for the film and revealed one of his fondest memories on set. He noted a specific case where Reiner had him tackle a fight scene in one sitting and the emotions he felt when he realized he wouldn’t be able to do it again. Read Patinkin’s comments about The princess bride below:
“And then the greatest moment of memory, when all was said and done, and we got all the angles and we shot the fight from a million different angles, Rob was happy, and we thought we were done. [We] did the last moments and he said, ‘Listen guys, do you mind if we put two cameras in the ceiling and you guys do the whole fight in one? No pieces, but all together?’ And we were like two little kids saying, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’re all right.’ The cameras go up, and he says, “Action,” and we started doing it, and it just flew. At the end he says, “Cut,” and he said those awful words to me, which was “Print,” which meant we got it, and that meant we wouldn’t do it again. I miss it to this day, I’m such a crybaby, but it was so incredible to work on with everyone. So if you heard him say, “Cut, print,” my heart would drop, because it would mean, “That’s it? Not anymore?’ And that last time, that was it, that’s all. It was a great time in my life.“
The Princess Bride’s Legacy Explained
The princess bride was not considered a box office success on its initial release in 1987, but later gained longevity through home viewing. Studios have expressed interest in recreating or rebooting The princess bride for years, although much of the original cast and crew seem to be against the idea, and while there have been discussions about a possible sequel, nothing ever came of it. A much-loved classic that is widely referenced to this day, it has not only been preserved in the National Film Registry, but has also been ranked in numerous lists of the greatest comedy and romantic films of all time.
Patinkin’s thoughts on making The princess bride seem to mirror those of his fellow cast members, with Elwes and Wright lovingly discussing their past experiences. The rise of streaming also likely contributed to its legacy, allowing new audiences to discover the story for themselves. Fans of The princess bride and Patinkin’s character will love learning about the fun that went on behind the scenes, and might want a re-watch in honor of 35 years.
Source: Mandy Patinkin/Twitter
