Movie Wednesday: The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a fairy tale. The heroes are brave, the heroines are beautiful, and the villains are dastardly. The action flies from hillsides to clifftops, forests to castles, and there are too many sword fights, monsters, and one-liners for the viewer to be bored for a moment.
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Buttercup and Westley are madly in love, and she is devastated when he is lost at sea. By the time Westley returns, alive and well, Buttercup is engaged to the arrogant Prince Humperdinck. The only things between Westley and Buttercup’s certain happiness are the Shrieking Eels, the Cliffs of Insanity, a poisoned goblet of wine, a man with six fingers, the Fire Swamp, Prince Humperdinck’s Brute Squad, a machine for shortening life expectancy, and the Rodents of Unusual Size. Oh dear.
If you want a marvelous evening of entertainment and if you can cope with wanting to shout “Inconceivable!” every few minutes for the rest of your life, then this is the film for you!
Discussion Questions
- If you’ve read the book, how do you think the adaptation compares with it?
- The soundtrack was created by Mark Knopfler from the rock band Dire Straits. Would you have guessed if you hadn’t known? Why do you think the soundtrack works (or not)?
- A famous line in the film is, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” If you were in Inigo’s place, how would you determine whether to forgive or seek revenge?
- What are your thoughts about Westley’s resurrection at the hands of Miracle Max? Was it implausible? Did it show the miraculous power of true love? Explain.
- The film was made in 1987 and so is almost 30 years old. Do you think it looks its age? How might certain scenes be changed with 21st century film technology?
Additional Resources
The Princess Bride Revisited – Tons of recipes, craft ideas, and more!
Princess Bride Backyard Movie Night – Love the name tags and tree signs they made.
Murdered by Pirates is Good: A Princess Bride Birthday Party – The cake is a must-see!
Eli’s Princess Bride Party – Complete with foam swords.
Miracle Max Revival Pills! – Chocolate Lace Biscuits.
Learn language arts naturally with The Princess Bride Boomerang!
The Boomerang is a monthly digital downloadable product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It is geared toward 8th to 10th graders (ages 12—advanced, 13-15) and is the indispensable tool for Brave Writer parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.
