She’s just not wonderful in an otherwise wonderful movie. The one problem in the whole thing for me has been Buttercup. I guess that makes sense if I stop to think about it, but I’m still not sure I can get my brain around the idea that I’m six years older than Dread Pirate Roberts!!Ĭary also provided some insight for me on why this is a nearly perfect movie. One thing in here that broke my brain a little–Cary was twenty-three when they filmed. And there are endless stories about Andre the Giant, who seems to have defined the term “gentle giant” while being very funny too. Billy Crystal is hugely funny (of course).

William Goldman (author and screenwriter) was fantastically nervous because he loved the story so much. There are wonderful stories in here about the cast and crew. The funny thing was, I watched a TV show with a sword fight while I was listening to the audiobook, and I could see that they were faking it–the choreography was so-so, and the angles enabled stunt doubles. Cary and Mandy Patinkin really learned how to fence for the famous duel, and did it all themselves (acrobatic flips aside). I loved the stories of what went on behind the scenes, the insights that will bring more to the movie when I watch it. You can see it when you watch the movie: they are enormously talented, and they really look like they’re having a wonderful time. I’m just cynical enough to suspect some gloss here, as he gets downright effusive at times, but I’m optimistic enough to believe it’s, oh, 95% true.

If you believe Cary, the cast and crew of The Princess Bride are the most wonderful, talented people you could ever meet, and the filming was just about the most fun you could ever have. Cary (and after listening to this, you’ll start calling him Cary too) takes us through the challenges of bringing the screenplay to production, how he got involved in the project and why he was especially excited (having loved the book as a kid), inside stories of excitement and mishaps in the filming, stories about every major figure involved, and what the impact has been on all their lives. The book is enormous fun too, and this look behind the scenes at the making of the movie just adds to it all. The Princess Bride ranks high on my list of favorite movies as a nearly perfect one (more on that in a bit). Because Cary Elwes reads the audio, and it’s an utter delight. Though really, you should all listen to it: the audiobook of As You Wish : Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and Joe Layden. Only occasionally do I read a book and start telling all my friends they should read it too–but this was one of those times.

Cary elwes book as you wish