The Princess Bride, the "good parts" version

[AntiArbitrator]

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's classic tale of true love and high adventure. William Goldman 1974

Many of us have enjoyed the wonderful movie "The Princess Bride". I am currently reading the book that the movie was based on. MisterMoonlight and I will discuss the book here, and you are encouraged to join us.

[Mistermoonlight]

The book existed long before the movie, and is wonderful.

Here is the essential thing you need to know--the big secret. Albert Goldman wrote The Princess Bride. All of that stuff about S. Morgenstern and his estate is fiction. It's all part of Goldman's story. Likewise, even the stuff about Goldman's family is fiction. The only parts that are true are when he talks about the screenplays he wrote. That's all true.

The rest is all a wonderful work of classic, beautiful fiction.

This noble book and movie have created countless heroes in real life, who believe in honor, justice, humor, and true love, above everything else.

My own quote about The Princess Bride:

"Love hard. But laugh even harder."



If anything, I'd hope that this video would cause you to want to see more of Willy DeVille, who recorded this timeless song and looks oh so much like Inigo Montoya, doesn't he?

He was a wonderful artist, and there is so much more out there he's done.

[AntiArbitrator]

Oct 27, 2012 16:59:01 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

The book existed long before the movie, and is wonderful.

Here is the essential thing you need to know--the big secret. Albert Goldman wrote The Princess Bride. All of that stuff about S. Morgenstern and his estate is fiction. It's all part of Goldman's story. Likewise, even the stuff about Goldman's family is fiction. The only parts that are true are when he talks about the screenplays he wrote. That's all true.

The rest is all a wonderful work of classic, beautiful fiction.

This noble book and movie have created countless heroes in real life, who believe in honor, justice, humor, and true love, above everything else.

My own quote about The Princess Bride:

"Love hard. But laugh even harder."



If anything, I'd hope that this video would cause you to want to see more of Willy DeVille, who recorded this timeless song and looks oh so much like Inigo Montoya, doesn't he?

He was a wonderful artist, and there is so much more out there he's done.

MisterMoonlight, I cannot think of any statement that has surprised me shocked me astonished me more than your statement about "the big secret". I watched the wonderful video and I enjoyed it very much. But my brain is still stunned and I will return to this topic later.

I wish I had "bothered" you and followed your suggestion.

[Mistermoonlight]

Oct 27, 2012 17:49:47 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Oct 27, 2012 16:59:01 GMT -5 Mistermoonlight said:

The book existed long before the movie, and is wonderful.

Here is the essential thing you need to know--the big secret. Albert Goldman wrote The Princess Bride. All of that stuff about S. Morgenstern and his estate is fiction. It's all part of Goldman's story. Likewise, even the stuff about Goldman's family is fiction. The only parts that are true are when he talks about the screenplays he wrote. That's all true.

The rest is all a wonderful work of classic, beautiful fiction.

This noble book and movie have created countless heroes in real life, who believe in honor, justice, humor, and true love, above everything else.

My own quote about The Princess Bride:

"Love hard. But laugh even harder."



If anything, I'd hope that this video would cause you to want to see more of Willy DeVille, who recorded this timeless song and looks oh so much like Inigo Montoya, doesn't he?

He was a wonderful artist, and there is so much more out there he's done.

MisterMoonlight, I cannot think of any statement that has surprised me shocked me astonished me more than your statement about "the big secret". I watched the wonderful video and I enjoyed it very much. But my brain is still stunned and I will return to this topic later.

I wish I had "bothered" you and followed your suggestion.

Yeah, that was the big secret I had to tell you.

Here's how it went. As I read into the story, I wanted to know more. That's why I did a search for "S. Morgenstern" and the truth came out. Still, I was glad that I'd read the first few chapters believing Goldman's stores about the Morgenstern estate.

The sonofabitch pulled a fast one, and he had me. Isn't that what all great storytelling is about? I couldn't help but admire it, and it made me appreciate the book even more.

One thing I can add. When I lived in Hattiesburg, MS during the 70s I had a high school friend who was a photographer, and was hired by a somewhat shady promoter named 'Honest John' whom I should write book about someday, because he was fascinating and had worked as a barker on Bourbon Street, among other things.

My favorite Honest John story: he and I both worked at the same radio station (he was old enough to be my father at the time) and was also running for city council. He did a series of commercials for supermarkets, such as the Sunflower stores, where his opening line was 'Hi there, Honest John, your candidate for savings at Sunflower stores.'

I kid you not.

Anyway, John's plan was to launch a wrestling magazine using my friend's photos, unbeknownst to the people that actually ran the wrestling matches.

The long and the short of it was that I actually got to see Andre the Giant in a wrestling bout. I can't even begin to tell what it was like to see someone that big. He was amazing. Seemed like he had so much mass and size that there should be moons orbiting around him. He was so big you felt like a mouse next to him. You cannot imagine how big this guy was.

Anyone that saw him knew that there was a beautiful kindness about him, in spite of how he was marketed. And I'm so happy that his epitaph is as Frennick in The Princess Bride. He deserved it. He was beautiful.

[AntiArbitrator]

Thank you, MisterMoonlight. I love reading your life experiences that you really should write stories about. You were so fortunate to meet interesting people like Honest John. Then, seeing Andre the Giant in person and in the movie was very special. I must get another copy of the movie. I had it on VHS and I no longer play VHS. I'll find it and when I watch the move, I'll think of your description of Andre.

I am so glad you said you were pulled in and believed the Morgenstern background. I believed everything I read and, at one point, held the book up and said thank you to Mr. Goldman for sparing me hundreds of pages of satirical history. Can you believe that?! I still enjoyed reading the chapters and feeling grateful.

[Mistermoonlight]

Oct 27, 2012 18:46:54 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Thank you, MisterMoonlight. I love reading your life experiences that you really should write stories about. You were so fortunate to meet interesting people like Honest John. Then, seeing Andre the Giant in person and in the movie was very special. I must get another copy of the movie. I had it on VHS and I no longer play VHS. I'll find it and when I watch the move, I'll think of your description of Andre.

I am so glad you said you were pulled in and believed the Morgenstern background. I believed everything I read and, at one point, held the book up and said thank you to Mr. Goldman for sparing me hundreds of pages of satirical history. Can you believe that?! I still enjoyed reading the chapters and feeling grateful.

If there was ever a misnomer, 'Honest John' is it.

But that's the beautiful thing about radio in those days. You met people who were larger than life, whether it be Honest John or Andre the Giant. Huge personalities.

Sadly, the Wal-Marting of America has wiped much of that out. Where you once had 20 owners of radio stations in a medium market, you now have maybe 2 or 3 large companies. It's not the same at all. And I believe that we all are smaller for it. I could tell you so many amazing stories. Because these people I knew, they were the stuff of legends. We're all poorer for their loss.

I was grateful too, for the hundreds of pages of 'abridgements.'

If you'd ever like to read more about it, it's here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride

And, if you ever want to learn more about William Goldman, he's larger than life, too: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Goldman

[AntiArbitrator]

I am enjoying this discussion immensely. I am unsure who would make me laugh more, MisterMoonlight, or Mr. Goldman. They are both entertaining and able to laugh at themselves. Goldman said he recalls that the other editors, upon reading his [anonymous] submissions, remarked "We can't possibly publish this shit." I admire people who can laugh at themselves and the things that are said about them. They know what they are capable of and that is what is important.

Now that I am over the astonishment of the extensive joke played on the readers, I am laughing non-stop. It is the most outrageous, but clever, writing tool to which I have ever been exposed, and I am enjoying it. The story is wonderful and now I can continue reading with a greater appreciation of the “abridgements”.

After watching the movie, I wonder how many households, in addition to my own, used the phrase "As you wish." in response to every request. Everyone in the family would say that for the longest time.

[gilmorefanalways]

I have heard good things about this book but have not read it.

[Mistermoonlight]

Oct 27, 2012 21:23:52 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

I am enjoying this discussion immensely. I am unsure who would make me laugh more, MisterMoonlight, or Mr. Goldman. They are both entertaining and able to laugh at themselves. Goldman said he recalls that the other editors, upon reading his [anonymous] submissions, remarked "We can't possibly publish this shit." I admire people who can laugh at themselves and the things that are said about them. They know what they are capable of and that is what is important.

Now that I am over the astonishment of the extensive joke played on the readers, I am laughing non-stop. It is the most outrageous, but clever, writing tool to which I have ever been exposed, and I am enjoying it. The story is wonderful and now I can continue reading with a greater appreciation of the “abridgements”.

After watching the movie, I wonder how many households, in addition to my own, used the phrase "As you wish." in response to every request. Everyone in the family would say that for the longest time.

What a wonderful story, especially when one knows that every time Wesley utters the phrase 'As you wish,' he is actually saying 'I love you.' If anyone ever wanted a definition of the word 'grace,' it's right there in that line and its meaning.

Goldman uses one of my favorite literary devices in the novel, the unreliable narrator. That's when the person telling the story does not tell the truth, either on purpose, or because they don't know it. There's no mistake that Goldman is purposeful here.

As you can tell from the book, most of the funniest lines in the movie were already there in the source material. The fact that director Rob Reiner was able to improve upon that shows what a labor of love this project was.

Oh, and thanks for the comparison to Goldman. That's quite a compliment, even if undeserved. The thing I know he and I have in common is that we try. He has inspired many more people than I could imagine so far. But if I don't catch up to him some day it won't be for a lack of trying.

Here's an example of how he has inspired people. I like to call this video 'a hero in training.'

[AntiArbitrator]

My Gary is watching the movie with me right now but I doubt he will read the book.

[Mistermoonlight]

That's ok. If he watches the movie, he gets to see 'the good parts.' He probably won't want to read the book until the fifth or sixth time he's seen the movie. And you can tell him you know someone who actually saw Andre the Giant in person.

If I'd had even an inkling that Andre would someday be in this movie, I'd have done everything I could to meet him. But sadly, I didn't know any of that then.

[avp60685]

I just finished the book, it was the 30th anniversary edition of the book, it was very well written, I loved it so much!

[KyleEl]

Below.

[KyleEl]

Sept 13, 2020 21:35:07 GMT -5 avp60685 said:

I just finished the book, it was the 30th anniversary edition of the book, it was very well written, I loved it so much!

You should watch the "Three Sentences" episode of "This Is Us". It's free on the NBC web site if you have a participating service provider. I'm afraid to link to it because I don't want to mess up my ability to move to the next episode.

[avp60685]

Okay I'll check it out.

[KyleEl]

I can tell you this much. I don't know how much you know about the show. But Green Arrow from "Smallville" is one of the stars, and in a flashback (the show is mostly flashbacks) his 10th birthday party has a Princess Bride theme.

[avp60685]

Yes, I knew most of the premise of the show. I have it on my Hulu watch list.