If you’ve ever walked into a room and heard someone shout "Inconceivable!" or "My name is Inigo Montoya, prepare to die," you already know the vibe. But honestly, if you’re asking what is the Princess Bride about, you’re probably looking for more than just a list of memes. It’s a weird one. It’s a movie that somehow manages to be a sincere romance, a cynical satire, a swashbuckling adventure, and a meta-commentary on storytelling itself, all while featuring a giant and a very cranky Billy Crystal.
At its simplest, it’s a fairy tale. But that’s a bit of a lie.
The Bare Bones Plot: Buttercup and Westley
The core narrative centers on Buttercup, a farm girl in the fictional kingdom of Florin, and Westley, her "farm boy." He responds to every request with "As you wish," which is code for "I love you." He leaves to seek his fortune so they can marry, gets captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts, and is presumed dead.
Five years later, Buttercup is forced into an engagement with the slimy Prince Humperdinck. While out riding, she’s kidnapped by a trio of outlaws: Vizzini (the brains), Fezzik (the muscle), and Inigo Montoya (the Spaniard with a vengeful streak). They are chased by a mysterious Man in Black.
That’s the basic setup. But the The Princess Bride is never just about the plot.
It’s about the framing. The movie begins with a sick kid (Fred Savage) being visited by his grandfather (Peter Falk), who wants to read him a book. The kid is skeptical. He hates the "kissing parts." The movie we see is the story the grandfather is reading. This "meta" layer is why the film works. It allows the story to comment on its own tropes. When the kid interrupts because he’s worried the hero might die, or because things are getting too sappy, he’s speaking for us.
Why the Book and Movie Feel So Different
William Goldman, who wrote both the novel (published in 1973) and the screenplay (1987), was a master of misdirection. In the book, he uses a framing device that claims he is merely "abridging" a much longer, boring historical text by a fictional author named S. Morgenstern.
He adds "annotations" explaining why he cut out sixty pages of Florinese history or a long description of a character’s wardrobe. It’s a brilliant bit of literary trickery. It makes you feel like you’re reading a real piece of history that just happens to be hilarious.
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The movie can’t do that exactly, so it uses the grandfather.
Rob Reiner, the director, knew that if he played it too straight, it would be cheesy. If he played it too much like a comedy, the stakes wouldn't matter. He threaded the needle. The result is a film where you genuinely care if Westley survives the Pit of Despair, even though you just saw a guy in a giant rat suit (the R.O.U.S.es) try to eat him five minutes earlier.
The "True" Themes: It’s Not Just About True Love
While "True Love" is the driving force, the movie is deeply obsessed with the idea of revenge and its cost. Take Inigo Montoya. Played by Mandy Patinkin, Inigo is arguably the heart of the film. He has spent twenty years training to kill the six-fingered man who murdered his father. It’s a dark motivation for a "family" movie. When he finally gets his moment, it isn't just a cool fight scene. It’s a desperate, bloody realization of a life's work. Patinkin has famously said he channeled the loss of his own father into that role, which is why that final confrontation feels so raw.
Then there’s the theme of Life is Pain. Westley says it best: "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something." This cynical edge keeps the movie grounded. The characters aren't perfect heroes. They’re tired. They get hurt. They get "mostly dead." This realism—within a world of Shrieking Eels—is why the movie hasn't aged a day since the eighties.
The Characters That Make the World
You can't explain what is the Princess Bride about without mentioning the trio of kidnappers.
- Vizzini (Wallace Shawn): The "genius" who is actually blinded by his own ego. His "Battle of Wits" with Westley is a masterclass in comedic writing.
- Fezzik (André the Giant): He was a real-life professional wrestler, but in this movie, he’s a gentle soul who likes rhymes. His friendship with Inigo is the most stable relationship in the whole story.
- Inigo Montoya: The greatest swordsman in the world who is also a functioning alcoholic when things go south.
And we have to talk about Prince Humperdinck. He’s not a "dark lord" with magic powers. He’s just a coward who is very good at tracking people. He’s a bureaucratic villain. He wants to start a war for political convenience. That makes him more hate-able than a guy in a black mask ever could be.
Behind the Scenes: The Chaos of Filming
Believe it or not, this movie was a "nightmare" to get made for about a decade. Studios didn't know how to market it. Was it for kids? Was it for adults? Nobody knew.
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Cary Elwes (Westley) and Robin Wright (Buttercup) had incredible chemistry, but Elwes actually broke his toe during filming (riding the sword-wielder's ATV) and had to hide the limp during the iconic "I am not left-handed" duel. Speaking of that duel, it took months of training. Neither Elwes nor Patinkin were fencers. They learned every single move from scratch so the cameras could stay wide, proving they were actually doing the work.
André the Giant was in immense physical pain during the shoot due to his back issues. In the scene where Buttercup jumps from the castle window into his arms, she was actually held up by wires because André couldn't support her weight. Knowing that makes his performance even more impressive; he’s a mountain of charisma despite the agony.
Common Misconceptions About the Story
Some people think the movie is a parody of fairy tales like Shrek. It’s not.
A parody mocks the genre. The Princess Bride loves the genre. It honors the tropes of the "classic tale" while poking fun at the absurdity of things like "Miracle Max" bringing people back to life with a chocolate-covered pill.
Another big one: people think the book is exactly like the movie.
It’s much darker. In the book, the "minds" of the characters are explored in ways that make the world feel more cynical. The ending of the book is also more ambiguous. It doesn't necessarily promise a "happily ever after" in the same way the film’s final kiss suggests.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
We live in an era of "gritty reboots" and "multiverses." Everything is a franchise.
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The Princess Bride stands alone. It’s a self-contained masterpiece that doesn't need a sequel or a cinematic universe. It works because it respects the audience's intelligence. It assumes you can handle a story that is both funny and scary, romantic and bitter.
It’s about the power of oral tradition. The grandfather isn't just reading a book; he’s passing down a legacy. By the end, the kid—who only wanted video games and sports—is asking for the book to be read again the next day. That’s the magic. It’s a story about how stories save us from boredom, sickness, and the "pain" of real life.
How to Experience it Best
If you’ve seen the movie a dozen times, you haven't finished the journey.
- Read the 25th Anniversary Edition of the book. Goldman’s "Buttercup’s Baby" intro is a trip.
- Watch the Criterion Collection supplements. The interviews with the cast reveal just how much they loved working with each other, which isn't always the case on movie sets.
- Look for the Cary Elwes memoir, "As You Wish." It’s a delightful deep dive into the making of the film, narrated by the man himself.
Ultimately, the movie is a reminder that while the world is full of "Six-Fingered Men" and "Fire Swamps," there are also people like Fezzik and Westley who will climb a mountain for you. It’s a celebration of friendship and the persistence of the human spirit against "inconceivable" odds.
To truly understand what it's about, you just have to watch it. Don't skip the kissing parts. They're actually pretty good.
Practical Next Steps for Fans
To get the most out of your next rewatch, pay close attention to the background characters during the wedding scene. The "Impressive Clergyman" (Peter Cook) was given total freedom to ad-lib his speech, which is why the actors' reactions of suppressed laughter are genuine. Also, try to spot the moment where Billy Crystal (Miracle Max) makes Rob Reiner leave the set because he was laughing too hard and ruining the takes. Once you see the "cracks" in the production where the joy leaks through, you'll appreciate the film on a whole new level.