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THE PRINCESS BRIDE
by
William Goldman
based on his novel
Cast List CARY ELWESROBIN WRIGHT WESTLEYBUTTERCUP MANDY PATINKIN INIGO CHRIS SARANDONCHRISTOPHER GUEST COUNT RUGEN PRINCE HUMPERDINCK WALLACE SHAWN VIZZINI ANDRE THE GIANTFRED SAVAGE FEZZIKTHE KID PETER FALK THE GRANDFATHER PETER COOKCAROL KANE IMPRESSIVE CLERGYMANVALERIE MEL SMITHBILLY CRYSTAL ALBINOMIRACLE MAX
FADE IN ON: A VIDEO GAME ON A COMPUTER SCREEN. The game is in progress. As a sick coughing sound is heard.
CUT TO: THIS KID
lying in bed, coughing. Pale, one sick cookie. Maybe he's seven or eight or nine. He holds a remote inone hand, presses it, and the video game moves a little bit. Then he's hit by another spasm of coughing, puts the remote down. His room is monochromatic, greys and blues, mildly high-tech. We're in the present day and this is amiddle class house, somewhere in the suburbs.
CUT TO: The Kid's MOTHER as she enters, goes to him, fluffs his pillows, kissses him, and briefly feels hisforehead. She's worried, it doesn't show. During this
-- MOTHER
You feeling any better? THE KID A little bit. MOTHER Guess what. THE KID What? MOTHER Your grandfather's here. (not overjoyed)THE KID
What is it? GRANDFATHER Open it up. The Kid does. He does his best to smile. THE KID A book? GRANDFATHER That's right. When I was your age, television was called books. And this is aspecial book. It was the book my father used to read to me when I was sick, and I used to read it to your father. And today, I'm gonna read it to you. THE KID Has it got any sports in it? CUT TO: THE GRANDFATHER Suddenly passionate. GRANDFATHER Are you kidding? Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Revenge. Giants. Monsters. Chases.Escapes. True love. Miracles. CUT TO: THE TWO OF THEM as the Grandfather sits in a chair by the bed.
(manages a shrug)THE KID It doesn't sound too bad. I'll try and stay awake. GRANDFATHER Oh. Well, thank you very much. It's very nice of you. Your vote of confidence isoverwhelming. All right. (Book open now, be begins to read.) The Princess Bride, by S. Morgenstern. Chapter One. Buttercup was raised on asmall farm in the country of Florin. DISSOLVE TO: The story he's reading about, as the monochromatic look of the bedroom is replaced by the dazzlingcolor of the English countryside.
GRANDFATHER(off-screen) Her favorite pastimes were riding her horse and tormenting the farm boy thatworked there. His name was Westley, but she never called him that. (to the kid) Isn't that a wonderful beginning? (off-screen)THE KID (doing his best) Yeah. It's really good.
BUTTERCUP
Farm Boy. Fill these with water -- (a beat) --please. WESTLEY As you wish. She leaves; his eyes stay on her. She stops, turns -- he manages to look away as now her eyes stay onhim.
GRANDFATHER(off-screen) That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying, "As you wish,"what he meant was, "I love you." DISSOLVE TO: BUTTERCUP IN THE KITCHEN - DUSK Westley enters with an armload of firewood. GRANDFATHER(off-screen) And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back. (pointing to a pitcher that she could reach herself)BUTTERCUP Farm Boy, fetch me that pitcher.
He gets it, hands it to her; they are standing very close to each other gazing into each other's eyes. WESTLEY As you wish. (Now he turns, moves outside.) DISSOLVE TO: WESTLEY AND BUTTERCUP, outside his tiny hovel in the red glow of sunset. They are locked in apassionate kiss.
(off-screen)THE KID -hold it, hold it- CUT TO: THE KID'S ROOM THE KID What is this? Are you trying to trick me? -- Where's the sports? -- Is this a kissingbook? GRANDFATHER -- wait, just wait -- THE KID -- well, when does it get good? GRANDFATHER
WESTLEY
Hear this now: I will come for you. BUTTERCUP But how can you be sure? WESTLEY This is true love. You think this happens every day? He smiles at her, she smiles too, throws her arms so tightly around him. They kiss. Then as Westleywalks away, Buttercup watches him go.
GRANDFATHER(off-screen) (reading) Westley didn't reach his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread PirateRoberts, who never left captives alive. When Buttercup got the news that Westley was murdered -- (off-screen)THE KID (perking up a little) -- murdered by pirates is good -- CUT TO: CLOSE UP: Buttercup, staring out the window of her room. GRANDFATHER(off-screen) She went into her room and shut the door. And for days, she neither slept nor ate.
(no emotion at all in her voice)BUTTERCUP I will never love again. HOLD ON HER FACE, perfect and perfectly sad. DISSOLVE TO: FLORIN CASTLE - DAY The main courtyard of Florin replete with townspeople, livestock, and a bustling marketplace. GRANDFATHER(off-screen) (reading) Five years later, the main square of Florin City was filled as never before to hearthe announcement of the great Prince Humperdinck's bride-to be. CUT TO: PRINCE HUMPERDINCK, a man of incredible power and bearing, standing in his royal robes on acastle balcony. Three others standing behind him: an OLD COUPLE with crowns, the aging KING AND QUEEN, and a dark bearded man who seems the Prince's match in strength: this is COUNTRUGEN.
(raises his hands, starts to speak) HUMPERDINCK My people ... a month from now, our country will have its 500th anniversary. Onthat sundown, I shall marry a lady who was once a commoner like yourselves --
(pause) -- but perhaps you will not find her common now. Would you like to meet her?
CUT TO:
WOODLANDS
-- and Buttercup, barreling along, controlling her horse easily. GRANDFATHER(off-screen) Despite Humperdinck's reassurance that she would grow to love him, the only joyshe found was in her daily ride. CUT TO: A WOODED GLEN, CLOSE TO SUNDOWN. Lovely, quiet, deserted. Buttercup suddenly reins in. VOICE A word, my lady? CUT TO: THREE MEN, standing close together in the path. Beyond them can be seen the waters of FlorinChannel. The three men are not your everyday commuter types. Standing in front is a tiny man with the most angelic face. He is Sicilian and his name is VIZZINI. Beside him is a Spaniard, erect andtaut as a blade ofsteel. His name is INIGO MONTOYA. Beside him is a giant. His name is FEZZIK.
VIZZINI We are but poor, lost circus performers. Is there a village nearby? BUTTERCUP There is nothing nearby; not for miles.
VIZZINI
Then there will be no one to hear you scream- He nods to the giant, Fezzik, who merely reaches over, touches a nerve on Buttercup's neck, and thestart of a scream is all she manages -- unconsciousness comes that fast. As she starts to fall --
CUT TO: A TINY ISOLATED SPOT AT THE EDGE OF FLORIN CHANNEL A sailboat is moored. It's dusk now, shadows are long. Inigo, the Spaniard, busies himself getting theboat ready.
CUT TO: The giant Fezzik carries Buttercup, unconscious, on board. Vizzini rips some tiny pieces of fabric from an army jacket and tucks them along the saddle ofButtercup's horse. There is about the entire operation a sense of tremendous skill and precision.
INIGO What is that you're ripping? (not stopping or turning)VIZZINI It's fabric from the uniform of an Army officer of Guilder. FEZZIK Who's Guilder? (pointing straight out)VIZZINI
INIGO
I agree with FEZZIK. CUT TO: CLOSE UP: Vizzini, in a fury.
(We only thought he was in a fury -- now he's really getting mad)^ VIZZINI Oh. The sot has spoken. What happens to her is not truly your concern -- I will killher -- (louder) And remember this -- never forget this -- CUT TO: INIGO AND FEZZIK, as Vizzini advances on them. Nothing shows on Inigo's face, but FEZZIK ispanicked by Vizzini.
(to Inigo)VIZZINI -- when I found you, you were so slobbering drunk you couldn't buy brandy -- (now to FEZZIK, who retreats as much as he can while Vizzini advances) -- and you -- friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless -- Do you want me to sendyou back to where you were, unemployed in Greenland?
Vizzini glares at him, then turns, leaves them. During this, Inigo has gone close to FEZZIK, who is very distressed at the insults he's just received.As Inigo casts off.
(softly)INIGO That Vizzini, he can fuss. (a slight emphasis on the last word)FEZZIK (looking at Inigo) ... fuss ... fuss ... (Suddenly, he's got it again, emphasis on the last word.) I think he likes to scream at us. INIGO Probably he means no harm. FEZZIK He's really very short on charm.
(proudly)INIGO Oh, you've a great gift for rhyme. FEZZIK Yes, some of the time. (he starts to smile)VIZZINI (whirling on them)
VIZZINI
Why are you doing that? INIGO Making sure nobody's following us. VIZZINI That would be inconceivable. BUTTERCUP Despite what you think, you will be caught. And when you are, the Prince will seeyou all hanged.
Vizzini turns a cold eye on the Princess. VIZZINI Of all the necks on this boat, Highness, the one you should be worrying about isyour own.
Inigo keeps staring behind them. VIZZINI Stop doing that. We can all relax, it's almost over- INIGO You're sure nobody's following us? VIZZINI
As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, inconceivable.No one in Guilder knows what we've done. And no one in Florin could have gotten here so fast. Out of curiosity, why do you ask? INIGO No reason. It's only, I just happened to look behind us, and something is there. VIZZINI What? And suddenly the three whirl, stare back and as they do -- CUT TO: THE DARKNESS BEHIND THEM. It's hard to see; the moon is behind clouds now. But the wind whistles. And the waves pound. Andsuddenly it's all gone ominous.
CUT TO: INGIO, FEZZIK, AND VIZZINI squinting back, trying desperately to see. At this moment, they areall holding their breaths.
CUT TO: THE DARKNESS BEHIND THEM. And there's still nothing to be seen. It's still ominous. Only now it's eerie too. Then -- The moon slips through and -- Inigo was right -- something is very much there. A sailboat. Black. With a great billowing sail. Black.
