The Princess Bride is one of the most iconic films of its decade – so much so its still referenced in TV shows and movies today, including by The Big Bang Theorys Raj Koothrappali, who is nothing short of obsessed with the romantic plot.
Set in the mythical land of Florin, it features a beautiful girl named Buttercup and her farmhand, Westley. The pair soon realise they are head over heels for each other, and to be able to afford marriage, Westley leaves the farm in pursuit of fortune but is gone for many years and Buttercup, who believes her sweetheart is dead, reluctantly agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck.
The romantic film has everything; drama, swordfights, a giant, a six-fingered man, pirates, and of course, a happy ending (sorry for the spoiler, but surely you knew this was coming?).
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A remake could be on the cards, but the news has been met with outrage by fans and celebrities alike, including Jamie Lee Curtis, who is married to the aforementioned six-fingered man and tweeted …there is only ONE The Princess Bride.
Whether the rumours are true or not, its the perfect excuse to remind yourself why the original was so great, and which actors you have to thank for it.
When was The Princess Bride released?
The Princess Bride is adapted from a novel written by American author William Goldman in 1973.
Fourteen years later, in 1987, the movie – directed by Rob Reiner – followed.
Who was in The Princess Bride cast?
They didnt know it then, but The Princess Bride would shoot many of its actors to instant fame.
Box office figures were mediocre, but critics loved the movie – it even has a 97% rating on rotten tomatoes.
But who is in it? Here are the main characters.
Buttercup – Robin Wright
Robin Wright, 53, now an A-list celebrity known for her performances in movies like Forrest Gump and the hit TV show House of Cards, played the leading lady in the film.
Her character, Buttercup, is the princess bride. She was 22 years old at the time, and it was her first appearance on the big screen.
Westley – Cary Elwes
You might know him as Robin Hood from Robin Hood: Men in Tights or Lawrence Gordon, the oncologist who was chained to a pipe in the horror movie, Saw.
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Before he took on these roles, he was best known as Westley, the handsome hero of The Princess Bride (with an impressive ponytail and a charming smile).
The British actor, now 56, was born in Westminster.
Inigo Montoya – Mandy Patinkin
Inigo is a Spanish fencer and Vizzinis henchman, portrayed by Mandy Patinkin, 66, who is originally from Chicago, US.
The actor has also appeared in Yentl, Alien Nation, The Queen of Spain and Wonder, as well as TV shows like Criminal Minds and Homeland.
Vizzini – Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn, 75, is just as known for his voice as he is for his face – the actor has voiced Rex in all Toy Story films, as well as Gilbert Huph in The Incredibles and Principal Fetchit in Chicken Little.
His movie and TV show appearance list is just as long, and includes Gossip Girl, Law & Order, Young Sheldon and Marriage Story, which will be released later this year.
He plays the Sicilian boss Vizzini in The Princess Bride.
Count Rugen – Christopher Guest
You could call him Count Rugen, but many prefer his nickname,the six-fingered man, given to him by Inigo Montoya. In the film, the character plans to create a machine that can quite literally suck the life out of people, so yeah – hes pretty evil.
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Listing all of 71-year-old Christopher Guests accomplishments would take a very long time; hes not only an actor, but also a director, writer, musician and composer, who has won countless awards including an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for The Lily Tomlin Special and a Grammy for Best Song in The Mighty Wind.
He is perhaps best known for playing the fictional character Nigel Tufnel in This Is Spinal Tap, along with subsequent roles in other films where the same character appears.
Prince Humperdinck – Chris Sarandon
In The Princess Bride, he plays the heir to the throne of Florin and is engaged to Buttercup – who he never ends up marrying – while in real life, actor Chris Sarandon, 77, has been married three times, including to actress Susan Sarandon.
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