I’ve become obsessed- or rather, re-obsessed- with The Princess Bride. This includes the book and the movie, both written by William Goldman. If you’ve never read it, YOU MUST. If you’ve never seen it, YOU MUST. The two are very different, yet equally wonderful.

The Book: A “classic” fairytale told from inside a cynical kid’s bedroom, it has something for everyone: revenge, pirates, war, torture, weddings, sword fights, giants and a literal Zoo of Death. But ultimately, it’s a story of love: the love between the fairy tale’s hero and heroine Westley and Buttercup, but also the love of a grandfather for his grandson, as he reads him the “good parts” of The Princess Bride. Goldman has said that he could never have written the story if he had not claimed it was originally written by the fictional “S. Morgenstern” and placed it as a story-within-a-story. (A brain wave while he was walking in Central Park one day; if not for that spurt of creativity, Goldman claims the book would never have been finished.)

The Movie follows the basic plot of the book, changing the Zoo of Death into the Pit of Despair (losing nearly all in translation) and including a few more “abridgments” to the story. I watched the movie again recently, and it moved much faster than I’d remembered. But there was still time to see “The Greatest Swordfight of all time” and “The World’s Most Passionate Kiss.” And of course, the movie has some of the best line reading in movie history:

“As you wish.”

“Inconceivable!”

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

“This is true love. Do you think this happens every day?”

“No more rhyming now, I mean it!”/ “Anybody want a peanut?”

…and many, many more.

Reflecting upon Goldman’s work has taught me a few lessons about writing. First, that it’s possible to write a fairy tale with well-rounded characters, even one centered around men. (Think of the typical fairy tale prince, who generally has a single trait or ambition and not much to offer the princess besides wealth and generic handsomeness. The Princess Bride‘s characters are realistic people with problems small and large, who contribute meaningfully to each other’s stories.)

Second, that framing devices can work if done well (or tongue-in-cheek, as Goldman wrote it).

And third, that it’s okay for a writer to have ego if he backs it up. After all, Goldman had no problems claiming the book was a “Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure” (even if he attributed it to Morgenstern). Luckily for Goldman, his book, like Westley and Buttercup’s first kiss, leaves all others behind.

Any other Princess Bride fans out there? Leave your favorite quote in the comments!