REVIEW

It all begins with a Grandfather telling the story to his less than enthusiastic Grandson...
The story opens in the country of Florin with Buttercup treating her "Farm Boy" not so well, "his name was Westley, but she never called him that." Very soon she realizes he loves her, she loves him, and he sets off for America "to make his fortune across the sea." But she finds out that he has been murdered by the Dread Pirate Roberts "who never leaves captives alive."
5 years later at Humperdink's castle--Prince Humperdink is annoucing his bride-to-be and we find out it is the Princess Buttercup. She doesn't love him, but he "has the right to choose his bride."
Next we see that Buttercup is riding her horse through the forest and comes across three strange looking men: one short, intelligent man (Vizzini), a Spaniard (Inigo), and a giant (Fezzik). They kidnap her and Vizzini reveals that he wants to start a war with the nearby country Guilder by murdering Buttercup and leaving her on the "Guilder frontier"--although Inigo and Fezzik aren't happy with this, they follow orders. They sail away on a ship, but soon realize they are being followed by a ship that is gaining on them. The man following their ship also follows them to the Cliffs of Insanity. When they reach the top, Vizzini has Inigo stay behind to kill the man following them (the Man-in-Black) because he (Inigo) is a master swordsman. When the Man-in-Black reaches the top of the cliffs, Inigo reveals he wants revenge on a man with six fingers who killed his father. Inigo and the Man-in-Black find they have a mutual respect for eachother, but they must duel and the Man-in-Black wins, but does not kill Inigo. Vizzini sees that the Man-in-Black is still following them, so he has Fezzik stay behind to kill him. They wrestle and again the Man-in-Black wins, but he doesn't kill Fezzik. Then he confronts Vizzini and they have a battle of wits...and of course the Man-in-Black wins again. From there, he grabs Buttercup and they run off.
Meanwhile, Prince Humperdink has been following them with his friend Count Rugen.
Back to the running MIB and Buttercup: Buttercup believes the Man-in-Black is the Dread Pirate Roberts who killed her Westley, and when he admits he is, she pushes him down a large hill. As he falls, he reveals he is actually Westley, so she tumbles down the hill after him. They are reunited at the bottom. They soon realize Humperdink is chasing them, so they are forced to go into the Fire Swamp (where no one has ever survived). They enter and Westley explains his absence and that he actually is the DPR (and how that would work). After some adventures in the Fire Swamp, they escape and find that Humperdink is waiting for them. Buttercup agrees to go with him, if he'll free Westley. He agrees but has left instructions with Count Rugen to throw him in The Pit of Despair--Westley realizes Rugen is the six fingered man Inigo was searching for.
In the Pit of Despair, Westley is tortured, and Buttercup has bad dreams; she finally goes to Humperdink and tells him she cannot live without Westley and that she'll kill herself if she has to marry Humperdink. He agrees to search for Westley (lying of course); Buttercup eventually realizes this is a lie and maddens Humperdink by calling him some unfriendly names, so he kills Westley.
Fezzik and Inigo are re-united and Fezzik has learned about Rugen (the six fingered man) and tells this to Inigo. Inigo wants to kill him, but as he has "no gift for strategy" he tells Fezzik that he needs the Man-in-Black to help him. When they go to find him, they learn he has been killed, and so they bring his body to Miracle Max (a miracle man). When Miracle Max realizes that he can get back at Humperdink (who fired him) by helping Westley, he gives him a miracle potion to bring him back to life, but he warns them to wait for full potency.
Fezzik and Inigo go to the castle wall and revive Westley (the evening of Humperdink's marriage to Buttercup), but they give him the miracle pill too early and he is left with no strength. He does work out a plan to get into the castle, however, and they get inside to find Rugen and guards facing them. Ingio utters his famous lines: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya--you kill my father; prepare to die..." (speaking to Rugen). Rugen runs away and Inigo chases after him.
Meanwhile Buttercup has been married to Humperdink and is depressed that Westley has not come for her. She tells Humperdink's father that she will kill herself once she has reached the honeymoon suite. Luckily, Westley has found his way there and so they are again reunited (but he still has no strength).
Meanwhile, Rugen has thrown a knife at Inigo and he is struck in the stomach. Rugen waits to watch him die, but Inigo uses some inner strength and kills Rugen.
Back in the Honeymoon suite, Humperdink comes in to find Buttercup and Westley there. Humperdink challenges: "To the death" but Westley counters with "To the pain" telling him how he'll leave Humperdink "wallowing in freakish misery forever"--Humperdink gives up and they tie him to a chair.
Then Inigo, Westley, and Fezzik are all reunited and with Buttercup, they ride off on white horses into the sunset, and Buttercup and Westley are finally together again.
The Grandfather then ends the story...
"As you wish"

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CAST

CARY ELWES -WESTLEY

ROBIN WRIGHT-BUTTERCUP

MANDY PATINKIN-INIGO

CHRIS SARANDON-PRINCE HUMPERDINCK

CHRISTOPHER GUEST-COUNT RUGEN

WALLACE SHAWN-VIZZINI

ANDRE THE GIANT-FEZZIK

FRED SAVAGE-THE KID

PETER FALK-THE GRANDFATHER

PETER COOK-IMPRESSIVE CLERGYMAN

CAROL KANE-VALERIE

MEL SMITH-ALBINO

BILLY CRYSTAL-MIRACLE MAX

PRODUCTION

The movie was released in theaters in 1987; screenplay and novel by William Goldman; Directed by Rob Reiner; Cinematography by Adrian Biddle; Music by Mark Knopfler and Willy De Ville; Production Design by Norman Garwood; Costume Design by Phyllis Dalton; Film Editing by Robert Leighton; Produced by Steve Nicolaides (associate), Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Jeffrey Stott (associate).