Framily,  Product Review

As You Wish

No more rhymes now, I mean it.

Anybody want a peanut?

I’m not a movie person per se.

But I have an emotional attachment to a handful of films.

One in particular.

The Princess Bride.

This attachment is based perhaps on my one hundred plus times viewing this film one summer in the the late 1980’s.

I blame it on my framily.

We watched it on VHS on a television that was placed on the floor.  I think we watched it every day for one entire summer.

(Not exactly watched so much as had it on for background noise.)

We acted it out, dressed up as the characters, rolled down hills, quoted movie lines, fought rodents of unusual size and battled one another endlessly with sticks as swords.

Cary Elwes and Robin Wright have been in dozens of films since then but they will always be Westley and Buttercup to me.

I heard about this book somewhere – probably the insidious Facebook.

A book entitled As You Wish and authored by Cary Elwes himself.  (Yes, Elwes with the help of some poor guy who probably did lots of the work but will receive little of the credit – Joe Layden.)

I should have just purchased it but it came quickly at my request at our public library so I went ahead with the borrowed book.

As a ridiculous fan of the movie, this was just a jolly fun book to read.

No great literary merit, of course, but some books aren’t meant for that purpose.

The sidebars on nearly every page are filled with quotes and stories from the various actors and crew on the film, which only added to the joy of the read.

I loved learning about the path from novel to screen play to slow success to eventual cult classic.

Plus, there are just tons of little tidbits that will make watching the film again a great time.

In fact, such surprising and fun little bits that I am not even going to tell you one of them so you can discover them yourself if you read this book.  (But it’s hard, I tell you.  I really want to tell you guys one or two of the most amusing facts I learned.)

I appreciated Elwes’ respect for the film and for what it did for his career from the start.  He said that he couldn’t possibly be upset when people on the street recognized him as Westley because it was such an honor to be a part of the film and its faithful bevy of fans.

I guess the film recently celebrated its twenty-fifth year so I’m sure the timing of the book was planned accordingly.

If you’re a fan – the book belongs on your shelf for sure.

My favorite line from the film is when Buttercup pushes Westley down the hill and he shouts “As you wish” as he is falling to his possible death.

She slips and slides and falls down the hill after to him, only to find herself flat on her back at the bottom of the hill.

Westley approaches her and asks Buttercup if she can move and she replies, “Move? You’re alive.  If you want, I could fly.”

What’s your favorite line?

5 Comments

  • Crystal

    “Have fun storming the castle!” “Do you think it will work?” “It would take a miracle!”

  • Beckey

    One of the best films of all time. A beloved part of our family as well.
    I think it funny that several hundred miles away, most likely the same summer,
    I watched The Princess Bride on repeat (by that I mean I got up took the VHS from the player, put it in the rewind machine, pushed it back into the player-praying it would not eat the tape, time after time. Life was harder then.)
    Last year Max was given the book, The Princess Bride. He lent it to me. If you have not read it you should. While the movie and book are the same, mostly, the book has embellishments. Embellishments that had me hooked. Amazed. Enthralled.
    At some point I remembered the book was fiction. That reality broke my heart. I did not finish the last chapter. I am not sure I can read As You Wish, but I will always think about The Dread Pirate Roberts rolling down the hill whenever I hear those words!

    • laceykeigley

      That’s so funny!

      You should read it anyway.

      And yes – we have the read book. We have it on audio (actually, on cassette – if you can believe that) and we have listened to it at least three times on drives.

  • Ruth

    I love this movie!!! Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line! Inconceivable! You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means. I have had the joy of sharing it with my kids now as well and they love it too. 🙂 Will definitely have to get this book.