The Princess Bride

The love story of Westley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright) isn’t a straight line to “happily ever after.” It’s filled with pirates, evil princes, and Rodents of Unusual Size. Who knew their romantic journey would be hilarious on-screen and off? The stories of Billy Crystal cracking up cast and crew in his single scene are legendary. Crystal ad-libbed many lines to the swashbuckling Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) and Fezzik (Andre the Giant) while concocting a medicine to revive a “mostly dead” Westley. Patinkin claimed to bruise a rib from holding his laughter. Elwes was replaced by a dummy because he couldn’t act unconscious. Director Rob Reiner had to watch on a monitor off-set because he laughed until he was nauseous. In allowing the actors’ chemistry and humor to shine, Reiner created a beautiful story about hope, and reminded us that life is better with romance, adventure, and laughter. — Stephanie Valle