The Princess Bride: The Best Parody Fairy Tale You’ll Ever See

adventure, comedy, fantasy, romance

1:38

1987

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on Apr 17, 2017

Have fun storming the castle!

The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, When Harry Met Sally), is a romantic comedy-adventure that’s quite unlike any other movie out there. It’s simultaneously a fairytale and a parody of a fairytale, and it excels at each. While other movies, like Shrek, have tried to walk this line, I can’t think of any that balance the two so expertly as this one.

The Princess Bride is a story, first and foremost, about love: romantic love, love of a son for his father, and even a love of a man for his newfound friends. Once all of that and the fairytale-esque setting are established, the movie evolves to show that the path from the present to the happily-ever-after is never straight or simple, and is never easy. Along the way, other aspects of good adventure tales, like revenge, exploration, and daring rescues, are all present and well-executed. The plot is fun and surprising, and it does not disappoint.

Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.

What truly sets The Princess Bride apart is its self-awareness and willingness to make fun of itself, and both of these seem to get better and better throughout the movie. It starts out as a campy fairytale, but quickly sets out on a slightly different trajectory, eventually going to lengths to show that it’s not a fairytale, and sometimes blatantly making fun of fairytale tropes. One by one, the threads of the cord tethering this story to traditional children’s stories are severed, and the story breaks away entirely following one dramatic twist.

The humor, much like the plot, begins simply with a childlike innocence, but becomes darker and much more biting as the movie presses on. There are some cute (but funny) jokes up-front to set the tone, but there are a few I-can’t-believe-they-just-did-that jokes toward the end of the movie. The dialogue and jokes are witty and smart throughout, so it’s enough to keep the adult viewer entertained throughout.

Should I Watch The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is one of those rare gems that’s fun and accessible enough for most children, but smart and witty enough for most adults. It’s also a bit of a pop culture phenomenon, so it’s worth watching just for the references. At its heart, it’s still a fairytale and a bit of a goofy one at that, so that may turn some people off; but the movie still has a wide appeal and most will enjoy it. If you enjoy fairytales at all, though, this is required viewing.

Movies Like The Princess Bride

Shrek (2001) - This is another parody of a fairy tale that ends up being a competent fairy tale on its own. It’s sarcastic, irreverent, and mildly inappropriate, but at its heart, it’s a story of true love overcoming boundaries and lovers bringing out the best in each other. It also spawned a series of spin-offs; Shrek 2 is also a really great movie.
Stardust (2007) - Adapted from a Neil Gaiman novel, this isn’t a parody, but has the same wit and maturity that The Princess Bride has. The two main characters have serious flaws to overcome before they get their fairy tale romance, and that romance feels earned, not forced. Stardust doesn’t mock the magic of childhood stories; it re-captures it for adults, and it’s fantastic in that regard.
Enchanted (2007) - When a Disney princess falls into modern day New York, we get to see how unrealistic those tropes are as real people react to them. We also get to see how that magical innocence and romance can captivate real people just as much as animated fantasy folks. There are some clever jokes from the juxtaposition, and the romance feels earned, although it offers its own twists on the trope of fairy tale romance.

Academy Awards

Nomination: Best Music, Original Song (Willy DeVille, “Storybook Love”)

Runtime: 1:38
Director: Rob Reiner
Year: 1987
Genres: adventure, comedy, fantasy, romance
Rating: PG

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.