William Goldman wrote The Princess Bride for
his daughters. They helped him come up with the idea for
it and even the title. One daughter suggested a story about a princess. The other suggested a story about a bride. He combined the two, and The Princess Bride
was born. William worked to adapt the story for 12 years
and finally succeeded in 1987. The film became one of the most beloved and
quotable fantasy love stories of all time, but there are details even devoted fans miss. Join us as Facts Verse Presents: this scene
wasn't edited, look again at the Princess Bride blooper. The Score
Music is essential for an epic fantasy love story like The Princess Bride. The crew knew they had to have the right composer
on board, but hiring him took a bit of convincing. They wanted Mark Knopfler of the rock band
Dire Straits. He agreed under one condition. They had to include the USS Coral Sea baseball
cap he wore in the 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap. It’s hidden in the young boy’s room. Casting
Rob wanted a lot from the actor who played Westley, he wanted someone handsome, British,
and funny. His main inspiration was Australian actor
Errol Flynn who was famous for sword-fighting movies. Cary Elews was inexperienced at the time. He only had a few lines in his audition, and
it was over in a few minutes. Rob held up his hand and said “that’s
enough” and that he’d get back to him. Cary was sure that meant the end, but he got
a callback four days later. Andre the Giant was always William’s first
choice to play Fezzik, but he wasn’t the only one who auditioned. They also offered the part to Liam Neeson,
but Rob thought he was too short. Kareem Abdul-Jabar turned it down because
it conflicted with his NBA schedule. Arnold Schwarzenegger was also interested,
but he was such a major star that the studio couldn’t afford him. He later appeared in director Norman Jewison’s
adaptation. Courtney Cox, Meg Ryan, and Uma Thurman auditioned
to play Buttercup. When she landed the part, Robin Wright was
already in a soap opera called Santa Barbara. They wouldn’t let her go unless she extended
her contract for another year. It turned out to be a smart business choice
when the movie became a hit. Wallace Shawn played Vizzini. He heard Danny Devito and Richard Dreyfuss
had both turned it down before him. He believes that Danny would have understood
the film’s sense of humor. He even says he was “haunted” by him during
every shot because he thought he would have done it better. It was partially because he knew he was the
third choice and advises agents never to tell their actors who get in a similar situation. Alternate Ending
Rob was allowed to make a few changes to the original material. Going with a different ending may have saved
it from obscurity. William’s original ending had the grandson,
years later, leafing through the book when he hears a noise. He looks outside and sees the characters from
the book beckoning him to join them on their next adventure. It was scrapped and replaced by a simpler
one. The boy, who never wanted to hear the story
in the first place but was entranced by it, asks his grandfather to read it to him again
tomorrow. Cary isn’t sure why the original ending
remained for so long. He says that it was a way to show that the
film is all about the love of storytelling. Billy Crystal Was Dangerously Funny
One of the most famous scenes in The Princess Bride is the one where Westley seems to have
died at the hands of Prince Humperdink. They take him to the magical healer Miracle
Max who declares he’s only “mostly dead.” Billy Crystal played the ridiculous character
perfectly. It all started with his appearance, which
he asked to be based on his grandmother and former Yankees manager Casey Stengel. He drew on his own experiences with elderly
Jewish friends and family to create an affectionate and hilarious caricature. Billy’s jokes literally became dangerous
after he started takling. He was given free rein to improvise and created
most of the scene’s memorable lines. The cast and crew couldn’t keep a straight
face. Rob had to leave the room because he laughed
so hard he felt sick. Cary was meant to be motionless in the scene
but couldn’t stay still. He ruined so many takes that he was kicked
off set by the sound department and replaced with a dummy. Mandy Patinkin, who played Inigo Montaya tried
so hard to keep in his laughter that he bruised a rib. It was the only injury he received. Working With a Giant
Having Andre the Giant on set made every day more memorable. He was 7 foot 4 and 540 pounds but a gentle
soul that called everyone boss. His English wasn’t perfect, so Rob put the
script on audio tape for him to memorize. Reactions on set were mixed. Robin initially ran away until she got to
know how gentle the giant could be. Those with gigantism rarely live long. He had back pain and needed support in any
scene where he had to lift anything large. When Buttercup jumps off the window of the
castle and lands in his arms, he couldn’t catch her so she had to be supported with
wires. He also ran hot while she would shiver on
set, so he put her hands on her head. It evened them both out, and she said it was
like having a “giant hot water bottle.” Andre tried to keep a positive attitude and
distract himself from his problems. He loved to indulge, especially in food and
booze. He could allegedly drink 100 beers in one
sitting and had a case of beer, three bottles of wine, and two bottles of brandy every day. He also had a bodyguard follow him on his
escapades after a night where he’d fallen over and injured a pedestrian. Drinks weren’t the only thing that was monumental
about the giant. He once interrupted a take after the scene
where Westley is revived after being mostly dead with “the most monumental far” that
felt like it had the force of an earthquake. Like and subscribe to Facts Verse for more
inconceivable secrets. Keep watching to learn about the scenes that
weren’t edited so you can look again at the Princess Bride bloopers. Accidents and Stunts
Cary to take a joyride on an ATV after Andre egged him on. He crashed and his toe got caught on some
rocks, snapped backwards, and broke. He was so afraid of being replaced that he
didn’t reveal the extent of his pain. He insisted on continuing to film even though
he could barely stand. You can see how much he’s hurting in a scene
where he favors his left leg and fittingly tells Buttercup “life is pain.” Mandy’s dedication also got him injured. He insisted that his costar actually whack
him on the head with a sword in a shot. It landed harder than either of them expected. He was knocked unconscious and landed in the
emergency room to get stitches in his head. The take did end up in the movie, so his pain
was not in vain. The film also included an intense stunt that
could have gone very wrong. Buttercup discovers that the Dread Pirate
Roberts is her beloved Westley as he carries her through a swamp. Robert insisted that it was a “very simple
scene.” All he had to do was save her from the fire. He must not have communicated this to William
who ruined a take when her dress was on fire by rushing out to fix it in a panic. When You’re Too Good at Fighting
Another classic scene is the swordfight between Westley and Inigo before they become friends
and join up to save Buttercup. It was written in the script as “the greatest
swordfight in modern times.” The crew spared no expense and hired two of
Hollywod’s best fencing instructors, Bob Anderson and Peter Diamond. The actors were both novices but had plenty
of time to train because it was one of the last scenes filmed. The problem was that they got too good. The carefully choreographed scene, which even
included tricks such as switching their sword from one hand to another, was over in only
a minute. Rob reportedly said, “that’s it?” Everything had to be rewritten. It was stretched out to three minutes using
a few tips from swordfighting movies such as The Mask of Zorro and The Sea Hawk. Mandy still considers it one of the highlights
of his career. He loved working with the crew and was a bit
disappointed when it ended. He gets emotional about it to this day. Let’s Kiss Again
Cary Ewles can be forgiven for wanting to lengthen his chances of kissing a beautiful
woman like Robin Wright. It was also the last scene they filmed together,
so it was almost like kissing her goodbye. Rob was satisfied with the first take, but
they kept asking for more. They performed six takes and were giggling
the entire time. Cary says that, while he can’t speak for
his costar, he could have gone on shooting all day and didn’t want the movie to end. It’s Everyone’s Favorite
Mandy says that Inigo Montoya is his favorite character he’s ever played. He’ll never escape his most famous lines,
“Hello. My Name is Inigo Montya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” He hears them from passersby every day but
doesn’t mind because he likes them and loves the impact it has on people. It also makes him feel closer to his father
who died in 1972. Having his character defeat the six-fingered
man almost felt like having his father back and alive in his imagination. William was also satisfied with the script. He said he rarely cared for any of his work
but that it was different and managed to be his favorite. There are also other more surprising fans. Cary briefly met Pope John Paul II at the
Vatican in 1988 and was amazed by the response he got. He posed for a quick photo and then was asked
if he was from The Princess Bride. When he responded yes, the Pope said it was
a “very good film, very funny.” Another fan on the other side of the spectrum
was mobster John Gotti. Rob was out at a restaurant in Little Italy
when the boss reportedly walked in with a crew of six henchmen. He quoted Inigo’s famous lines and then
professed his love for the film. It seems that The Princess Bride is one love
story that can touch anyone. How many times have you watched The Princess
Bride? Let us know in the comments below.
