The 25 Must-See Titles at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival

Cary Elwes and Robin Wright in The Princess Bride. Image courtesy of MGM.

The Princess Bride (1987)

A young boy, sick in bed, is told the story of The Princess Bride by his grandfather. Inside the story is a tale of true love, giants and derring-do.

The Princess Bride is, quite literally, the perfect movie. Adapted by William Goldman, based on his novel, Rob Reiner’s fairy tale has something for everyone: adventure, romance, witty repartee. I saw The Princess Bride for the first time as a kid and it hasn’t diminished a bit in my eyes. (This was one of the first films I saw that emphasized the power of reading!) Cary Elwes and Robin Wright are the most beautiful rogue and princess, respectively, while the rest of the cast – that includes Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest and Mandy Patinkin, to name a few – are hilarious and sincere.

Though released in 1987, The Princess Bride is inspired by a litany of classic films. Cary Elwes is drawn from the likes of Errol Flynn while villains like Chris Sarandon’s Prince Humperdinck have commonalities to the likes of Claude Rains. A few titles to check out after watching The Princess Bride for the hundredth time: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940) and The Court Jester (1955).

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