Interview: Cary Elwes on the Lasting Power of “The Princess Bride” | Interviews | Roger Ebert (2024)

Two years ago, Cary Elwes joined RobReiner, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, Wallace Shawn, Chris Sarandon, MandyPatinkin and, of course, Robin Wright at the Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Centerfor the New York Film Festival screening of “The Princess Bride,” commemoratingthe 25^thanniversary of the movie.

After the screening, each panelistshared a few words abouttheir experiences and Elwes was convinced to do hisimpression of Fat Albert, something he used during his nervous audition to makedirector Rob Reiner laugh. Inspired by this event,Cary Elweswith Joe Layden has now written about those few months of filming in England inhis first delightful book, "As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from theMaking of 'The Princess Bride.'" The book which includes a forward by RobReiner,is available on Amazon.comand includes never before seen photos from Norman Lear and Rob Reiner'spersonal collections.

The 1987 movie "The Princess Bride" crosses severalgenres—it's a rom-com, but also a fantasy adventure film and the movie is aboutlove in many forms—cross-generational from grandfather to grandson, bestbuddies and true love. William Goldman wrote the original book because onedaughter wanted a story about a princess and another wanted a story about abride. The resulting 1973 novel was then about “The Princess Bride”--a lovelymodern fractured fairytale made with a fatherly love. The novel was optionedfor a movie treatment but spend nearly a decade in limbo until Rob Reinerdecided to take on the challenge with Goldman writing the screenplay.

Reiner had just finished directing the coming-of-age movie“Stand by Me,” his third film after his directorial debut, the 1984 rock musicmockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” and 1985 John Cusack rom-com “The SureThing.”

Although “The Princess Bride” got good reviews from some majorcritics, that wasn’t enough to make it a hit during its initial release. Like"This Is Spinal Tap," "The Princess Bride" has become acult classic and while its popularity was noted at the NYFF, as is typical forpanel discussions, there is never enough time. On the 20th and 25th anniversaryedition DVDs, Reiner and Goldman offer separate commentary. The 25thanniversary DVD includes a 15-minute conversation with Elwes,Reiner and Wright. Yet still, that's not enough to time to tell all the stories.

In a recent phone conversation, Elwesnoted that the original poster and the movie trailer didn't accurately portraythe full breadth of the movie, asking where the music for the trailer camefrom. Ironically, the only Academy Award nomination the movie received was forBest Original Music (Willy DeVille for the song "Storybook Love").Mark Knopfler was nominated for a Grammy (Best Album of Original Music Writtenfor a Motion Picture).

Elwes will bemaking a few scheduled appearances to promote the book.

In theintroduction to your book, you talk about the 25^thanniversaryscreening of “The Princess Bride” at Lincoln Center in 2012. Was this whatinspired you to write the book? In the acknowledgement, you credit your managerBen Levine with the idea. So give us an idea of how the conversation went.

I had an idea to write it a while back, but I didn't thinkanyone would be interested. My manager encouraged me and I said, "If youthink you can get a publisher interested."

On stage at the 25th anniversary, when we were invited to sharewhat our favorite memories were, there wasn't enough time to share what Ireally felt. I couldn't pick any one particular scene.

How muchinput did you have on the format of the book?

The idea came from Simon and Schuster. We thought if thememories of the other actors who were involved in the film would be included,that would be fun. The idea came together to have the memories almost in themargin in a way with little blocks of little snippets.

The DVDextras (of the 20th and 25th Anniversary editions) show that you were makingvideos during the filming. Did you review any of those while you were writingand how much more footage do you have?

I have reviewed them. I haven't decided what to do with themyet. I may share them as part of my book tour. No one seemed to be shootingbehind the scenes so I rented a camera in Sheffield. I'm glad I did, but I'mnot a professional filmmaker. It's pretty much like someone with an iPhonetoday.

Youmention that the 1987 screening at the Toronto Film Festival “while successful,did not exactly produce the sort of response one would expect of a filmdestined to become a classic.” Here are you talking about the lack of studiosupport or the public response?

They (the studio) were very supportive, it's just theirmarketing department was confounded about the best way to sell the film. Was ita comedy? Was it an adventure film? Was it for kids? Was it for adults? Theydidn't know which angle to take. They were not used to having so many genresthrown at them. It wasn't until the film came out on VHS that it found its legsso to speak.

RogerEbert gave this movie 3.5 stars out of 4, but I was surprised to learn thismovie wasn’t considered a hit. When did you first get an inkling that it wasbecoming a classic?

I was in a restaurant ordering something and the waitress askedhow I wanted my burger cooked and she said, "As you wish." It wasvery weird and very delightful.

(After a brief discussion, Elweswasn't exactly sure when that happened, but it was well after the film had beenout and he had long gone on to other projects. It was perhaps even as much as adecade later).

That continued to build. The gift that keeps on giving. I meetfamilies, grandparents and kids who have all shared watching the film together.That's a rare thing today.

I had always gotten fan mail (for "The PrincessBride") from kids, but then there was a very different demographic (as VHSbecame more popular). All the mail was very sweet.

You devotea whole chapter to the "greatest sword fight in modern times." Do youstill have your swords? Were you able to use the skills you learned anywhereelse?

I always get asked that question. Sadly, I did not continue myfencing training. I gave my sword to Rob (Reiner) after the shoot. I think hehas it displayed in his home.

During theinterviews for writing the book what is the most surprising, touching orfavorite anecdote that came out?

I had no idea that Wally (Shawn) thought that Danny DeVito wasthe first choice to play the role (The Sicilian). I knew he was anxious, but Ididn't know at the time what the reason was. Then I find out that he wasconvinced they had another actor in mind. It's inconceivable now.

At the time, he was convinced; there was no shifting that in hishead. Even with all that anxiety, he pulled off an incredible performance.That's a testament to how talented he is.

From yourinterviews about the book, what seems to be people's favorite passage? Andre'slegendary drinking capacity? The Star Wars connections? Your broken toe?

All of it really. So many different fans have different storiesthey are interested in. Hopefully, the book will cover all of them--all oftheir questions, all the things they have wondered about.

When youviewed the movie 25 years later, a lot had changed in your life—you are nowmarried and have your own princess to whom you dedicated the book. How has thischanged your emotional reaction to the movie?

I've always been emotionally attached to the film. It was myfirst Hollywood film that I'd been attached to as an actor. Now being a father,the whole thing of Peter Falk and Fred Savage reminds me of reading to my ownkid.

It's a very sweet film, a film about love. That's the mainreason why people connect to it. It's a funny movie about love.

You’vejust finished an association with a TV program that has a following, “Psych,”where you played the debonair Pierre Despereaux,. Between “Psych” and “PrincessBride” and your other endeavors, which do you find you get the most fanresponse from?

Still "Princess Bride," no question about it. Morepeople have seen "Princess Bride" and it's cross-generational.

Youmention in the book that you owe your role as Westley indirectly to Bill Cosbyand I know that at Lincoln Center you obliged fans and did your impression.Have you ever had any comment from Bill Cosby on your Fat Albertimpressions?

No, not yet. I like to think my acting talents and myathleticism had a good part in being cast, but I do think making Rob (Reiner)laugh helped. He was looking for someone with a sense of humor. Indirectly,Bill Cosby is why I got the part.

What doyou hope fans take away from the book?

I hope that they enjoy it and it answers all the questions andcuriosities that they may have. It was as fun as it looked and there were somany strange and wonderful things that happened during the making.

You havean association with “The Princess Bride,” Psych,” Saw” and now "GraniteFlats." Are you considering writing more books?

It would depend up on how well the book does.

One hopes this book does well. "As You Wish" isdedicated to Elwes' daughter, Dominique, who has yet tosee the film. The book is a slender 250 pages with a light-hearted narrativethat sometimes flows around grey color blocks of other people's commentary onthe same event or on each other. Nothing in it will ruin the good-naturedwarmth of the tale and a few of them, such as Elwes'injury, have already been told in the DVD extras, but the book offers moredetails and corrections. For instance, in the DVD commentary, Reiner mentionsan ankle injury which was really Elwes' broken toe.

From the cast commentary in Elwes' book,Reiner seems to be a fatherly figure and very open to suggestions from thecast, making the movie very much an ensemble piece under the benevolentguidance of Reiner.

The audiobook, also out now, is 7 hours and 2 minutes,unabridged, with narration by Elwes, Christopher Guest,Carol Kane, Norman Lear, Rob Reiner, Chris Sarandon, Andy Scheinman, WallaceShawn and Robin Wright.

If the Academy Awards ignored "The Princess Bride,"the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror did not. The movie won theSaturn Award for Best Fantasy Film and Best Costumes (Phyllis Dalton), andRobin Wright was nominated for Best Actress and William Goldman for BestWriting.

In 2002, the American Film Institute listed "The PrincessBride" as number 88 on its AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions, a list of the100 greatest cinematic love stories. The 1942 "Casablanca" tops thatlist, but "The Princess Bride" comes after the 1988 "TheUnbearable Lightness of Being" but before the 1966 "Who's Afraid ofVirginia Woolf?" and "Dirty Dancing," "Lady and theTramp," "Grease" and "Pillow Talk."

At the end ofthe interview, Elwesfondly noted that "The Princess Bride" is a movie that brings peopletogether romantically and has inspired themed weddings complete with TheImpressive Clergyman and "mawage" vows, except one supposes that thebride and groom actually say, "I do" and find "twue wuv."

You can catch Cary Elwes at the events listed below:

Tuesday, Oct. 14: Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington, NY,7 p.m. to 9 p.m.In conversation with Loren Aliperti.

Wednesday, Oct. 15: Jacob Burns Film Center,364 Manville Road, Pleasantville, NY. 8p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Screening and Elwes inconversation with Janet Maslin.

Thursday, Oct. 16: Northshire Bookstore,BowTie Cinemas, 19 Railroad Place, Saratoga Springs, NY, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Screeningand Elwes in conversation with Joe Layden, co-writer.

Friday, Oct. 17: Porter Square Bookstore, BrattleStreet Theater, 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Screening and Elwes in conversation with David Waldes Greenwood.

Sunday, Oct. 19: Rainy Day Books, The UnityTemple on The Plaza, 707 W. 47th Street, Sanctuary, Kansas City, MO, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.Elwes in conversation with Vivien Jennings.

Monday, Oct. 20: The Alamo Drafthouse, 1120 S.Lamar Blvd., 1120 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 7:30 p.m. Quote-along screening and Elwes in conversation with Henri Mazza.

Tuesday, Oct. 21: Book Passage, 1 FerryBuilding, #2, San Francisco, CA, 6p.m. to 9 p.m. Elwes in conversation withJesse Hawthorne Ficks.

Wednesday, Oct. 22: Copperfield's Books, 140Kentucky Street, Petaluma, CA, 7p.m. to 9 p.m. Dread Pirate Roberts Day! Elwesin conversation with Greg Sestero.

Thursday, Oct. 23: Barnes & Noble, TheGrove, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Elwesin conversation with Jon Lovitz.