Like most deeply beloved and iconic films, the universally beloved movie The Princess Bride was based on a book of the same name. It is important to note that feelings towards the book have divided the fandom. Some love the satirical, dry, and dark humour and themes that run through the book while others find that the tone of the source material clouds up the happily ever after that they found so captivating in the film version of the story.
When adapting a book into film, it is given that not all of the content is going to be able to make it into the final cut. Films have a very limited run-time and though die-hard fans would gladly sit down to enjoy a four hour film, the more casual movie-goers would be less keen to do so. Today we are going to be looking at ten major differences between this classic film and the book in which it was based. Though we do love the film and think that it is absolutely perfect as is (and there is a shortage of perfect movies in this world and it would be a pity to damage this one,) we do have to admit that some of these book moments would have been entertaining to see on the big screen.
10 Political Intrigue
Though the film does touch upon the fact that there is ongoing tensions between Florin and Guilder (two fictional countries that make up the world of the film,) these tensions are not explored in depth.
It is revealed that Humperdink plans on blaming Buttercup’s death on his political enemies as well as a similar reason being used for her abduction, but the book goes into much more detail about exactly what is going on between these two countries. In fact, it goes into so much detail that the author, himself, edited the full descriptions out of the book.
9 The Lost Book
Those who have never read the book might be surprised to know that the story that frames the plot is quite different in the book. In the film, a grandfather reads the story to his sick grandson. But in the book, the author tells the tale of The Princess Bride- a book with which he was utterly obsessed with as a child and seeks to share with his own child.
After finally getting his hands on his own copy, he shares it with his child to realize that his own father edited the book as it was read, as the story was quite boring in its original format. The author decides to create an edited version of the book that cuts out the more dull moments and focuses on the action and the intrigue. This book, of course, does not exist and was simply a creative way of framing the story within the story.
8 Buttercup And Westley’s Less-Than-Perfect Moments
In the film, they tend to explore the perfect nature of true love and soulmates. Though the pair were rather combative at the start of their relationship, it tends to come across as a playful butting-of-heads, rather than anything concerning.
In the book, things are a little bit different. Though there is a true, deep, and passionate love between the two, they are a bit more stubborn about not liking each other at first. There is jealousy, doors being slammed in faces, and Westley even strikes Buttercup at one point (though this occurs after they admit their love for each other.) We are pleased that this detail was left out of the film.
7 The Zoo of Death
The plot point that we mourn the most is the loss of the Zoo of Death. In the film, Westley is simply taken to the pit of despair and tortured there. When his friends come to break him out, they need only enter and exit through the same tree.
In the books, the hunting-obsessed mad man that is Prince Humperdink created a multi-level underground zoo where each level contains a new horror that one must battle and defeat to pass through to the next level.
6 The True Ending
This film has one of the most iconic happy endings of all time. It is a beacon of hope, the pinnacle of true love, and can inspire all those who watch it. The book ends on a very different note and we suggest that those who hold the films ending in high regard skip ahead, yet they be crushed.
The books ending was much more bleak and dark in tone. The gang does not ride off into the sunset; free and at peace. Inigo’s wound opens to a near lethal degree, Westley’s cure (explained more in detail below) wears off, and Humperdink’s merry men/hunters can be heard in the distance. This grim final note has been known to truly upset fans who discover it.
5 Fezzik’s Backstory
Sadly, there was simply not enough time in the film to truly explore each and every character’s intimate backstory. And though the film does improve upon the book in many regards, we do wish we could have learned more about where these characters came from on the big screen.
Fezzik was always significantly larger than his peers and his parents forced him to engage in competitive fights with others. He highly disliked this arrangement but feared that his parents would no longer love him if he refused.
4 Those Weren’t Eels In The Book
This is a rather simple change and, truth be told, we prefer the eels. But, in the books, Buttercup found herself surrounded by hungry sharks. Buttercup was very nearly shark bait.
The change to shrieking eels is exciting, unique, and one of the few book-to-film-adaptation-changes that we can really get behind. The sharks would have been interesting but we are very pleased with this change.
3 Buttercup’s Nightmares
In the film, Buttercup experiences a single nightmare that shakes her to her core. She sees herself being called out by an old crone after being forced to marry Prince Humperdink and it motivates her to fight for Westley’s return with everything that she has.
In the book, she experiences a recurring nightmare that was left out of the film. In this additional nightmare, Buttercup is tortured by the continued death of her future children, as they were doomed to this fate by being born to parents who do not love each other.
2 The Bald Princess
This storyline was left out of the film entirely, and we are slightly disappointed with that fact. Film fans may be surprised to learn that Buttercup was not the only woman that Humperdink had attempted to make his bride.
He was, originally, intending on marrying the Princess of Guilder. However, during a shared meal, her hat is knocked off and it is revealed that she is completely bald. He is so upset by this that he kicks her out and the countries are nearly plunged immediately into war.
1 Miracle Max’s Phony Cure
The movie focuses on a more fantastical version of events, whilst the books kept things a bit more realistic and, in turn, a bit darker. In the books, Miracle Max’s cure wasn’t a cure nor was it a miracle. The cure has a strict time limit, after which he will most likely die again. Max makes an error while making the cure, and the time limit is reduced even further.
This means that the gang only has 40 minutes to get to the castle, get Buttercup, and get out. It goes without saying that the temporary nature of this miracle also calls the films happy ending into question as well.
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