Though not particularly a box-office success upon its release, the 1987 movie The Princess Bride has become a beloved classic. Cary Elwes, who starred as Westley in the film, is quite upfront about the fact that, despite a long career in Hollywood, The Princess Bride overshadows all his other roles. Rather than be bitter about that fact, Elwes has embraced it, and in As You Wish, he has written a charming memoir of the making of the film that will delight fans.
Movie fans looking for dramatic stories of on-set fights, hookups, or personal drama may however be disappointed. Elwes takes a decidedly gee whiz tone while recounting his time as Westley. According to him, everyone got along and had a great time, for the most part. Oh sure, Elwes did break his toe in a stupid accident involving Andre the Giant and an ATV, and Wallace Shawn spent most of his time on set convinced he was going to be fired and replaced by Danny DeVito, but for the most part the whole production very much had the vibe of one of those old Mickey Rooney-Judy Garland “let’s put on a show” movies. Still, there’s some fun stories about Andre the Giant’s prodigious drinking, and the ways in which his extraordinary size caused complications for the crew.
One thing As You Wish reinforced for me was what an impressive collection of talent was gathered together in the making of this film. Elwes and Robin Wright were newcomers in the lead roles, but the supporting cast included such luminaries as Mandy Patinkin, Peter Falk, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, Peter Cook, Chris Sarandon, and Christopher Guest. And of course, the whole thing was lead by director Rob Reiner, who provides some of the books more memorable anecdotes. Elwes and Reiner do an admirable job breaking down the many ways the studio and the marketing team failed the film, not knowing how to draw in audiences for a mixed-genre action/adventure/romance with a title reminiscent of a children’s fairy tale. Their initial disappointment is palpable, as is their joy in the film’s eventual success. Elwes took up the book in the aftermath of a 25th anniversary reunion screening at Lincoln Center, at which over 1,000 fans whooped and hollered to the cast’s tremendous surprise.
While it may be largely free of drama, As You Wish is still a fun listen for any of the movie’s many passionate fans. The audiobook is an extra treat. Read by Elwes in his naturally pleasant speaking voice, the book also frequently cuts to other members of the cast, who read their own quotes as well. Though this tends to make As You Wish feel more like an oral history than an actual book, I don’t most readers will be bothered.