Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride | Cary Elwes | Talks at Google

TL;DR

Cary Elwes discusses his inspiration for writing a book about his experience on "The Princess Bride" and shares behind-the-scenes stories from filming.

Transcript

[APPLAUSE AND CHEERING] JOHN: Welcome to Google. CARY ELWES: Thank you. Thank you for having me. JOHN: Yeah. So the movie was released 27 years ago. CARY ELWES: Yes. JOHN: But I just spent the entire last week quoting this all through work with my colleagues and everything. Like, I'm literally quoting it, and then 20 feet away someone else starts q... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥡 The success of "The Princess Bride" took off after its initial release when it became popular through VHS rentals and purchases.
• 😟 Wally Shawn was nervous during filming because he believed he was the second choice for the role of Vizzini, with the producers initially preferring Danny DeVito.
• 😓 Robin Wright was the last person cast for the role of Buttercup, and her performance as the straight woman in the story was note-perfect.
• 🎥 Fans of the movie continue to approach Elwes and the cast asking them to perform lines or participate in events related to the film.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired Cary Elwes to write a book about his experience on "The Princess Bride"?

Elwes was often asked if filming the movie was as fun as it looked, and he wanted to share his joyous journey and gratitude for being part of the film.

Q: How did the role of Westley come about for Cary Elwes?

Elwes received a note while filming another movie, leading to a meeting with Rob Reiner and his producing partner. He impressed them with his acting and landed the role.

Q: How did Elwes prepare for the physically demanding scenes, such as the sword fighting?

Elwes had little prior fencing training and worked with two sword masters who trained him intensively. He and the cast had to learn each other's parts to avoid accidents during the sword fighting scenes.

Q: How did Elwes break his toe on set?

Elwes was fooling around on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and had an accident, breaking his toe. He kept it a secret from the director until later, fearing he would be replaced.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Cary Elwes wrote a book as a love letter to "The Princess Bride" to share his joyful journey and untold stories from the film.

• He talks about how he was inspired to write the book before his memory started to fade and how it offers a greater appreciation for the movie.

• Elwes discusses his first meeting with Rob Reiner, the director, and his audition process for the role of Westley.