The house is quite and I’m watching one of my all time favorite movies, “The Princess Bride”. Even after all these years, the story doesn’t get old with me. Yes, it’s a classic tale but the wit of the characters is what makes it a movie I can watch it over and over and over again. I read the abridged “Anniversary” copy of the book a few years ago which only deepened my appreciation for the story and the story tellers. If you like the movie, I highly recommend reading the Anniversary Edition. The author, William Goldman, adds much of his personal story of how he took the book and after over 12 years of trying, he finally succeeded having it made into a movie.
The scene where Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin, is finally getting his chance at revenge against the “six fingered man” (Count Tyrone Rugen, played by Christopher Guest) is very dramatic and for the first time watching the scene, it made me think more about the character’s driving goal in life. All Inigo wanted was to have his revenge on the “six fingered man”, the man who murdered his father when he was only a small boy. Normally I focus on how many times Inigo says “My Name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” This time I really listened to how he said it. It was amazing to hear how that line could be said so many ways but that entire line was Inigo’s sole purpose in life.
Like any great fight scene, and especially with swords, Inigo almost looses but his drive to get revenge for his father brings him back from the edge of loosing, or possibly death, to gaining the upper hand and victory.
I have been doing a lot of personal development and improvement over the last few months. This was the first time that I connected Inigo’s focus in life to what I have been studying and working on. It was a very powerful moment to me to take a movie I have been watching for decades and actually learn something new from it.