Tag: westley

“We are men of action. Lies do not become us.”

From: The Princess Bride

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts

The story behind the quote: The quote comes from the incredibly popular film adaption of the book, The Princess Bride. While the film was a modest success when it came out in 1987, it only really gained success when it came out in home video. Even so, it’s not hard to see why the film was so popular as it was a children’s adventure film with enough wit and whimsy for an adult to enjoy.

The quote comes from the middle of the film. Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts (played by Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (played by Robin Wright) have just escaped the Fire Swamp only to run into Humperdinck and his soldiers. Westley wants to fight but, knowing he will probably die, Buttercup surrenders in the condition Humperdinck doesn’t hurt her rescuer. Humperdinck agrees but he still orders Count Rugen, his lackey, to throw Westley into the Pit of Despair instead. Count Rugen tells Westley he’ll take him to his ship. But Westley knows it’s a lie.

Geek wisdom: Real men always try to tell the truth, even though it may get them in trouble. Because the only way to develop trust is to be truthful.

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“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.”

From: The Princess Bride

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Inigo Montoya

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes the cult classic, The Princess Bride. The movie was originally a book with the same name. While only a modest success when it was released, it gained popularly when it came out on home video.

The quote actually comes a couple of times in the film. The first time it’s uttered with when Inigo Montoya (played by Mandy Patinkin) faces off against Westley (played by Cary Elwes). During their duel, Westley is knocked over a cliff but Inigo Montoya, being an honorable man, helps him up and lets his foe recover. While they both rest, he tells the story of how his father was killed by a certain six fingered man. As he dreamed of the moment he will finally face his father’s killer, he knows exactly what to say to him when they do meet.

The quote is then told again, several times, in fact, when Inigo Montoya does face off against the six fingered man, Count Rugen. Even though he was near death, when he finds out that Count Rugen is the man who killed his father, he regains his strength and battles him, delivering the quote numerous times.

Geek wisdom: When you put your mind to something and push through with it, there’s not telling what you can accomplish.The reason why Inigo Montoya became a superb swordsman and managed to defeat his foe is because, since he was a child, he had one goal in mind, and that was to be a swordsman strong enough to beat his father’s killer.

“As you wish.”

From: The Princess Bride

Genre: Movies

Who said it?: Carl Denham

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote is, once again, from Vida! Two in a row! Many thanks, Vida! Keep them coming!

The quote comes from the incredibly popular film adaption of the book, The Princess Bride. While the film was a modest success when it came out in 1987, it only really gained success when it came out in home video. Even so, it’s not hard to see why the film was so popular as it was a children’s adventure film with enough wit and whimsy for an adult to enjoy.

The quote is actually kind of a catchphrase for Westley, played by Cary Elwes. In the film, Westley starts out as a simple farm boy in love with Buttercup, played by Robin Wright. Whatever Buttercup orders Westley to do, he does it and only says the quote. This does become important in the middle of the story after Westley’s ship is attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts and is lost at sea, leaving Buttercup to think Westley has perished. However, she realizes her mistake when she herself comes face to face with the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Fun fact: In the book, Buttercut actually doesn’t figure out what Westley means by “as you wish” as she’s a little bit dim in the original work.

Geek wisdom: Now, let me quote Vida regarding the specific geek wisdom from this beautiful quote…

“Westley is expressing his unconditional love for Buttercup, showing that whatever hardships or obstacles, True Love always endures and triumphs. The geek wisdom here is having faith in the power of love, and that love is eternal whether the person is here or across the seas on a pirate ship or in the afterlife. “As you wish” is the absence of ego and the need to be first in a relationship, and says the other personʻs happiness is as important as your own. “