"My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
That's just one of many instantly recognizable quotes from the classic 1987 comedy movie The Princess Bride. But while so many lines from the movie are as common knowledge as the recipe for lemonade, one fun fact about the film might sound inconceivable: Before it was a movie, it was a novel.
That's right. The film, directed by the late Rob Reiner, is based on William Goldman's 1973 novel of the same name. And it landed pretty high on Goodreads' list of the best books turned into movies, coming in at No. 7.
For Reiner, the book was particularly sentimental. "[It's] my favorite book — ever," he said in an interview. "I think the movie is good. I don't think it's as good as the book. I don't think anything could be as good as that book."
Despite Reiner's reservations, the movie is generally considered a pretty faithful adaptation. That's because Goldman also wrote the script for the movie. Much of the film's dialog is taken word for word from its source material, as is the framing device of a grandfather (Peter Falk) reading the story to his grandson (Fred Savage).
Nonetheless, there are still a few minor discrepancies, which Cinema Blendcompiled. For one, the sword fight scene between Westley and Inigo Montoya is much more of a nail-biter in its original inception. Westley wins the fight in the movie pretty easily, but the fight in the novel keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The book also provides exposition via longer flashback sequences that are pared down to simple conversations in the movie. If you've ever hungered for more details about Inigo's father's death at the hands of a mysterious six-fingered man, boy do we have a book for you.
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