As You Wish by Cary Elwes
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride
Author: Cary Elwes
Published: October 14, 2014
Audiobook
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 8-13, 2019
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
From actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley in The Princess Bride, comes a first-person account and behind-the-scenes look at the making of the cult classic film filled with never-before-told stories and interviews with costars Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, and Mandy Patinkin, as well as author and screenwriter William Goldman, producer Norman Lear, and director Rob Reiner.
The Princess Bride has been a family favorite for close to three decades. Ranked by the American Film Institute as one of the top 100 Greatest Love Stories and by the Writers Guild of America as one of the top 100 screenplays of all time, The Princess Bride will continue to resonate with audiences for years to come.
Cary Elwes was inspired to share his memories and give fans an unprecedented look into the creation of the film while participating in the twenty-fifth anniversary cast reunion. In As You Wish he has created an enchanting experience; in addition to interviews with his fellow cast mates, there are plenty of set secrets and backstage stories.
With a foreword by Rob Reiner, As You Wish is a must-have for all fans of this beloved film.
Jessica’s Review:
As You Wish is Cary Elwes’ memoir of the making of the movie The Princess Bride. If you are a fan of the film in even the smallest way, you must read this memoir! I listened to the audio version which is narrated by Elwes himself. As an added bonus, all of the actors that are still with us also give insight and their voices to the narration. It was wonderful to hear them talking about a film they enjoyed making and that so many love. We even hear from the author/ screenplay writer William Goldman who thought The Princess Bride would never be brought to the big screen. He also ruined some of the first takes of the film with his praying being picked up by the sound crew!
There was so much I did not know about the making of the film and I really enjoyed this audiobook. Listening to it put me in the mood to watch the film and I did even before I finished listening to it! It is such a great film that so many people love and it covers so many genres of film! It did not fit in anywhere, which was part of the problem with getting the film made and promoted.
Hearing the fond remembrances everyone had of Andre the Giant, who is genuinely missed by all was lovely. Everyone adored Robin Wright as Buttercup and only Elwes could have played Westley. There are so many behind the scene stories I could share, but I won’t: Just be on the lookout for Elwes sharing his on-set and off-set injuries, which you can see when watching the film if you know where to look. And there is quite the story dealing with a ROUS being late to filming….
The Princess Bride is a film that has touched several generations and as it continues to age,it will be timeless (except for that opening scene with the video game) and it will always speak to its audience.
I can’t recommend this audiobook high enough for any fan of The Princess Bride. Please listen to it or read it!