The Princess Bride Quotes

Context

This famous line is spoken both by Westley, played by Cary Elwes, and by the Grandfather, played by Peter Falk, in The Princess Bride (directed by Rob Reiner, 1987). Of course, it's originally from the book.

When Westley was Buttercup's farm boy, he used to respond to all of her requests with a simple, "As you wish." He'd flash her a sexy little sideways smile and get his eyes to twinkle, and somehow Buttercup would correctly identify this as his way of saying, "I love you."

Really? That was the best he could do?

Later, Buttercup pushes a masked Westley down a steep hill (not knowing who he is), and only realizes his identity when he yells, "As… you… wish!"

Finally, the line gets a shout-out in the frame story of the movie. The whole fantastical Wesley/Buttercup storyline is actually contained within a book that a grandfather is reading to his grandson. At the end of the book, the grandson asks his grandpop if he can read him the story again sometime. 

The granddad says, "As you wish."

Where you've heard it

Any uber-short, popular line like this is certain to pop up over and over again, and "as you wish" is no exception.

Aside from it being the title of a book about the making of the movie (written by Cary Elwes, who played Westley), it's the name of a bakery in North Carolina, a catering business in Lake Tahoe, and a chain of pottery painting places in Arizona. The list doesn't end there, but you get the idea: people love this line.

It's just three, short, simple words, but speak them any time at any place, and people will instantly know what you're referencing. Especially if you're in the process of rolling down a steep hill.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

 

It's a little much. Except maybe on Valentine's Day.