A storybook tale of love, loss, and mental health
I rarely get sick, but this week I found myself in a rather similar situation to the young boy in the opening of Princess Bride – that is, lying in bed and trying to keep myself occupied. Released in 1987, this is one of those sincere, wholesome films that has captivated generations of families, with clever dialogue, swashbuckling rogues, and at its core, a story about true love. Outside of the many wonderful quotes, as I grew older, I also came to appreciate the honest mental health depictions, driven home by the lens of humor.
Before I go further, I’d like to acknowledge that this particular entry in our “Mental health in pop culture” series seeks to pay respect to the late actor and director Rob Reiner (1947 – 2025). While much can be said of the ongoing case with his son, allegedly responsible for his parents’ deaths, we’ll refrain from speculation in this post – although more is coming to light from a mental health standpoint. Despite our collective shock and grief, it’s as important now as ever to remember the impact of films such as The Princess Bride and the kernels of truth within.
The story
If you did not grow up seeing the movie (like myself) or read the book (yes, there’s a book), the trailer rather neatly summarizes the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3CIXEAjcc8
There are a lot of disparate parts to this story which shouldn’t work together, but somehow they do. A girl named Buttercup grows up on a farm, where she falls in love with the farm boy Westley. He is waylaid by the Dread Pirate Roberts on a voyage and presumed dead. Five years later, Buttercup becomes betrothed to Prince Humperdinck of Florin, a great hunter but also scheming politician. Princess Buttercup is on one of her daily horseback rides when she is ambushed by a giant, swordsman, and Sicilian. Vizzini, the mastermind of the trio, reveals that they have been hired to start a war with the neighboring kingdom of Guilder, blaming Princess Buttercup’s kidnapping on them.
The group sails to the Cliffs of Insanity, where they are followed by a lone man wearing black. He defeats Inigo Montoya, the Spaniard, in a duel before knocking him unconscious, before doing the same for Fezzik the giant. The man in black outsmarts Vizzini in a battle of wits with poison and escapes with Buttercup. Through sheer accident, Princess Buttercup realizes that the man in black is her beloved Westley, and together they brave the Fire Swamp. Unfortunately, Prince Humperdinck and his men are waiting on the other side, and only at the behest of the princess does he release Westley on the charge of kidnapping.
Princess Buttercup confesses she does not love Humperdinck, only Westley, so they strike a deal: she will write four letters to Westley to be dispatched by the Florin’s fastest ships, and if he does not return by the planned wedding date, Buttercup will marry the prince. Unbeknownst to anyone but Humperdinck and his henchman Count Rugen, Westley has instead been held prisoner and experimented on deep in the forest. Buttercup despairs when she has not heard from Westley and declares she would rather commit suicide than be married to Humperdinck – which enrages the prince so much that he uses a torture machine to kill Westley.
Fezzik the giant and Inigo are reunited when the prince orders the Thieves’ Forest emptied ahead of his wedding. Bent on avenging his father, Inigo believes Westley the only man capable of helping him – but he and Fezzik find Westley, of course, dead. They bring Westley to Miracle Max’s cottage, who concocts a pill that will bring Westley back to life. The newly resurrected Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik hatch a plan to break past castle security and rescue Princess Buttercup. Inside, Inigo encounters Count Rugen – the same six-fingered man who murdered his father – and defeats him in a swordfight. Meanwhile, Princess Buttercup, about to plunge a dagger into her heart, is stopped by Westley. They tie up Prince Humperdinck and flee on four white horses that Fezzik finds.
Analysis
“I will never love again.” – Princess Buttercup
The first few minutes of the film sees one of its main characters, Princess Buttercup, in grief after the believed passing of her true love Westley. In fact, in the five years that follow, her only joy is the daily horse rides she takes throughout the kingdom of Florin. While not the main emphasis of the story, we could probably agree that Buttercup’s fixation and bitterness was not a healthy way to address her sorrow. Buttercup seems isolated without a close friend to confide in. One could argue that this makes her reunion with Westley all the more compelling, and it’s true that everyone grieves differently – but in practice, having a confidante or discovering a greater purpose might have helped Buttercup heal sooner.
Similarly, Buttercup’s promise to Prince Humperdinck to take her life if Westley does not return for her is an extreme that I would say is very preventable. The characters treat this as an empty threat – the elderly king, presumably hard of hearing, responds to Buttercup’s statement with “won’t that be nice” – and Humperdinck’s jest is to consider him as a suitable alternative to death. Keeping in mind the children in the audience, perhaps this is intentional, but on a more serious note, if someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, we have shared a list of resources for suicide prevention.
“As you wish!” – Westley
On the flipside, one of the major themes of Princess Bride is the healing power of love. This is Westley’s declaration to Buttercup on the farm, and reveals his real identity as the two tumble down the hillside. True love drives Westley to pursue Vizzini and company across shrieking eel-infested waters, nearly insurmountable cliffs, and across the countryside. It’s the depth of this commitment that drives Prince Humperdinck to snap because he does not possess it, and what ultimately brings Westley back to life. “True love – you could not ask for a more noble cause,” says Inigo at Miracle Max’s cottage. We root for Princess Buttercup and Westley precisely because we believe true love triumphs over wickedness and jealousy.
“Take some rest. If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.” – Count Rugen
As with many of the lines in Princess Bride, this one is said ironically, but it’s actually true! We can even go so far as to say this applies from a mental health perspective as well; Princess Buttercup’s life is fixated on her grief before Westley reappears, and Inigo, adrift after Vizzini’s employ, is constantly inebriated until Fezzik nurses him back to health. Even Miracle Max – still sore about being fired by the prince – is brought into line by his wife Valerie calling out his ungrounded fears and urging him to do the right thing. In all of these examples, someone close to each of the characters gave them a perspective they missed on their own. These loved ones and friends confronted the unspoken, but also helped each character move past those barriers.
Why write a series on how mental health is portrayed in film and television? Born and raised in Los Angeles, I (Evelyn) have always been a stone’s throw away from Hollywood, the origin of some of our most beloved movies and shows. A good story often presents curious perspectives or teaches us valuable life lessons. In the case of mental health, I believe such depictions can destigmatize uncomfortable topics from social anxiety to depression and substance abuse to grief.
My hope is that this opinion column will inspire conversations around meaningful issues in our personal lives and relationships. Without further ado – grab your popcorn and soft drinks and let’s get watching!
Read previous post, It’s a Wonderful Life