Poet Randall Jarrell once observed "Children ask of the story what they ask of a dream: that it satisfy their wishes." Here is a bittersweet fairy tale about love, revenge, adventure, justice, violence and miracles. Absolutely enchanting, it will satisfy the wishes of both children and adults.

It opens as Peter Falk begins to read to his grandson a tale set in medieval times. The colorful cast of characters includes Robin Wright as a beautiful maiden who believes in true love; Cary Elwes as a young man who has mastered the art of survival in a world of dirty-dealers; Mandy Patinkin as a skilled swordsman seeking to avenge the death of his father; Chris Sarandon as a nefarious prince who thinks only of himself; Christopher Guest as an evil count; and Andre the Giant as a lovable lug.

The filmmakers have expertly mixed humor and the traditional elements of fairy tale literaure. Based on a 1973 book by William Goldman (who also wrote the screenplay), The Princess Bride makes it clear that life isn't always just a bowl of roses, and the good guys often have a difficult time despite their noble ideals. Just as he added some new wrinkles to the coming-of-age genre with Stand By Me, director Rob Reiner brings new life to the fairy tale as rousing entertainment for young and old alike.