Nostalgia In The Princess Bride Succeeds By Classic Genres

Princess films are beloved classics that range from the beloved Disney franchise, to live action films such as the Princess Diaries, to historical tales as those seen is polish films. No matter what the format or genre these films typically contain recurring scenes. The film The Princess Bride offers a new comedic approach to this classic genre. While scholars have explored how princess films are able to succeed through the use ideas such as historical nostalgia or nationalism, The Princess Bride succeeds by using nostalgia in a unique way. Through the use of comedic devices such as mistaken identity, absurdity, and good old-fashioned slapstick comedy, The Princess Bride is able to parody the traditional princess film. In doing so it is able

to maintain the nostalgia of the traditional princess film and extended its popularity by mixing genres.
Previous scholars have focused on how princess films have used nostalgia historically and nationalistically.

One recent study focused the mixing of types of historical nostalgia in the “timeless” Disney princess films. Rebecca Do Rozario argues that Disney bases their films on the nostalgia of “neatly order patriarchal realms”(Do Rozario 35), but Disney’s continuing success has stemmed from its ability to play on the nostalgia of other time periods. In the film, Snow White(1937), the princess is portrayed as a “1920/’30s starlet with a flappers haircut” who is helping the “working class dwarfs”(38). Similarly, In the film Sleeping Beauty(1959), Do Rozario describes Aurora as a “prototype Baby Boomer” who is “uninterested in the affairs of the king”(39). Her exploration of the role of nostalgia expands on the traditional studies of the princess and offers new insight into the mixing of nostalgia from different time

periods.
Another recent study done by Ewa Mazierska focused on the use of nostalgia and nationalism in successful polish princess films. She argues that the films such as In Desert and Wilderness(2001), rely on the nostalgia shown for the “revitalization of Polish history”(168). The films gain nostalgia because they are portray the polish as “courageous and deeply religious knights” who are “morally and intellectually superior” to those around them(169).This creates a sense of nationalism that boosts the film's success.
Both these studies explore how films have used nostalgia to become successful. The different ways the nostalgia is used reflect the different audiences the films were made for. The Disney films create nostalgia for different time periods of american history to grab different generations of viewers. The polish films use nationalism to bring a strong national audience. Simliarly, The Princess Bride uses comedy to bring in viewers previously uninterested in the princess genre.
The storming of the castle is an example of the use of parody and slapstick comedy.

In this scene the hero, Westley, has no control over his arms and legs. He has to be dragged around the castle by his companions Inigo and Fezzik. As the scene progresses, he gradually regains control over his limbs and at the end of the scene he manages to defeat Prince Humperdink by merely raising his arm and pointing a sword at him. The use of parody here is a play on the nostalgic scene of a princess movie in which the prince bravely fights a nearly unbeatable enemy to rescue the princess. However, in this rendition of the princess film, the prince isn’t the hero and this dissonance between the expected scene and the scene that is portrayed is what creates the humor. The near drops of the hero, as well as his slouched and limp posture, create a little bit of physical comedy that is ever prevalent in slapstick films. This comic nature of this scene has even inspired the creation of a board game based on the film titled “Storming the Castle.” The parody of a classic princess scene is essential to the success of the

movie.

The scene where Westley reveals his identity to Buttercup parodies the traditional kiss scene through the use of mistaken identity and slapstick comedy. In this scene, the “Dread Pirate Roberts” has finally won the princess and is about to reveal his identity as our hero Westley but before he reveals his identity Princess buttercup slaps him and sends him rolling down a giant hill. After he calls out “as you wish” Buttercup realizes his identity and proceeds to throw herself down the hill. This scene is a parody of the classic scene in princess films in which the prince reveals himself to the princess and they share an embrace. In addition, it plays on slapstick comedy with the slap followed by the unnecessarily long tumbling down the hill of both characters. Also at play here is the device of mistaken identity with the princess mistaking her love for a villain and hurting him. These comedic devices are rooted in the classic scene but the use of these devices increases the success of the films.
The use of comedic devices in the Princess Bride expands on the nostalgia of princess films and is able to bring in new audiences.