Yes and Other Answers

William Goldman’s “Princess Bride” as an example of Reconstructivist Art

Popular screenwriter and novelist William Goldman produced two beloved versions of his modern “classic,” which was one of the first true reconstructivist artworks.

1. Nod to Artifice: Goldman appears frequently in the original novel, putatively as its “abridger.” In the movie, Goldman’s presence is replaced by a grandfather character, who reads the book to his grandson. In both cases the book is clearly presented as fiction, although Goldman deliberately blurs the line between the real and the imagined.
2. Classic Structure: Goldman’s foundation in swashbuckling adventure comes to the surface in a plot that lovingly combines every possible trope of romance and action. In the end, the familiarity of the boy-meets-girl and quest-for-revenge storylines are a large part of what makes the movie so satisfying.
3. Transcontextual and Iconic Elements: Transcontextually speaking, the book and the movie are both laden with playful anachronisms, many of which are highlighted and deconstructed by “William Goldman” within the text. The film is also rich in icons, as all the characters are explicitly labeled with exaggeratedly archetypal descriptions: “The Greatest Swordsman in the World,” “The Most Beautiful Woman,” “The Best Hunter,” and so forth.
4. Moments of Genuine Emotion or Significance: It is the core of heartfelt sentiment that makes “The Princess Bride” more than just an entertaining parody. When Inigo Montoya gets his long awaited revenge on the evil Count Rugen it never fails to evoke an emotional response from the movie’s audience, and the same is true when “Grandfather” repeats Westley’s catchphrase “As you wish” at the end (since the audience already knows the phrase means “I love you”).