Transcript

The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025

From Table Read Tuesdays · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 2 h 29 min · 22,399 words · 459 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025", an episode of Table Read Tuesdays published November 12, 2025 (2 h 29 min, about 22,399 words). It mentions 3 people, works and ideas, including The Princess Bride, Brandon Michael Bun, William Goldman.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 15:00: Brandon Michael Bun, The Princess Bride
  2. – 30:00: The Princess Bride, William Goldman
  3. – 2:28:33: The Princess Bride

Notable quotes from "The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025"

  • Awesome. All right, YouTubers, welcome to our reading of The Princess Bride.
    about The Princess Bride · at
  • The Princess Bride screenplay by William Goldman from his novel. And y'all don't worry about being perfect. Just have fun with it. Do your best. All right, let's just focus on that. Anyway,.
    about William Goldman · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

Books & papers

Full transcript with timestamps

and we are live on YouTube. Awesome. All right, YouTubers, welcome to our reading of The Princess Bride. We've got a big cast here for you today and we are going to do some quick introductions and then a quick little housekeeping notes and then we'll get started reading. Um, bring my cast list here back up. We've got a lot of new folks here today. I'm so excited. Um, and I just lost my cast list. So, um, we'll start with, um, our three Wesley's. Um, I forget who's starting us off with.

Hi, my name is Brandon Michael Bun. I am Wesley One Men in Black. Uh, I'm from Chicago. I go by Heim and my social media is Bunson Burner.

Awesome. Is that on Facebook? Uh that is on Instagram. Thank you for asking. Okay. All right. Let's uh jump down to Wesley number two. That's Jack, I believe.

Yes, it's me. Hi. Uh my name my name is Jack Looney. Uh I am currently located in Rosebud, Alberta. And uh yeah, today I'll be playing the part of Wesley and Men in Black. I'll be the uh doing the second Wesley that's going to be doing that. And yeah, if you're looking for me, you can just find me uh Jack Looney VA. That's usually YouTube handle or my or my Gmail account. Yeah. So, yeah, let's have some fun tonight.

Awesome. All right. And our third but not last but not least Wesley is Scott. I'm Scott Keller from Glasgow, Kentucky. Um you're playing third Wesley. Uh, I might take us in through the fire swamp. Find me on social media. Most uh Facebook under my name, Scott Keller. Pretty much all other social medias. Call me the fireman.

Awesome. Um, let's go down and see. Is Elena here or Elena? I'm not sure how to pronounce your name.

Hello. Can you hear me? Yep. Hi. My name is Elena Anderson. I'm from the glamorous Tacoma, Washington. Uh, and um I'm a she and I'm playing the first Passini and I am looking forward to it. Thank you.

Awesome. Alina, you live about maybe 20 minutes from me. Oh, look at that. Small world. Oh, and I'm supposed to like share my socials and stuff

if you want to share where you people can find you. Absolutely. Uh, I'm on Instagram as Elena Anderson_PNW and then you can find me on Facebook at my full name. Awesome. Uh, looks like Haley is still running a little bit late, so we'll skip down to and Jackie is a little running a little late, so we'll skip down to Heather.

Hi, everyone. Can y'all hear me? Mhm. Okay, good. My name is Heather Lee Cameron. Pronouns are she, her. I live in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. I am a freelance writer and I'm an actor represented by Faces of Wendy. It feels so good to say that I'm finally represented. By the way, I've been working in acting for years and I'm finally happy to say I'm represented. I'm an actor who's got a disability. So, it's been a battle to find representation, but I freaking did it. Anyway, I am reading actions and descriptions and playing Physic, which I did the last time we read this, and I had a ball because I think Physic is beautiful. He's not afraid to be himself, and neither am I. Um, social medias Um, you can find me on Instagram under Heather Lee Cameron, Facebook under Heather Lee Freelancer and YouTube under the Storm and Latterday Saint. I have something really cool coming up this summer. I

participated in a live reality game called Marooned Cursed Kingdom. It's season three of the series and that's being released on November 28th. And the trailer is also available on YouTube and I'll drop that in the chat and give it to anybody else who wants to uh enjoy it. And I'm also currently filming a little um virtual film that will be released in December that's going to help raise money for food banks in North America. And I'm also looking for work actively. So if anybody wants to hire me, cool. And back to the food bank thing. I've done two previous seasons with this film company as well as like years and years and years of acting, but we raise money for food banks every year and we always raise a lot of money and it's great.

Awesome. And if you get more details, you can tell us about them after a read, too.

Yes. Email heather.gmail.com if you have any question. Um, let's jump down to Sherry.

Hello. Uh, I'm Sheri Lec. I'm in Montreal at the moment. I'm a performer and comedian and uh mom to a fabulous 5-year-old. Uh I'm excited to play Princess Buttercup. It feels like my lifelong dream is coming true right now. So, uh forgive me if I pee myself a little bit.

All right. Um Julia, [snorts] uh I think you're muted, Julia. Yeah, figured. Hi, my name is Julia. I am from Mil Creek, Washington. um one other way uh up north. Um I am playing old queen and um I am a stage actor.

Awesome. All right. Uh see Marlo. Hi Marlo Sha. Um she her I'm in Toronto. Um I am this is my first time with this group tonight and I'm really excited to be here. Uh, I'm reading uh Count Rugan and the um descriptions and I have to go back to the questions because I have the memory of a P uh social media. I have a very neglected um Instagram account, marlo.k.shaw, and I have an even more neglected blog, which I don't even know if people still blog. um which is um mkshaw.ca I think. I'm going to double check that.

Um but it's where at least in the um first few years of the pandemic I um very vestidiously put links to any of the performances that I was was in that had recordings and I also like promoted stuff and then I just stopped doing it. So it's it's like it's stuck in like 2022. So um anyhow um so um yes I'm I'm one more random fact that I will just throw out is that in less than three hours um I will be turning 52. And I could think nothing that I wanted to do more um on this prior to my birthday than reading in um my favorite movie of all time. So I'm just really really excited um to be a part of this.

Happy birthday. Thank you. I love I love fellow November babies. They're awesome.

Julie, if you wanted to mention your you said you forgot to share your Instagram. Go ahead too if you'd like to do that before we move on to the next person.

Yeah, sorry. My Instagram is Senpipers Design. Um, just like you hear it. Thanks.

Okay, cool. Uh, let's jump down to Chris. Hello, my name is Christian. I I've been playing the kids and and I am from I am he him. I'm from Fairfield, Connecticut. [snorts] Um, I am just find me on social media. Chris Diaz on Facebook. Um, Letter Boss, same thing. I do a bunch of movie reviews over there. Letter Bos and CD as I forget the number on Instagram.

Okay, that's fine. Um, Lisa. Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. My pronouns are she, her. I'm playing the lovely Prince Humperdink, which is going to be super fun. Um, I just read, so I don't have any social anything. I'm just happy to be here.

And Lisa reads with two households in Fair Corona, also a Shakespeare reading group. So, we'd love to have her over there as well.

And see, Dana, yes. Uh, my name is Dana, pronouns they, them. I'm in central Texas. Uh this is also my first time uh reading with this particular group, but I'm in a couple other groups that do virtual readings. Um and my bachelor's um is in theater um as well. And um tonight I will be playing the mother as well as reading some of the narration.

Awesome. Uh let's see. Let's dump jump to Vicki. Hello, I'm Vicky Dykes. I'm an actress [snorts] in central Alberta, a small town called Penhold. My pronouns are she, her. Uh, tonight I will be the grandfather. I don't know if you can tell. And the mustache might not last. I can feel it slipping. [snorts] And it's hard to smile, too. No wonder people with mustaches are grumpy. Um, also I'll be doing actions and descriptions at the very end. We and it's exciting. I love that.

Right. Um and social media. Um I'm on Facebook under the name Vicky Dykes. I'm also on Instagram. I'm Yoga Grammar 10. And I'm on threads um under Vicky Dykes.

Cool. Let's jump back up to Haley. Haley, are you there? Hi. Yes. Hello everyone. Uh my name is Haley Byermeister. Haley Elizabeth on Facebook. We'll get to that, I guess. Um, gotta figure out a stage name, this one. Um, I, uh, this is like maybe my sixth or seventh read with Table Tuesday reads and I'm so I'm so excited to see all these new faces. It's so much fun. Um, so this is so much fun. Uh, so you're going to have a blast. I'm going to be reading V Visini B. So I'll be a little bit later in it, but thanks Heather. Oh. Um, I love all the love. Um, and you can find me on Instagram at U Hasty247.

Also a stage name that I need to fix. I don't know one day. Uh, but yeah, Hasty247. Thought it was cool in the moment. Um, and you can find me on uh uh YouTube by just uh youtubing my full name, which is Haley. H A Y L E Y B E I E R M E I S T E R if anybody cares. Um, otherwise um I'm figuring out my social medias and you know, that's all I got to say. Excited to do a reading again here.

Awesome. Yeah. [snorts] Cool. And Jackie, are you there? Jacqueline thinking about it. Maybe she stepped away from her computer. [snorts] Um, we'll get back to Jackie. Oops. I think I just lost all my sound. Is just as Can you guys still hear me? Yes. Okay. All right. All right. While we're waiting for Jackie to jump on in here, um I'll introduce myself. I'm Cat Wilson, your host this evening along with Vicki. I am she her and I live in Gig Harbor, Washington, not too far from Tacoma, Washington. And tonight I don't have any lines, but if um for some reason somebody ends up having to leave suddenly um [snorts] then I will go ahead and jump on in there. Um and then John, I know you were hoping to have some lines today. do have a full cast, but if you want to introduce yourself, um, you're welcome to do so.

Hello [snorts] everyone. I'm Jam Gomez. Um, my pronounce is they them. I'm from Manila, Philippines. And I will just uh watching [snorts] and and my social media is uh you can follow me. I have a two social media. Uh I have an two Instagram account. Uh the JC JC Gomez official. Follow me on just JC Gomez official on Instagram and you can follow me my second account my podcast page the JC Gomez show on Instagram. Uh I have a latest episode uh my interview with Australian musical chhatter actor David Keegan which was released yesterday. I have an new episode and my interview with David Keegan. You can listen it on Spotify and Apple podcast. And if you want to see it, you can check my my podcast page on Instagram. The JC.

All right. And John is awesome. Like we love him. He's very talented. Um Jackie, are you there? Jackie is a very very busy woman. She's in a lot of shows and so she's actually probably in a rehearsal right now um for another show and so she may or not be actually in here but um her part doesn't come in for a bit. So

I mean honest I I can relate to a lot of shows. B I am sure. So um when she her part will show up then hopefully we'll get to hear from Jackie. Um I'm going to put into the chat um just a couple of abbreviations for those unfamiliar with how film script abbreviations go. So ext if you're happen to reading that is exterior and INT is interior, VO is voice over and OS is offscreen. There may be a few other ones we come across. Um FX would be special effects. Um so if you happen to see those that's what they stand for. Um [snorts] and as we're reading um like I said feel free to keep your screen on if you like um or off depending on what you know um with we're not picky. So we love to see audience reactions too. So if you're uh waiting your turn and want to react, that's perfectly fine. Um if you are doing something really distracting, you know, folding laundry, dancing in the background, then we do ask you to turn

your screen off. Uh as far as muting or unmuting, um obviously unmute when you're when it's time for your line. Um if you forget to unmute, don't everybody all jump at once on that person. Um that's my job is to say, "Hey, you know, you need to unmute." Um, and so that um, usually someone, you can see they're reaching for the mouse. Give them a give them a few minutes. Um, that being said, uh, because we want to try and get through this in a reasonable amount of time, [snorts] you know, try and be on time for your line so that you're not like, "Oh, now it's my turn. Let me unmute here." You know, so unmute a few minutes or so before your particular character has to speak. Um we do we'll we're going to run through straight through without an intermission. Um although we will do a discussion afterwards. That's optional, but um this makes we can by going through and discussing the script, we get to learn a

bit more about it. Um and every film script is different. Um this one is probably close to the final movie, but it's not exactly the same. You'll see there's some some of the adlib lines that characters added in will not be in the script.

[snorts] um some lines that uh are not in the movie will be in the script. So you'll get to see some of the changes in there as well. So if you have the script memorized from watching the movie a million times, it won't be exactly the same. So try and read what's actually on the page. Um [snorts] and then but we will take a break before we do the discussion afterwards. Uh so if you do need to get up and you know use the bathroom or something in the middle of the script, try and pick a scene you're not in. Um, and you can keep the chat as lively as you like so that um, you know, you can say, "Hey, where are we?" And we'll try and figure out where we are. Um, you should be we will be sh screen sharing the script so it's fairly obvious where we will be.

Um, and then if for some reason you forget to unmute when you are not reading the screen, I may mute you. So, um, be sure to check that before it's time before it's your turn to read. Um, are there any questions or Vicki, did I forget anything I should have mentioned? Any questions from anyone before you start?

Great. [snorts] Great. All right. Well, let me go ahead and put the script up here on the screen then. And I think Heather is our first actions and descriptions. Um, just a quick note too that since this is not a stage script and with the actions and descriptions will there's since there's so many of you reading them [snorts] um if you're not sure exactly where you start um it might be in the middle of the page. So usually it's near the end of a like a logical end to a scene but that might be in the middle of the page and it won't be unless I marked. So keep an eye out in the chat because I'll try and get give people some cues as to when we switch who's reading um the actions and descriptions. So,

it is. Where is the script? There's the script. Okay. [clears throat] So, let me know when you can see it. And I'll probably need to make it a little bit larger for folks. Um,

so let's see if I can do this. And [clears throat] it's there. All right. Is it a big enough? Is that too big?

Too big. All right. Let me move it down one. How's that? That's probably It might be a little too big. We are our faces are covering.

Okay, let me move it down one more. Is that That's good. Okay, we can always adjust how big the faces and the thing is by just moving the the line over. So, if you want

bigger scroll down to the bottom. Okay, there's the actual type. Is that too small?

That's a little small for me. Let me try that one bit. And um in case y'all need the script, you know the little um what's it called? The Excel document where all the cast is. You can download it from there and and pull up the PDF yourself if you need it way bigger.

So, let me I was trying to make it a little larger. Let's see here. My computer's a little slow today. It looks like

I pretty much can't see anything. How's that? Okay. All right. So, let's go back up to the top and um Heather, take it away.

The Princess Bride screenplay by William Goldman from his novel. And y'all don't worry about being perfect. Just have fun with it. Do your best. All right, let's just focus on that. Anyway, exterior. A city street day. Camera tracks down a snowcovered New York City street. We hold on a typical brownstone as we push in on an upstairs bedroom window. We hear the sounds of a video game in progress. A video game on a computer screen as a sick coughing sound is heard. Oh, right on Q. Pull back to reveal this kid lying in bed coughing. Pale one sick cookie.

Maybe he's seven or eight or nine. He holds a remote in one hand, presses it, and the video game moves a little bit. Then he's hit by another spasm of coughing. Puts the remote down. His room is monochromatic. Grays and blues, mildly high tech. We're in the present day, and this is a middle class house somewhere in the city. Cut to the kid's mother as she enters. Goes to him, fluffs his pillows, briefly fills his forehead. She's worried it doesn't show during this.

Guess what? Your grandfather's here. Can you tell him I'm sick? You are sick. That's why he's here.

He pissed my teeth. I hate that. Maybe he won't. The kid shoots her an I'm sure look as we the kid's grandfather bursting into the room kind of rumpled but the eyes are bright. He has a book tucked under one arm as he immediately goes to the kid pinches his teeth.

How's the sicky? The kid gives his mother and I told you so. Look. The mother ignores it. Beats retreat. I'll just leave you pals alone.

And she's gone. There is an uncomfortable silence. Then I brought a special present.

What is it? A book. That's right. When I was your age, television was called books. And this is a very special book. It was the one my father used to read to me when I was sick. And I used to read it to your father.

Has it got any sports in it? The grandfather suddenly passionate. Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture revenge giants monsters chases, escapes of true love, miracles.

The two of them as the grandfather sits in a chair by the bed. Doesn't sound too bad. I try to stay awake.

The Princess Bride. Chapter 1. Buttercup was raised on a small farm in the country of Floren.

As the grandfather reads, we're seeing the story he's reading about, and the monochromatic look of the bedroom is replaced by the dazzling color of the English countryside. Her favorite pastimes were riding her horse and tormenting the farm boy who worked there. His name was Wesley, but she never called him that. Isn't that a wonderful beginning?

Yeah, great. [snorts] Nothing gave Buttercup as much pleasure as ordering Wesley around. Farm boy, you lazy thing. Polish my horse's saddle.

Exterior Buttercup's farm day. Buttercup standing holding the reinss of her horse while in the background Wesley in the stable doorway looks at her. Buttercup is in her late teens. She doesn't care much about clothes and she hates brushing her long hair, so she isn't as attractive as she might be. But she's still probably the most beautiful woman in the world. I want to see my face shining in it by morning.

As you wish. Wesley is perhaps half a dozen years older than Buttercup and maybe as handsome as she is beautiful. He gazes at her as she walks away.

As you wish was all he ever said to her. Dissolve to buttercup in her horse's stow. Her tone is softer than it was when she gave the previous order. Farmboy, I want you to varnish my horse's hooves. Please.

As you wish. She leaves the stable. His eyes stay on her. She stops, turns. He manages to look away as now her eyes stay on him. Dissolved to interior kitchen dusk. Buttercup and Wesley in the kitchen dusk. Her voice when she speaks is softer still. Bomb boy, fetch me that bowl. That that heavy one way up high.

As you wish. Wesley. cuts to Wesley walking away from the farmhouse as Buttercup stares after him.

That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying as you wish, what he meant was this. I love you. And even more amazing was that night when she realized she truly loved him back,

dissolved too. Wesley and Buttercup outside his tiny hub in the moonlight. They're locked in a passionate kiss. Got to

hold it. Hold it. Got to interior the kids' room. Is this a trick you're playing on me? Where the What? Is this a kissing book?

Wait, wait. Well, when does it get good? Ah, keep your shirt on. Let me read. Wesley had no money for marriage, so he packed his few belongings and left the farm to seek his fortune across the seas.

Cut to exterior Buttercup's farm. Dusk Wesley and Buttercup. They are standing a few feet apart at the gate of the farm.

It was a very emotional time for Buttercup. She runs to Wesley, starts to embrace him.

[clears throat] I don't believe it. I fear I'll never see you again. Of course you will.

But what if something happens to you? Hear this now. I will always come for you.

How can you be so sure? This is true love. You think it happens every day. He smiles at her. She smiles too. Throws her arms so tightly around him. Then as Wesley walks away, Buttercup watches him go.

Wesley didn't reach his destination. Katu interior the kid's room. His ship was attacked by the dread pirate Roberts who never left captives alive. And when Buttercup got the news that Wesley was murdered,

murdered by pirate again, she went into her room and shut the door. And for days she was neither she neither slept nor ate.

Cat two interior Buttercup's house. Close up. Buttercup staring out the window.

I will never love again. Hold on her face. Perfect and perfectly sad. Dissolved too. Exterior main courtyard of Floren. The main courtyard of Floren. Replete with towns. People alive so in a bustling marketplace.

Five years later. The main square of [snorts] Floren City was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the great Prince Humpedink's bride to be. Cu exterior castle balcony. Prince Humperdink, a man of incredible power and bearing, standing in his royal robes on a castle balcony. Three others stand behind him. An old couple with crowns, the aging king and queen, and a dark bearded man who seems the prince's match and strength. This is Count Rugan. My people, a month from now, our country will have its 500th anniversary.

On that sundown, I shall marry a lady who was once a commoner like yourselves. H but perhaps you will not find her common now. Would you like to meet her?

And the answering yes like summer thunder the crowd and my god you never saw so many people cut to a giant staircase leading to the crowd and as a figure just become begins to become visible. the crowd as they see the figure. We haven't yet. And if there is such a thing as collective action, then this crowd collectively holds its breath. Cut to the staircase as the figure appears. It is Buttercup, and she is respendant.

My people, the princess, Buttercup, she descends the stairs and starts to move amongst the people. exterior of the balcony. The king says something, but all that comes out is

even across the bottom and up the sides. At the same time, the conveyor rugan, did you understand any of that?

It's not a syllable. It doesn't seem possible, but the king's mumblings are getting worse every day.

Your father said it isn't safe for her to move among the people. It's all right. She's so gentle. Who would want to harm her?

I tell you this, no man had better try. Cut to the crowd and they do a very strange thing. With no instructions at all, they suddenly go to their knees. Great waves of people kneeling and cut to Buttercup, terribly moved. She stands immobile among her subjects, blinking back tears hold on her beauty for a moment, then cut to interior stable in the castle grounds. Mid-after afternoon. It's the same day, midafter afternoon, and Humperdink is dressed as before. Buttercup is now in riding clothes, and she leads her horse towards the prince. Then together they start for the stable door.

Must you ride? You seem upset. The king looked so old today. I suppose that upset me.

He has a right to look old, my darling. He was at very last count 97. And every organ in his body has long since betrayed him. And my father's health is not what's upsetting you. Have I been inattentive? Is that it? I know you don't love me, but I promise you'll grow to love me.

Not you. It was the crowd. They should not have bowed to me when you proposed. I was just like them, ordinary. Even though I've gone to royalty school, and in my heart I'm still ordinary. I thought of fraud today. And they should not have bowed down. Beloved, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. When we marry, you'll be the richest and most powerful as well. Don't expect too much from life. You're very wise. I must learn to be satisfied with what I have.

She reacts to her lot in life. And as she rides off, cut two woodlands and Buttercup barreling along. Controlling the beast easily. She's more relaxed. It's later in the day. Cut to a wooded Glenn close to sundown. Lovely, quiet, deserted. Butter cuff suddenly rains in as we cut to three men standing close together in the path. Beyond them can be seen the waters of Flor and Channel. The three men are not your everyday commuter types. Standing in front is a tiny man with the most angelic face. He is a Sicilian and his name is Vini.

Behind him is a Spanner erect and taught as a blade of steel. His name is Anig Mononttoya. Behind beside him is a mustache giant. His name is Phzik. [clears throat]

A word, my lady. We are but poor lost circus performers. Is there a village nearby?

There's nothing nearby. Not for miles. Then there will be no one to hear you scream.

What? He nods to the giant physic who merely reaches over, touches a nerve on Buttercup's neck, and the start of a scream is all she can manage. Unconsciousness comes that fast. She starts to fall. Cut to interior isolated spot at the edge of floor and channel. A sailboat is mored. It's dusk now. The shadows are long. Enigo, the Spaniard, busies himself getting the boat ready. The giant physic carries Buttercup unconscious on board. Bazini rips some tiny pieces of fabric from an army jacket and tucks them along the saddle of Buttercup's horse. There is about the entire operation a sense of tremendous skill and precision.

What is your ripping? Fabric from the uniform of an army officer of Gilda. Who's Gilda?

The country across the sea in the sworn elam of Floren. Go. The horse takes off. They stop for the boat.

Once the horse reaches the castle, the fabric will make the prince suspect the Gild Gilderens have abducted his love. When he finds her body dead on the Gilder Frontier, his suspicions will be totally confirmed.

You never said anything about killing anyone. I've hired you to help me start a war. It's a It's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition. I just don't think it's white killing an innocent girl.

Am I going mad or did the word think escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass.

I agree with physic Vini in a fury. The sat has spoken. What happens to her is not truly your concern. I will kill her. And remember this. Never forget this.

Indigo and Fezic as Vini advances on them. Nothing shows on Inigo's face. But Fezic is panicked by Vassini.

When I found you, you were so slobbering drunk. You couldn't buy brandy. And you friendless brainless helpless hopeless. You want me to send you back to where you were unemployed in Greenland?

I think it's wonderful, Vicini, what we're doing. War and death, they're just the nicest things.

Heather, I think this is Sherry's actions inscription section. Okay. Uh, Vzini glares at him, then turns, leaves them. He always carries a knapsack, and now he opens it, takes out a piece of cheese. During this, Enigo has gone close to Fezic, who is very distressed at the insults he's just received. As Enigo casts off

that Vizini, he can fuss. Fus fuss. H I think he likes to scream at us. You have a great gift for rhyme.

Yes. Yes. Some of the time as they sail off interior, the sailboat. Oh. Okay. The cliffs by dawn.

An ego nods, glances back. Why are you doing that? Making sure we're not followed.

Believe me, that would be inconceivable. Back to sleep with you, baggage. Buttercup's body drains of energy. Her eyelids do not flutter now. Interior the ship. The waves are higher. There are no There are more clouds. Hours have passed and there is no movement except for Enigo who is staring back behind them.

Stop doing that. We can all relax. It's almost over. You're sure no one could be after us?

As I told you hours ago, it would be absolutely, totally, in all other ways inconceivable. No one in Gilder knows what we've done, and no one in Floren could have gotten here so fast. Out of curiosity, why do you ask?

No reason. It's only that I just happened to look behind us and something's there.

And suddenly the three whirls stare back and as they do, cut two. The darkness behind them. It's hard to see. The moon is behind the clouds now, but the wind whistles and the waves pound and suddenly it's all gone ominous. Cut two. An ego, Fezic, and Vzini squinting back, trying desperately to see. At this moment, they're all holding their breaths. Cut two. with the darkness behind them and there's still nothing to be seen. It's still ominous only now it's eerie too. Then the moon slips through and Anigo is right. Something is very much there. A sailboat black with a great billowing sail black. It's a good distance behind them but it's coming like hell closing the gap. Cut to Fezic Visini staring at the other boat.

Probably some local fishermen out for a pleasure cruise at night through eelinfested waters. And now, as a sound comes from the boat, we turn. They turn as we Buttercup diving into the water, starting to swim away. Cut to Visiti screaming.

Get in. Get after her. I don't swim. I only I only dog paddle. I can hear her kicking. Ver left.

Moon gone now. Darkness again. Buttercup still close to the boat, switching from a crawl to a silent breaststroke. The wind dies and as it does something new is heard. A not too distant high-pitched shrieking sound. Buttercup stops suddenly treads water. Interior the boat. Do you know what that sound is, highness? Those are the shrieking eels. If you doubt me, just wait. They'll always grow louder when they're about to feed on human flesh.

Buttercup treading water still not far from the boat. The shrieking sounds are getting louder and more terrifying. Come stay silent. The boat continuous.

If you swim back now, I promise no harm will come to you. I doubt you will get such an offer from the eels. Buttercup and she's a gutsy girl. The shrieking sound is louder still, but she doesn't make a sound. Behind her now something darker and gigantic slithers past. Vzini shouting it out.

I won't warn you again. Call out your position or die. Buttercup in the water and she's scared. Sure, petrified. Who wouldn't be? But she makes no reply. And now a shrieking eel has zeroed in on her. And now she sees it a short distance away, circling, starting to close. And Buttercup is frozen, trying not to make a movement of any kind. And the eel slithers closer, closer. And Buttercup knows it now. There's nothing she can do. It's over. All over. And now the eel opens its mouth wide. And it's never made such noise. And its great jaws are ABOUT TO CLAMP DOWN.

SHE [snorts] does not get eaten by the eel at this time. And the second we hear him cut to interior kids room. The kid looks the same. Pale and weak. And maybe he's gripping the sheets a little too tightly with his hands.

What? I said the eels don't get her. You look nervous. I wasn't nervous. His grandfather says nothing weights. Well, maybe I was edgy, but that not the same thing.

Perhaps I should stop for now. You can read a little more if you want to. I don't mind.

Interior of the boat. Do you know what that sound is, your highness? Wait, those are the shrieking. H I think they repeated my line.

That's right. That's right. This That grandpa, you did that already. My mistake. Oh, forgive me.

A whole series of blurred images whizzing past until suddenly one of them freezes. What's happened, of course, is that the grandfather has slipped forward some pages in the book that he's reading. And we're back where we were at the last moment we saw her. Buttercup frozen, shrieking eel, jaws wide, about to clamp down as we cut two. Two giant arms reaching down easily lifting Buttercup free and the other grabbing the eel fold back to reveal the boat and Fezic. Buttercup safe in his giant arms as he deposits her on the deck and then proceeds to rip the giant deal lengthwise in two.

Yuck. He throws both halves back into the water. I suppose you think you're brave, don't you? only compared to some.

Look, he's cut our lead in half. The man in black in his boat almost seems to be flying. Vzini crying out in triumph.

Doesn't matter. He's too late. See the cliffs of insanity. And once he said the name, we cut to the cliffs of insanity. Dawn, they rise straight up, shear from the water, impossibly high. The two sailboats in a wild race for the cliffs. And the man in black is closing faster than ever, but not fast enough. The lean was too great to overcome. And as the great precision, straight at the cliffs, cut two.

And Shar, this will be Julia's section for action descriptions. Sorry. Go ahead, Minimi.

We're safe. Only Fezic is strong enough to go up our way. He'll have to sail around for hours till he finds a harbor.

Cut to barup. Starting at the cliff some closer. assume an even more frightening height. There's much activity going on. All of it swift expert economical. Fezic reaches up along the cliff face, grabs a jaring rock, reaches behind it. Suddenly, there's a thick rope in his hands. He drops back to the boat, gives the rope a freeing swing and cut to exterior cliffs. The rope goes all the way to the top. Cut to indig indigo hurries to Fezic and straps a harness to him. Then lifts Buttercup and Vizini in the harness. Finally, he himself gets in the harness. All three are now strapped to physic papooas.

Jackie. Oh. Uh, whenever you're ready. Everyone steady. If you please. I'll climb with ease.

Oh, a good one, Physic. And he starts to ascend the rope, carrying them all along with him as he goes.

I hate those stupid rhymes of yours. They keep Physic cheery. They help him with his work.

Cut to the man in black sailing in toward the cliffs of insanity. Watching as Fezic rises swiftly through the first moments of dawn. Cut to the top of the cliffs looking down. Fezic's group is only faintly visible far below. This is the first time we've gotten a real vertigo feeling and it's a gasp. Cut to Fezic climbing on Butter Buttercup was almost out of her mind with fear. Cut to the entire length of the cliffs. Fezic is moving right along. However high they are, he's already over a third of the way down. Cut to the man in black leaping from his ship to the rope, starting to climb. He's impossibly far behind. But the way he goes, you think he didn't know that because he's flying up this rope hand over hand like lightning. Cut to Vizinia and others.

He's gaining on us. Inconceivable. He press Fzik who nods increasing his space. Cut to the man in black roaring up the rope. And cut to long shot the cliffs and the man in black is cutting into physics lead. Cut to Vizini and the others.

Faster. I'm sorry. I thought I was going faster. Cut to the man in black. His arms still work as before. If anything has sped up. Fezix leaders smaller and smaller. And cut to the view from the top of the cliffs. Maybe 100 ft for Fezic to go. Maybe more. Cut to Vizinia and others. And it's getting too close now. I thought you were supposed to be a colossus. I thought you were this great legendary thing and yet he gains.

Well, I'm carrying three people and he's only got himself. And I do not accept excuses. I'm just going to have to find a new giant, that's all.

Oh, don't say that, Bassini, please. And his arms begin moving much more slowly. Cut to the men in black less than 100 ft behind them and gaining. We can see now that his mask cut to Vizinia and others.

You shouldn't insult Physic. I had to hire a temperamental strong man. Physic is a good worker.

Worker. Worker. Not a shocker. Never. Oh, there go those rhymes again. Cut to Fzicano's words are terribly pleasing to him. The hurt the Vinina put into his eyes is gone. Now the great arms move faster than they ever gone. And the top of the cliffs of insanity is very close and the arms keep going. The top is closer and arms moving even more quickly until suddenly at long long last. Cut to the cliffs of clifftop at Fezic makes it. Visini leaps off and takes out a knife, begins to cut the rope which is tied around a great tree while Indigo helps a princess to her feet and Fezic just stands around waiting for someone to tell him to do something. Nearby are somestone ruins. Once they might have been a fort now they kind of resemble Stonehenge. Cut to the man in black 75 ft from the top now maybe less maybe only 50. And his pace is as dazzling as before. And cut to Vizini cutting through the last to the last. Last of

the last and to sorry last. And cut to the ropes slithering across the ground and out of sight toward the channel like some great serpent at last going home. Cut to fez extending with buttercup by the cliff's edge. He has very good arms.

The man in black hanging suspended hundreds of feet in the air holding to the jagged rocks desperately trying to cling to life. Cut to Vizing stunned running to the others looking down.

He didn't fall. Inconceivable. You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means. My god, he's climbing.

Cut to the man in black. And so he is very slowly. He's picking up the way his way upward. Sometimes a foot at a time, sometimes an inch. Cut to the group at the top staring down. Whoever he is, he has obviously seen us with the princess, and he must therefore die.

I need you to carry her. We'll head straight for the Gilder Frontier. Catch up when he's dead.

And you're going to If he falls, fine. If not, the sword. I'm going to duel him left-handed.

You know what a hurry we're in. It's the only way I get any satisfaction. If I use my right, it's over too quickly. Mhm.

Oh, have it your way. Buttercup over shoulder goes to Inigger. You be careful. People in masks cannot be trusted.

Come along. Come along. Pez nods. Hurries after Vzini. Indigo. He watches. Indigo. He watches them depart then turns peers down over the cliffs. Cut to the man in black perhaps 50 ft below. Still making his perilously slow way towards the top of the cliffs. From the pace he's able to set. It could take hours. Cut to Enugo. He watches a moment more than paces, fingers snapping. He is a tout and nervous fellow and has never been one for waiting around. Cut to the man in black climbing on. He must be 6 in closer to the top than when we last saw him. Indigo is watching. Cut to intercut. Indigo walking away, sheathing his sword. His fingers are snapping faster than before in a wild Spanish rhythm. Finally, he goes back to the cliff edge, starts to talk. It's instant death if the man in black falls, but neither gives that possibility much credence. This is our two heroes meeting. They don't know it yet, but

that's what it is. Jackie, hello there. The man in black glances up, kind of grunts.

Slow going. I don't mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks. So, I'd appreciate it if you didn't distract me.

Sorry. The man in black kind of grunts again. I don't suppose that you could speed things up

if you're so anxious to hurry things. You could lower a rope or tree branch or find something useful to do.

I could do that. I got some rope up here, but I don't think you'd accept my help since I'm only waiting around to kill you.

Does put a damper on our relationship, but I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top. Well, that's comforting, but I'm afraid you're just going to have to wait.

I hate waiting. I could give you my word as a Spaniard. No good. I know too many Spaniards.

And he just hangs in space, resting, gathering strength. Isn't there any way you'll trust me?

Nothing comes to mind. And on these words, camera zooms into a close-up of Indigo. He raises his right hand high. His eyes blaze. His voice takes on a tone we have not heard before.

I swear on the soul of my father, Domingo Montoya, you will reach the top of life.

The man in black. There's a pause. Then quietly, throw me the rope. That too, Indigo. He dashes to the giant rock. the rope was originally tied to. Grabs a small coil of rope, hurries back to the edge, and as he hurls it over. Cut to the rope. It hangs close to the man in black. He releases the rocks, grabs the rope, hangs helplessly in space a moment, then looks up at Indigo and cut to Indigo, straining, forcing his body away from the cliff edge and cut to the man in black, rising through the early morning light slowly, steadily, and as the clifftop at last comes within reach. Cut to Indigo, watching as the man in black crawls to safety, then sprawls exhausted on the rough rocky ground. Indigo comes over and sits on a stone by the man in black.

Thank you. We will wait until you're ready again. Thank you. The man in black wears gloves. Indigo stares at them.

I I don't mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand.

He glances up. The question clearly baffles him. You always begin conversations that way.

My father was slaughtered by a six-fingered man. He was a great sword maker, my father. And when the six-fingered man appeared and requested a special sword, my father took the job. He slaved a year before he was done.

Hands that sword to the man in black. I've never seen it equal. Cut to closeup. Indigo, even now this still brings pain. The six-fingered man returned and demanded it, but at one tenth his brais. Father refused. Without a word, the six-fingered man slashed him to the heart. He loved my father, so naturally I challenged his murderer to a duel, but I failed. The six-fingered man left me alive, but he gave me these. pet to the man in black looking up at Indigo.

How old were you? Almost 11. And when I was a strong enough, I dedicated my life to the study of fencing. So the next time we meet, I will no fail. I will just go up to the six-fingered man and say, "Hello, my name is Enigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

You've done nothing but study sword play. more pursuit and steady lately. You see, I cannot find him. It's been 20 years now and I'm starting to lose confidence. I just work for Vini to pay the beats. There's not a lot of money in revenge.

The man in black. Did we lose him? Uh, no. Uh, is my next line handy back? Wait.

Nope. I hope you find him then. I hope you find him then. You're ready then? It's on the screen.

Whether I am or not, we've been more than fair. You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.

You seem like a decent fellow. I hate to die. Begin. And on that word, cut to the two of them. And what we are starting now is one of the two greatest sword fights in modern movies. The other one happens later on. And right from the beginning, it looks different because they aren't close to each other. None of that sword crossing on guard garbage. No, what we have here is two men, two athletes, and they look to be too far away to damage each other. But each time one makes even the teeniest faint, the other counters.

And there is silence. And as they start to circle, cut to the man in black. Hidden man in black's eyes hidden behind the mask, but bright and cut to the sing sixfingered sword figning here. Figning there, and cut to the man in black, almost off balance, but he's got it back. And as he does, cut to Indigo's feet. And suddenly they seem to fly as he leaps forward an incredible distance. And while he's in the air, cut to the man in black, jumping brilliantly to one side. And as Indigo flies at him, their swords cross, then again, and the sound comes so fast it's almost continual.

Yeah. Using Benet's defense against me. Thought it was fitting considering the rocky terrain.

Naturally, you must expect me to attack with Capero. And as he shifts the style now coping and as he shifts the style now

naturally but I find for Brett he cancels out Kapper don't you? The man in black retreats before Indigo but handles Indigo's onslaught without overpowering difficulty and then suddenly his entire style changes and he is doing the advancing. Unless the enemy has a steady visa, which I have.

A dazzy change of styles. The two men flying about across the rocky terrain, never losing balance, never coming close to stumbling. And the battle rages with incredible finesse. First one and then the other gaining the advantage. And by now, it's clear that this isn't just two athletes going at it. It's a lot more than that. This is two legendary swashbucklers, and they're in their prime. It's Bt Lancaster and the Crimson Pirate battling Errol Flynn and Robin Hood. And then, incredibly, the action begins going even faster than before as we cut to Indigo. And behind him, now drawing closer all the time, is the deadly edge of the cliffs of insanity.

Indigo fights and ducks and faints and slashes. And it all works, but not for long. As gradually the man in black keeps the advantage, keeps forcing Indigo back, closer and closer to death. You are wonderful.

Thank you. I've worked hard to become so. The cliff edge is very close now. He is continually being forced toward it.

I admit it. You are better than I am. And why are you smiling? Inches from death. Indigo is in fact all smiles.

And what is that? I am not left-handed. And he throws the six-fingered sword into his right hand, and immediately the tide of battle turns. Cut two. The man in black, stunned, doing everything he can to keep Indigo by the cliff edge, but no use. Slowly at first, he begins to retreat. Now faster, Indigo is in control, and the man in black is desperate. Cut two, Indigo. And the six-figured sword is all but invisible now as he increases his attack, then suddenly switches styles again, leaps in, and the first blood is his. The man in black is bleeding from the wrist. Cut two. The giant tree the climbing rope was tied to. The man in black is forced toward it. [snorts] Cut two. Indigo whirling around the tree, striking again, this time at the other wrist of the of the man in black, drawing another trickle of blood. Cut two. The man in black almost running from the tree, getting out into the clear as Indigo

relentlessly increases the pressure. Cut to the cliff edge again. And the man in black cannot stop. Indigo. Nothing can stop Indigo. And in a frenzy, the man in black makes every faint. Tries every thrust. Lets go with all he has left. But he fails. Everything fails. He is almost to the cliff edge when he glances back. Sees his near fatal position. Tries one or two final desperate moves, but they are nothing.

You are amazing. I ought to be after 15 years. There is one thing I must tell you.

Tell me. I'm not either. And now he changes hands and at last the battles fully joined.

Two in they go. And to his amazement he is being forced back. He tries one style another. But it all comes down to the same thing. The man in black seems to be in control.

Who are you? One of no consequence. I must know you're used to being disappointed

to the man in black moving like lightning and he thrusts forward slashes darts back all in a normal single movement and cut two indigo stunned looking at his arm it is bleeding cut the man in black and again he thrusts forward faster even than before and again he slashes but cut to Indigo and there is never a move anyone makes that he doesn't remember and this time He blocks the slash, slashes out himself with a six-fingered sword. And although the man in black manages to retreat out of range of the blow, the tide of battle has changed again with Indigo back in command as they speed across the rock filled terrain, dodging and lunging and fainting and trickling their swords in constant contact. Cut to Indigo's feet moving with the grace and speed of a great improvisational dancer. Cut to Indigo's sword hand as it flicks the great weapon and the power in his wrist is tremendous. Cut to the mighty

six-fingered sword as the light does its best to keep up with it. And now at long last, cut two, indigo's face, and something terrible is written behind his eyes. He has given his all, done everything man can do, tried every style, made every maneuver, but it wasn't enough. And on his face for all to see is the realization that he indigo Mononttoya of Spain is going to lose. Cut to the man in black moving in for the end now blocking everything, muzzling everything. And cut to the six-fingered sword sent flying from Indigo's grip. He stands helpless only a moment. Then he drops to his knees, bows his head, shuts his eyes.

Me quickly. I would assume destroy a stained glass window as an artist like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me,

he clugs Indigo's head with his heavy sword handle. Indigo pitches forward unconscious, please understand that I hold you in the highest respect. And we switch to Chris as narrator.

The result of Vizini. Inconceivable. Pull back to reveal Vini standing down from a narrow mountain path at far and below the man in black can be seen running. Physic carrying the princess down long side. A little later in the morning.

Give her to me. [clears throat] Catch up with us quickly. What do I do? Finish him. Finish [clears throat] him. Finish him your way.

Oh, good. My way. Thank you, Vini. My way indeed. Of course. Which way is my way?

A couple of boulder. Nothing can happen. Maybe y'all amateur point to them. There is a law tree nearby.

Pick up one of those boulders. Move behind the tree. We can't even finish pointing down along the mountain path.

Okay. In a few minutes, the man in black will come running around that bend his reed in his view. Hit it with the boulder.

And Virginia butter hurry away. My way is not exactly sportsmanlike. He stand mostly in the tree shattered. The boulder created easily as we cut to the man in black. out the mountain trail. Ahead is a bend in the trail. He see it slow. Then he stopped listening. Fred was waiting around the bend deep in the shadow. He does not move. There's absolutely no sound. Cut to the man blank. Satisfied by the silence. He stopped for again and he round the band. Cut to Fenway. The instant the maned blank head come into view. He step out fire the bould rocket and cut to the man blank and rail the bow to come until it's too late. He caught frozen and cut to the boat zooming dead into camera and cut to the man and the boat missed him by and harmlessly down now.

He moved to the mountain pass. He had picked up the other boat and hold it lightly.

I did that on purpose. I didn't have to miss. I believe you. But what happens now?

We face each other as God intended in a sportsmanlike manner. No twix, no weapons. Skill against skill alone.

You mean you'll put down your rock and I'll put down my sword and we'll try to kill each other like civilized people.

I can kill you now. You get too soft to throw up and Ren shakes his head. He take off his sword as Gabby begin to approach toward the giants.

Frankly, I think the odds are slightly in your favor at hand fighting. It's not my fault being the biggest and the strongest. I don't even exercise.

You flipped the rock away exited the mountain path. The mountain passed and under the two men the man in black cannot now and had b been a shrimp but like he wasn't even there tower above him so much the moment and then the man in black dive at favorite chest cleven stranded blow in his stomach twisted arm seedly f skillfully into the beautifully output by bear hug and general made any number of terrific wrestling move just standed kind of taking the scenery finally in a minute by that way up tonight.

Are you just fiddling around with me or what? I wanted you to feel like you were doing well. I always hated for people to die embarrassed.

They get they start get set to begin again. Then suddenly cut to Fen as he jumped forward with stunning speed for anyone his side. They reach for the man in black. Grab him and add a man in black slip away. Fen reach again. and grab him again. The man black drop to his knees, sprint loose, go right down with him, take him and b his arms. Then the man black twist free, jump to your feet, panting from the effort.

You're quick. A good thing, too. Why do you wear a mask? Were you disfigured at birth or burned by acid or something like that?

Oh, no. They're just terribly comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future.

Fen considered this moment the attack and he moved quickly last time. This time he and Adam man black slipped down to avoid the char move right with him only instead of twisting feet jumping to his feet. The man of black jumped for Ven's back and a moment he riding him and his arm have rever's throat block across Ven pipe one in front one behind the man of black began to squeeze tighter

I just figured out why you're giving me so much trouble as he charged towards a huge rock that line the path and just as he reached it he spin his giant's body so that the entire weight of the char is taken by the man in black cut to the man in black and the power of the charge is terrible the pain, but he clenched to the grip at Fenick Rangpipe. I'm sorry.

Why is it, do you think? Well, I haven't fought just one person in so long now. I've kind of been specializing in groups, battling gangs for local charities, that kind of thing.

Part two, another huge rock on the other side of again very char this time, but still in Hold on.

Charles, but again he's been man black against the Wed cut to the man black and the pun mission terrible and for the moment see he's going to let go of friend wind pipe and probably he doesn't he hold on.

Why should that make such a difference? Well, you see, you'd use different moves when you're fighting half a dozen people than when you've only got one to worry about. [clears throat]

Fred slammed the man of black against the B only this time his parad start to slowly clap. Cut two f and now there isn't so much breathing coming. The man black holding his grip and fick tried to stand halfway make it but there no air back to his knee he fall hold there for a moment down to all four the man black increased the pressure tried to fall but see just no air no air f go to the earth and lie still fick and the man turn him over put a hand to his f heart it beat the man stay stared

do not envy you the headache you'll have when to awake but in the meantime rest well the dream of large women

as he g off a mon cut to the next person who read close on a knife pointed at a throat pull back to reveal the zinny munching on an apple holding the knife to buttercup's throat she is blindfolded a picnic spread is laid out a tablecloth, two goblets, and between them a small leather wine container, and some cheese and a couple of apples. The picnic is sat on a lovely spot high on the edge of a mountain path with a view all the way back to the sea. The man in black comes running around the path, sees Vzini, slows. The two men study each other then.

But now it is down to you and it is down to me. The man [snorts] in black nods and comes near.

If you wish her dead, by all means keep moving forward. And he pushes his long knife harder against Buttercup's unprotected throat.

Let me explain. There is nothing to explain. You are trying to kidnap what I have rightfully stolen.

Perhaps an arrangement can be reached. There will be no arrangement. As the man in black moves forward again, cut to Buttercup's throat. As Vzini jabs her with his long knife, a drop of red blood appears against her skin. Cut to the man in black stopping fast.

If there can be no arrangement, then we are at an impass. I fear so. I cannot compete with you physically, and you are no match for my brains.

Are you that smart? Let me put it this way. Have you heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Yes,

morons. Really? In that case, I challenge you to a battle of wits for the princess.

The man in black nods. To death. Another nod. I accept. Then pour the wine. As Vzini fills the goblets with dark red liquid, the man in black pulls a small packet from his clothing, drops it by the wine.

Open that and inhale, but do not touch. I smell nothing. What you do not smell is called Iocaine powder. It is odless, tasteless, dissolves instantly in liquid, and is among the deadlier poisons known to man. Hand me the goblets.

Take them yourself. My long knife does not leave her throat. And he presses harder, making his meaning quite clear. Cut to the zeni, watching excitedly as the man in black takes the goblets, turns his back. A moment later, he turns again, faces Visini, drops the Iocane packet to the Kchief. It is empty now. The man in black sits, puts one glass in front of his, the other in front of himself.

All right, where is the poison? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink and find out who is right and who is dead.

But it's so simple. All I need to do All I need to do is divine from what I know of you.

Are you the kind of man that would put the poison into his own glass or his enemies? He reaches for the man in black's wine goblet, studies it.

Now, [clears throat] a clever man would place the poison in his own goblet because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool. So, I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool. You would you would count on it. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me. Surely

he puts that goblet down. You've made your decision then. Not remotely because I comes from Australia as everyone knows and Australia is entirely people with criminals and criminals are used to not having people trust them as you are not trusted by me. So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you.

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect. Wait till I get going. Where was I? Ah, yes. Mm- Australia. And you must have suspected I would have known the powder's origin. So, I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

You're stalling. Now, you'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten my Turk, which means you are exceptionally strong. So you could have put it in your cup trusting on your strength to save you, you know. So I I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you also bested my Spaniard, which means you may have studied. [snorts] And in studying you must have learned that man is mortal. So you would have put the poison as far from yourself as possible. Huh? So I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.

As Vzini's pleasure has been growing throughout, the man in blacks has been fast disappearing.

You're just trying to trick me into giving away something. It won't work. It has worked. You've given everything away. I I know where the poison is.

Then make your choice. I will. And I choose um and suddenly he stops, points at something behind the man in black.

What in the world can that be? Man in black turning around looking. Where? I don't see anything. Cut to Visini busily switching the goblets while the man in black has his head turned. [clears throat]

Oh, black. I could have sworn I saw something. No matter. The man in black turns to face him again. The zindi starts to laugh.

What's so funny? Tell you in a minute. First, let's drink me from my glass. you from yours."

And he picks up his goblet. The man in black picks up the one in front of him. As they both start to drink, the zinny hesitates a moment, then allowing the man in black to drink first, swallows his wine.

You guessed wrong. You only think I GUESS WRONG. THAT'S WHAT'S SO FUNNY. Eyes switched the glasses when your back was turned. Cut to the man in black. There's nothing he can say. He just sits there. Cut to Visini watching him. [clears throat]

Fool, you fell victim to one of the most clinical classic blunders. The most famous is never get into trouble in a land of land of war in Asia. But only slightly less well known is this. Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line. He laughs and roars and cackles and is in all ways quite cheery until he falls over dad. [snorts]

The man in black stepping past the corpse, taking the blindfold and bindings off Buttercup, who notices Vizimi Vizimi laying dead. The man in black pulls her to her feet.

Who are you? I am no one to be trifled with. That is all you ever need to know.

Sorry. He starts to lead her off, dragging her behind him. To think, all that time, it was your cup that was poisoned. We switched to Dana as narrator.

Close up. The man in black. They were both poisoned. I've spent the last years building up immunity to Ioang powder. And with that, he takes off, dragging her behind him. Cut to exterior wild stretch of terrain. The man in black comes running into view, still dragging Buttercup, who sometimes stumbles, but he keeps forcing her along. Finally, when she's close to exhaustion, he lets go [clears throat] of her.

Catch your breath. If you'll release me, whatever you ask for ransom, you'll get it. I promise you.

And what is that worth? The promise of a woman. You are very funny, Highness. I was giving you a chance. Does not matter where you take me. There is no greater hunter than Prince Humpedink. He can track a falcon on a cloudy day. He can find you.

You think your dearest love will save you? I never said he was my dearest love. And yes, he will save me. That I know. You admit to me that me you do not love your fiance.

He knows I do not love him. You are not capable of love is what you mean. I have loved more deeply than a killer like yourself could ever dream.

Suddenly, the man in black raises his hand, starts it forward in a slapping motion. Buttercup tries to turn her head away. The man in black stops his hand a fraction of an inch from her cheek. That was a warning, Highness. The next time my hand flies upon its own for where for where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies.

And suddenly he grabs her hand and they are once again racing away. Katu, Prince Hubering, lying on the top edge of the cliffs of insanity, his body dangerously over the side, staring down. Katu, Count Rubin, mounted, watching. Behind him, half a dozen armed warriors, also mounted. A great white horse waits, riderless in front. The prince nimly jumps to his feet, begins examining the rocky ground. To an ordinary eye, that's all it looks like, rocky ground, but not to Humperdink. And maybe he isn't the best hunter in the world. Then again, maybe he is because as he begins to put his feet into strange positions, we realize that what he is doing is miniming fencers.

Here was a mighty duel. It ranged all over. Now he changes hands, still in mine, shifting the imaginary sword. He shakes his head.

It makes no sense. Sometimes they held with the left foot, sometimes the right.

Prince Hupperink continuing his mining and he's following the course of the jewel. It's incredible. [clears throat]

They were both masters. How did it end? My guess would be that the losers ran off alone. God's way while the winner follow these footprints towards Gilder.

Katu the prince and the count moving rapidly towards their horses. Now we track them both.

The loser is nothing. Only the princess matters. Clearly this was all planned by warriors of Gilder and we must all be ready for whatever lies ahead.

Could this be a trap? I always think everything could be a trap, which is why I'm still alive.

And he gallops off stage. Cut to exterior, a mountain path. It's where Fuzzik fought the man in black. Camera pulls back to reveal the prince reigning in sharply the others behind him.

Someone has beaten a giant. Pity the country of Gilder if she dies. Cut to exterior around Vzini's body. The picnic is spread as before. Camera pulls back to reveal the prince kneeling by the body as the others ride up. The prince grabs up the empty poison packet, hands it to Rogan after first sniffing it himself.

Okay, I bet my life on it. And there are the princess's footprints. She is alive or was two hours ago. And as he vaults onto his horse and they all charge off, Katu Buttercup being spun into can view falling heavily as the man in black releases her. We are still in a barren area but higher now.

Rest your high. Rest highness. I know who you are. Your cruelty reveals everything.

The man in black says nothing. You're the dread pirate Roberts. Admit it with pride. What can I do for you?

You can die slowly cut into a thousand pieces. Hardly complimentary, highness. Why loose your venom on me?

Cut to closeup, buttercup. Quietly now. You killed my love. Cut to the man in black, watching her closely. That's possible. I kill a lot of people.

And now he pulls her to her feet. And as again they start to run, cut to Humperdink, riding like a bat out of hell, approaching the same stretch of wild terrain where Buttercup promised Ransom in exchange for her freedom. Behind him come the others, and a cloud of dust is rising visibly from all the following horses. The dust cloud rises high as Rugan rise up. She was alive 50 minutes ago. And if she is otherwise when finding her camera moves into a closeup of Prince Huffing, his rage is almost beyond control.

I shall be very put out from his fury as they take off. Cut to the man in black leading Buttercup along the edge of an almost sheer ravine. The drop is sharp and severe. below the ravine forest flat. But getting there would not be half the fun.

Who was this love of yours? Another prince like this one. Ugly, rich, and scabby.

No, a farm boy. Poor. Poor and perfect with eyes like the sea after a storm. Cut to Buttercup closeup. And probably if she did not hate Robert, so there would be tears.

Your ship attacked and the dread pirate Roberts never takes prisoners. I can't afford to make exceptions. Once word leaks out that that a pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey you. And then it's nothing but work, work, work all the time.

You mock my pain. Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something. I remember your farm boy. I think this would be what, 5 years ago.

Buttercup nods. Does it bother you to hear? Nothing you can say will upset me. My heart is now a secret garden, and the walls are very high. He died well. That should please you. No bribe attempts nor blubbering. He simply said "Please please, I need to live." It was the please that caught my memory. Asked what was so important for him here. True love, he replied. And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing beauty of and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. He should bless me for destroying him before he found out what you are.

And what am I? Faithfulness he talked of, madam, your endearing, your enduring faithfulness. Now, tell me truly, when you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did you wait a whole week out of respect for the dead?

You mocked me once. Never do it again. I died that day. Cut to the man in black, about to reply as they stand there on the edge of the sheer ravine. But then something catches his attention. And as he stares at it briefly, cut to his point of view. The dust cloud caused by Humberdig's forces is rising up into the sky. Cut to Buttercup. And while his attention is on the dust cloud rising high, she pushes him with all the strength she has.

And you can die too for all I care. Cut to the man in black teetering on the ravine edge for a moment. Then he begins to fall. Down goes the man in black. Down down rolling spinning crashing always toward the flat rock floor of the ravine. Cut to Buttercup, staring transfixed at what she has wrought. There is a long pause. She stands there alone at night as from far below the words come to her, drifting on the wind.

As you wish. Cut to exterior the ravine floor. The man in black feebly moves, manages to pull his mask from his face. Cut to Buttercup, blinking back her tears.

Oh, my sweet Wesley, what have I done? And without a second thought or consideration of the danger, she starts down into the ravine. She does wonderfully, at least for a while. But then it gets too sharp. A rock she holds to betrays her, giving away. And then she is falling too, spinning and twisting, crashing and torn. Cartwheeling down towards what is left of her beloved. Cut to the dust cloud rising. Pull back to reveal Prince Humperdink and the others raining in at the spot where Buttercup told the man in black she knew he was the drug pirate robbers. The prince shakes his head.

We've cut the lead to less than the half an hour. They must have seen our dust cloud closing in, which might account for their panicking into error. Unless I am wrong, and I am never wrong, they are headed red into the fire swamp.

Cut to Count Rugan. The mere mention of the fire swamp makes him pale. Cut to the ravine floor as seen from high above. Two bodies lie a few feet apart, not moving. It is, of course, Buttercup and Wesley. They might be corpses. After a time, does Wesley slowly forces his body into motion and as he does cut to Buttercup, bruised and torn as Wesley crawls slowly toward her.

Can you move at all? Move. You're alive. If you want, I can fly. Oh, dearest Wesley.

Remember I said I would I would always come wait for you. Why didn't you wait for me?

Well, you were dead. You should have You should have had more faith, child. Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.

I will I will never doubt again. I can't. That should have been Yeah, that's a typo.

He just jumps in. I will never doubt again. There will never be a need. Cut to. And now they begin to kiss. It's a tender kiss. Tender and loving and gentle and

Oh, no. No. Please. Cut to interior. The kids bedroom. What's the matter? They're kissing again. Do we have to hit a kissing pod? Ah, someday you may not mind so much.

You're sick. I'll humor you. He picks up the book and we cut to exterior, the ravine floor. Buttercup and Wesley racing along the ravine floor. Wesley glances up. Cut to Humperdink and his men per perched on top of the cliff looking down at Wesley and Buttercup.

Your pig fiance is too late. Just a few more steps and we'll be safe in the fire swamp.

Cut to Buttercup and Wesley has tried to stay it with shioalier like nonchalants, but she isn't buying. Instantly afraid, she stops.

Never survive. Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has. As they race off, leaving Humper Dink and his men stranded, defeated. Cut to exterior the fire swamp.

And we'll switch to Vicki for actions and inscriptions here and switch Wesley's exterior the fire swamp. And it really doesn't look any worse than any other moist, sulurous, inferno horror you might run across. Great trees block the sun. Wesley and Buttercup. Buttercup is clearly panicked, and maybe Wesley is too, but he moves jily along. Sword in hand.

You know, I'm kind of disappointed. It's not that bad. I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely.

The giant trees, thick and black green, they look ominous as hell, and they shield all but intermittent stripes of sun, cut to a giant spurt of flame leaping up, preceded by a slight popping sound. And this particular spurt of flame misses Wesley. But Buttercup is suddenly on fire. At least the lower half of her is. And Wesley instantly diving at her, knocking her to the moist ground, throwing his own body over the flames, suffocating them. This isn't all that easy, and it causes him a a bit of a a bit of grief, but he does his best to sound as jaunty as before. Wesley helps her to her feet. She is dazed and her panic has grown. He seems all excited.

Well, now that was an adventure. He [snorts] examines where the flames burst over her.

Singed a bit. Were you? He was. And he shakes his head. No. No. She was. And she shakes her head. No. Use the line of a buttercup there, Vicki. There's a in the preies.

Oh. Ah, she wasn't. And she shakes her head. No. He was. And he shakes his head. No. The swamp floor. And as there's another popping sound, we cut to Wesley grabbing Buttercup, pulling her aside at to safety as another great spurt of flame suddenly pops up. One thing I will say, the Fire Swamp does keep you on your toes.

Buttercup is frozen with fear. He takes her hand gently, leads her forward as we dissolve to the [clears throat] two of them, moving slowly along through a particularly dangerous part of the fire swamp. It's later now. The sun slants down at a slightly different angle. This will all Yeah, this will all go on to be a happy memory because Robert ship revenge is anchored at the far end and as and I as you know am Roberts.

But how is that possible since he's been marauding 20 years and you only left me 5 years ago?

I myself am often surprised at life's little quirks. You see what I told you before about saying please was true. It intrigued Roberts. My saying, please, as did my description of your beauty.

Cut to exterior, the fire swamp continuous. Some hideous vines. They look like they could be flesh eating. Wesley takes a sword, slices a path for them to follow. The vines groan as they fall. He's been chatting away the entire time. Finally, Roberts decided something. He said, "All right, Wesley. I've never had a ballot. You can try it for tonight. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." For three years, he said that. "Good night, Wesley. Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." It was a fine time for me. I was alive and learning to fence, to fight, anything anyone would teach me.

Roberts and I eventually became friends. Then it happened. What? Go on. Cut to Wesley picking her up and carrying her across some swamp that is bridged by a narrow rickety tree branch.

Roberts had grown so rich he wanted to retire. He took me to his quarters and he told me a secret. I am not the Dread Pirate Roberts. He said, "My name is Ryan. I inherited this ship from the previous Dread Pirate Roberts. just as you will inherit it from me. The man inherit it

from was the man I inherited it from was not the real Dread Pirate Roberts either. His name was Cumberbun. The real Roberts has been retired 15 years and living like a king in Patagonia. Then he explained that the name was the important thing for inspiring the necessary fear. No one would surrender to a dread pirate, Wesley.

The two of them have by now crossed the pond. So we sailed ashore, took on an entirely new crew, and he stayed aboard for a while as first mate. All the time calling me Roberts. Once the crew believed he left the ship, and I have been Roberts ever since, except now that we are together, I shall retire and hand the name over to someone else. Is everything clear to you?

We cut to Buttercup about to reply. But [clears throat] the ground she steps on gives way. It's snow sand. A great patch of it and it has her. A cloud of powder rises and she sinks into the stuff. Crying Wesley's name. But then she's gone as we cut to Wesley whirling, slashing at a U-shaped vine. Hacks it in half. It's still connected to the tree. And then he grabs it, drops his sword, and clutches the other end of the vine. He dives into the snowand, and there's another cloud of white powder, but it settles quickly. Now nothing can be seen. Nothing at all. Just the snow sand, lovely lethal. Hold on to snow sand. Then we cut to the exterior, the giant trees.

Nothing much moves. The snow sand is quiet. An odd panting sound is heard now. The panting sound is suddenly very loud. And [snorts] then a giant ros darts into view. The ro us, a rodent of unusual size, is probably no more than 80 lbs of bone and powder. It sniffs around a bit. Then, as quickly as it has come, it goes climbing. It continues to climb and then stops, rests, looks down from a tree branch, panting and deadly. We cut to the snow sand as Wesley lung lunges long past the bursting point explodes out. He has Buttercup across his shoulders and as he pulls to the edge of the snow sand pit using the vine, we cut to a closeup of Buttercup. Her face is caked with the white powder. [snorts] It's in her eyes, her ears, her hair, mouth. She's still probably beautiful, but you have to look awfully hard to see it. As Wesley continues to pull them to safety, we cut to the ros high above them. It watches. We cut to Buttercup

place sitting her back against a tree. Wesley is cleaning the snow sand from her face. He hesitates, glances around, and we cut to the ros on a much lower branch now. It stares down at Wesley. We cut to Wesley, staring back up at the beast. Buttercup is oblivious. Her eyes flutter. He continues to work or on her as we

We'll never succeed. We may as well die here. We have already succeeded. We cut to now there are two ru's they have climbed into near a nearby tree stare hungrily down. We cut to Wesley picking her up puts an arm around her starts to walk with her as he encouragedly goes on talking.

What are the three terrors of the fire swamp? One, the flame spurts. No problem. There's a little popping sound preceding each. We can avoid that. too, the snow sand. But you were clever enough to discover what it looks like, so in the future we can avoid that, too.

What about the Ro S's, Wesley? The rodents of unusual size, I don't think they exist.

And as he says that, a third R U S, one we haven't seen before, comes flying down at him from a tree branch. And we cut to Buttercup screaming. And we cut to the ro us attacking Wesley's shoulder with his razor teeth and blood begins to immediately flow. And we cut to Wesley with death close at hand as a popping sound starts. A flame spurt shooting skyward. And we cut to Wesley as with one desperate move he rolls into the flame. But he has one of the ru's underneath him. And as the Ro us bursts into flames, he lets go and Wesley rolls safely free, grabs his sword, and slashes the R US, which is trying to put itself out. The [snorts] RO uses dead.

Wesley stands motionless, exhausted. The danger has passed. We cut to Buttercup, relieved. We cut to Wesley. He manages a smile. Suddenly, a large thumping sound is heard. Wesley turns. We cut to an R US standing in front of him. After a beat, a second R US lands next to the first. Slowly, they advance on Wesley. We cut to Wesley girding himself. We cut to the R US's advancing. Suddenly, they break into a fierce charge. We cut to Wesley standing his ground. The RU uses charging right past Wesley diving on the dead R O US.

Buttercup's scared going to Wesley. Both of them staring as we cut to the dead R US as its companions devour it. Wesley leads Buttercup away. We dissolve to Buttercup and Wesley moving slower than ever. They look like death. Then they stop, gaze ahead as we cut to the far edge of the fire swamp, just ahead beyond a beach. We cut to Buttercup and Wesley. Now, wasn't that so terrible, and from somewhere they summon strength, pick up their pace, and as they reach the edge of the fire swamp, we cut to something we hadn't expected. Prince Humperdink in closeup.

Surrender. Pull back to reveal Humpdink on his horse. Rugan be beside him. Three warriors armed and ready are mounted in formation behind Buttercup and Wesley and they're at the edge of the fire swamp about to leave it. They stop. Buttercup looks behind exhaustion. Beyond exhaustion. Wesley looks worse. It's dusk. Behind Humperdink are the waters of a bay. Wesley and Buttercup, staring out at the others.

You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well. I accept it. I don't give you full marks for bravery. Don't make yourself a fool.

How will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp. We can live here happily for quite some time. Whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit.

Cut to Humpdink. I tell you again, surrender. Cut to Wesley. It will not happen.

We cut to Buttercup, looking from one to the other. Then something else catches her eye, and we cut to an armed warrior in shadow with a loaded crossbow aimed at Wesley's heart. We cut to Buttercup looking the other way. We cut to another warrior crossbow aimed at Wesley. We cut to Humpdink.

For the last time, surrender. Cut to Wesley. Death first. We cut to Buttercup, frantically staring around now. And we cut to a third warrior, crossbow stretched, ready to fire. This one is hidden in a tree, blocking any escape Lesley might try.

Will you promise not to hurt him? Humperdink whirling to face her. What was that?

We cut to Wesley whirling to face her. What was that? Cut to Buttercup talking to them both.

If we surrender freely and without struggle, will you promise not to hurt this man?

May I live a thousand years and never hunt again? He is He is a poor simple sailor on the pirate ship Revenge. I have known him since we were young. Will you promise to return him to his ship?

Cut to Prince Humpdink and Count Rugan. I swear it will be done. Once we're out of sight, take him to the pit of despair.

I swear it will be done. Buttercup and Wesley. I thought you were dead once and it almost destroyed me. I could not have you die again. Not when I could save you. Cut to Wesley close up dazed silent. We cut to Buttercup about to come apart at the seams emotionally. She starts to speak again. Can't turns. Starts away. And we cut to Wesley watching and cut to Humpdank riding to her, swooping her up onto his his horse, racing off. We cut to Wesley staring after her as Rugan, dismounted now, and his warriors advance on Wesley. The count has a heavy sword, and he holds it in his hand.

Pardon, sir. We must get you to your ship. We are men of action. Lies do not become us. Well spoken.

Wesley is looking at him. What is it? You have six fingers on your right hand. Someone was looking for you. Count Rugan clubs Wesley hard against the skull. We cut to Wesley. He falls into like a stone. The screen goes black. In the darkness, frightening sounds. And that's where we'll pause for today. on the cliffhanger, so to speak. Um, and then normally we do a short little discussion afterwards, but u for those of you who are able to stay, I know some of you live in East Coast time zones and or further and are a little tired, but if you can stay for the discussion that

uh five minute break first, so get some tea, bathroom, whatever, and then come on back and see what you guys think of the script. So, great job.

Great job, everyone. That was amazing. So much fun. I'm going to stop sharing the script so we can see everybody.

Yes. Great. See, it's um 15 minutes after the hour. So um [snorts] you know 5 10 minutes we'll uh come back here and um so top of the hour. Let's say that we'll give you 10 minutes. This is a long time sitting. So,

next time I got work in the morning. All right. Thanks for reading, Chris. Bye. Bye.

Yes. I next week, next week I will participate. I will sign up for the part two. For the part two.

All right, John. We'll see you next week then. Excellent. Yes. And we'll be switching characters up next week, too, so that folks who didn't have a chance to read a big character can read one next week that the ones that are able to show up for that.

Yes. Uh I need to go now. Uh I will look for my lunch now. All right. Have a good lunch.

Bye. Bye. Bye. Thanks everyone. Great job. Because I'm 45 years old. You're five. I don't have school. rain. Thank you. [clears throat] Hi Vicki. Hello. [snorts] The Zeni B. That's Haley.

Haley. All right. [snorts] You all have fun reading. This is a great script. This was a good group.

Oh, yeah. It was a good There's a lot lot of professional or near professional actors in this one. So, always makes it nice. So, yeah, it was a fun one. You guys put a lot of a um oomph with my I had a coach once say, "Put some oomph into it." So, you guys uh did a lot of oomph in there. It was nice.

It was fun. I don't know. My hillbilly kind of comes out in me a little bit, which is good for that swamp scene though. You know, they um the whole hillbilly bravado scene comes out really well in that scene.

Yeah, we don't know what part of the sea he's from, so I think it fits. Maybe he pretends to be British to put up a front, you know. like Butler and Clue.

I noticed one thing that was so interesting. It was different between the script and the book when they do them like the battle of wits. It's not that he poisons the wine. It's that it's a um an inhalent poison. So when he goes, "Here, sniff this."

That's when he actually gets poisoned and then he's like sitting there waiting for him to die.

Oh yeah. Mhm. So, since this is a really large group, um I am going to make a recommendation. Otherwise, we don't all end up chatting over each other because of the nature of Zoom. Um I've got a couple questions I'm going to ask you guys here. And differences is one of the things we're going to talk about, too. [snorts] Um but if you wanted to to say something, if you can put your name in the chat and then I can kind of make a little list here so that, you know, I can kind of go in order so we're not all trying to jump in all at once. as [snorts] a small group sometimes I don't really mind if you guys all chat and then but this size group it makes it flow much easier if you want to um put your name in there and then I'll call you guys in and then when it is your turn again try not to like you know go on for like 10 minutes right and say your piece and then

well Sherry I thought it was a skull poison that he poisoned both cups and he developed an immunity to it so

so did that's what they say that's what they say in the film script but in the book it's like it's the inhalent

oh I've never read the book so So, um I'm going to start off um so we got a I said top of the hour, but I think just about everyone's back. So, um two things I want you guys to think about and we'll start with differences in between the script and the movie first because that's very obvious and [snorts] then eventually we'll get to like the the style of the actions and descriptions as well. So, if anyone wanted to comment on um some of the differences you notice between the film script and the actual movie um yeah, we are still recording. we because that's part of the discussion. Um

okay. And uh that gets that gets included too. So but yeah, go ahead if you wanted to save some of that, put your name in there and we'll uh um go ahead and start. I will um I will start off with while you're thinking about those and just kind of point out a couple things that I noticed on that. I made a little list as I went along. Um and some of them are small, you know, like he someone has beaten a giant and they said beaten a Turk instead.

Yeah. or instead of 20 years sometimes I think there was 15 years uh for the steady historic play and and then most particularly I'd maybe start with that added scene between uh the prince and the princess um near the beginning when she right before she went off on a ride. Um there was that one right there and then there's a couple scene order things that changed. So, anyone want to comment on any of those or any other changes you may have noticed? And I'll look for either hands or names in the chat. [snorts] Um, Heather, is that a hand up?

No, I'm just tired. Sorry. You all right? My eyes. Uh, Vicki, I noticed there were was no booer. Ew. Boo. bow down to the You hear that one? Yeah, I missed her.

Not until part two. Yeah, she comes in later in this later on returns. Well, there you go.

That's later when Wesley's in the chamber. It's something I remember. Right. And it's a dream she has. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.

Love you. [snorts] other things you guys noticed that were different. Some of them might be kind of small

like the the discussion that she and Humping have um like you know before she goes riding like they don't show that in the actual movie like she just goes riding and there's no discussion in the movie. It's probably in a deleted scene. I'd have to check my DVDs because yes I do have DVDs. Don't get don't start at how old I am. Um cuz I already know my birthday's coming up soon actually this month. But um yeah, they don't show that one discussion. So

Brandon, what would you like to say of what scene? I really liked I really liked how they handled the fight scene. Um, and especially with the descriptions, I thought it really gave you an idea of what we saw later in the movie, but instead of going through every detail of um, hey, the sword moves this way and they parry and da da da, it gives you the entire feel of what they're looking for.

I think that's Yeah, that's a definitely adds a lot. That's probably the longest actions and descriptions scene in this half of the film. other thoughts on that or any other actions and descriptions because I know we all read a lot of them. So, um how I always think the action descriptions are like an extra character in the film um and adds a lot to sort of the feel of the film. Any thoughts on that? How it kind of contributes?

I like how fast the uh the descriptions move. It's almost like you're you're riding along with them.

And some of them are are actually a little sarcastic, which keeps the flavor of the story going along.

Um, Scott, oh, I was just moving my screen around. I just saw your hand in from the camera. So,

yeah, [snorts] I feel action and descriptions really make it visual for me. I mean, dialogue is great, but it it rounds it out and uh I I read with other groups and and that isn't read and it they're still good reads, but I think it makes it richer.

Brandon, was very congruent, which I liked. I liked how it didn't just change with the dialogue, but all the scene descriptions and everything kind of seemed like a character to the story.

Yes, Elena. Oh, I was going to say um that I found some areas of the script really distracting, especially during the very last of what we were reading as Wesley was getting arrested. The cut to to every single line was like, wow, that's kind of unnecessary.

That was like, okay, you're chopping this up too much and what who who's saying what line right now? And it's just cut two, cut two, cut two. Um, I get it that it would be a shooting script, but we would just assume that it would be cutting back and forth. We wouldn't need that every single time someone needs to speak.

True. They could have just said intercut. Exactly. Like you could have they could have shortened that entire sequence and we would have figured it out. Just little teeny tiny little things there you don't think about when you're watching the movie because it's just them doing their coverage and they're cutting back and forth and they're just talking. But when you read it on the paper, that's like, "Okay, okay, cool. Maybe I don't want to do that with But we get the point eventually."

And that makes a difference, too, of the director, um, you know, or the the script writer and the director, how much they work together ahead of time to put those cuts in because some scripts, you know, they do just say intercut or they don't even say that and you have to like let the director have a bit more freedom, too. Um, so it totally depends on how much the script writer wants to have control of the camera. Um, versus letting the director have control of the camera.

And I'm going to say this on this is my first table read ever and I'm just getting back into doing this. I did a lot of acting when I was in high school and everything. Of course, then life happens. I'm 51 years old now and uh you know had just gotten started back into doing background and extra work and some improv like I used to do and seeing how it all comes together is I mean it's pretty amazing

and like I said and every script goes through iterations too. So, this one is close to a shooting script, but it only had 30 scene numbers or 30 shot numbers and only when the location itself changed. So, it's not the final shooting script because those would have a different number for every time the camera moved. Um, so all those cut to cut to cut twos to would have had a different shot number. Um, and uh, so you can see there's still another iteration of the script to go.

Yeah. [snorts] How about the fact this is based on a book? Um, has anyone read? So, someone said they read the book. Who was that?

I have. That's what I was just going to do has. Oh, and Marlo has and Lisa has. Wow, that's a lot.

I would love to hear you guys' thoughts on the book versus the script or the film.

I have something to say here. Um, I found I found it really interesting how um the movie sets it up like it's a grandpa and a child that are reading the story together, whereas in the book it is the author searching for a book from S. Morgan Stern for his two daughters, a princess and a bride, and he like goes through uh you know the the location that he's in trying to find this particular book. And uh I find that a really sweet journey that it's it's a story he's trying to retell his kids from memory, but he can't quite remember it. That's what he tries to find the original.

Yeah. See, with with the book, I actually watched the movie before I read the book. So, what I mean, don't get me wrong, Princess Bride is still one of my all-time favorite movies, but reading the book, it leaves so much more to the imagination in it than what the movie did.

It left a lot of a lot of the scenes in there. Um, especially like between Wesley and Buttercup, just the emotion in it. It left so much more um, how do I want to put this? He felt in the book, he felt like there was more um, more of a love and connection than what it showed in the movie

just by the descriptors in it. That's interesting. Other comments? looking for hands or names.

I am getting tired and I do need to dip out because I've got a very busy couple of days coming.

All right, Heather, thanks for reading with us. Maybe you can make any Thank you, Heather.

Yes, the the film coming up I mentioned. I will post information about that and I hope you all take part because it's for a good cause. It's for food banks in North America anyway.

Cool. Put it on our and I will have more news that I can't share just yet because NDA is but love you all.

All right. Good night, Heather. All right. Byebye. Nice meeting all of you. Thank you. Good seeing you again. Those I've seen. Nice meeting all of you. Those who I haven't met.

Night. Good night. Bye. Live long and prosper. Bye. Um, let's see. Elena. Oh, I wanted to make another comment, but um, not about the book versus the script. I I just wanted to say, oops, sorry. I had a like a mystery science theater 3000 moment on one line because I got confused. I was like, why are we repeating this? I'd forgotten that when the grandpa restarts the story, uh, he he goes back to the previous line and then it begins again and there's a voice over and then they transition. I I was so caught up in it like I I felt like I was watching the movie and then suddenly my my brain just went and I got myself lost and I'm like, "Sorry guys." Uh, but I think that's the power of of the story itself and the writing. like I felt like I was watching the movie in my head

and I was like an audience member out loud. Um even though I should have been focusing.

So, well, I bet the same thing happened to the actor reading the table the first time, too. Like, I already said that line.

Yeah. I'm like, what's going on? Oops, I said that out loud. I'm sorry. I broke the fourth wall.

Oh, that's fine. They do that all the time here. Yeah. But but that's I mean I just I love the story so much and I was so caught up in it that I found myself excited to read the action lines because you don't actually hear the dialogue of the writer

as you're watching the film, especially especially the um the sword fighting scene because we all know that Bob Anderson did all the choreography and it was supposed to be this momentous amazing choreography and it was fantastic on screen but you never actually got to see the description

of how it was supposed to feel. So when I was reading that I just felt like I was watching the movie again for the first time. It it was it just made me giggle.

I love the fact that it says the second greatest sword fight ever. The second greatest sword fight.

You don't get that in the movie. So specific. Yeah. Anyway, I love the descriptions of Buttercup when they're always like, "She's a little bit tossel, but she's still the most beautiful woman in the world.

Never brushes her hair, but she's still gorgeous." [clears throat] [snorts] Well, other thoughts anyone had or comments?

Am I blanking out on a snow sand like in the fire swamp? Was there a different third element or something in there or what am I I'm tripping up a little bit.

It's called lightning sand in the film. They Yeah. And yeah, they just had the three. They had the fire spurt, the lightning sand, and the roo's. Those were the three. Um although this US scene was different too, wasn't it?

Yeah. Yeah. I don't remember them ro them attacking the dead body. Don't they attack him again?

Yeah. Yeah. The roou's cannibalism is not in the in the film. No. And and repeating ru is a tongue twister evidently. R O U S's. It's Yeah, that is

Yeah, S's. If you're warming up to go on stage, I recommend R U R O U S. But just repeat it over.

I'm going to do that for my next production. Or Mickey Mickey Mouse. That one works, too.

Mickey Mickey Mouse. Yeah, I like red leather, yellow leather. Well, that's my favorite.

Oh, mine is always I pluck mother feeasants. I'm the best mother feeasant plucker ever to pluck a mother feeasant. Have

you ever sung Suzie Susie sitting in a shining shop? That one's a good one. rubber baby buggy bumpers.

So, does anyone have any um so we have if you want because we have um some little bit of time if someone has an upcoming production you want to promote or um a page you want us to go find or follow. You know, I gave you we did some brief stuff in the beginning, but if you have something you want to direct people toward um afterwards u we can do that now. if anyone has a group or a production coming up or something you want to promote. [snorts] Uh Vicki.

No, I was waving goodbye to Lisa. Oh, you're waving. Oh, okay. Well, I will start with one. Um Vicki and I and a few of the folks here, Lisa um and sometimes Heather. We also read with um I'll mention it briefly. uh two households in Fair Corona, a Shakespeare reading group that's based on Facebook and we read uh Shakespeare plays and Shakespeare contemporary um plays from his contemporaries and [snorts] occasionally uh some Greek and Roman um plays as well and occasionally very rarely some modern plays. But we read on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of the month at 300 p.m. starting at 3 p.m.

uh Pacific Standard Time or Pacific Daylight Time depending on the time of year. But [snorts] that's two households in Fair Corona. And you can find us on Facebook if you want. We're reading Julius Caesar on Saturday. And there's I haven't cast it yet. There's still some space available. We only have 10 and I can take up to 20. So if you feel like reading um a Shakespearean play with me, let me know.

Just say Corona, not Verona. Corona because it started in April 2020. [snorts] I love it.

Two households in fair Corona. That is not a typo. So funny. So, I I don't have Oh, wait. I think Julia.

Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Uh, yeah. So, I don't have Well, most of my productions were Russian speaking theater, so most of the productions probably not going to be too interesting for anybody. Uh, but I am in another theater and we do have Romeo and Juliet coming up in the end of January if anybody's interested who lives around Seattle area.

Which theater is it? It's Applaud Studios in Everett. Oh, okay. [snorts] Um, Jackie, did you want to promote your show coming up?

You've shows you have you have several, I think. Oh, so many. I can I guess if you are in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area, feel free to come see Tartu. It's our last weekend this weekend uh November 14th to 16. And then I also have a virtual theater company like like cat, like so many people. Um and I finally created a schedule for the rest of the year of this year. um the weekend of like the week of Thanksgiving, November 24 to 27, we're going to do the last days of Judas's Scariot. And then after that by Stephen Adley Gerggas.

After that, it's it's usually we meet on Sunday nights is the general. So, Sunday, November 30th will be Ardan of Feser of Febsham. Have you ever read that one yet?

Herssham. Yeah. our Ardan of Oh, is it It's not Ardan of Favorsham, is it? Fevershamm or Feversham? I don't know how

I haven't read it. I've been dying to read it. Oh, you should join us. Yeah, we're going to read Well, if I have enough people, we'll read that on Sunday, November 30th.

It's about a true story about a couple that got murdered during Shakespeare in England, right? That one.

Yeah. Yeah. I just know about it, but I've never read it, and I was like, "Yeah, me neither.

Let's read it." Then we're doing um oh this play that I did over the summer that you got to see by uh Amelia P. Roseli Sunday December 7th. Then Everybody by Brendan Jacob Jenkins on Sunday December 14th and we're going to finish up with A Christmas Carol just like your group um on Sunday December 21st.

Cool. I told you she was busy. She you didn't get a chance to do your introductions earlier so I made some for you. Yeah,

I I heard you have like Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. [snorts] Do you know the date we're doing a Christmas Carol for the Shakespeare group?

Um no, not yet. I think Well, I do have it. I think it is. Um I'd have to look it up real quick. Um I'll think about it for a sec. Let me look it up.

Wow. Um that's also open to folks, too. If you like A Christmas Carol, we read that in December every year um through Two Households. So, I'll look up the date on that. It's a Saturday for sure.

It's a fun time and there's always lots of parts for that and opportunity for musical interludes.

Um, Jack, did you have something you were saying? Yeah, I'll also plug myself or anyone in like the Alberta, Canada area. Also on the topic of Christmas Carol, uh the stu uh student production for Rosebud School of the Arts is doing uh Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol by Tom Mule, which is a uh a different interpretation like Christmas Carol from like a different perspective. It's really really cool. And like just Yeah, if you Yeah, that that's what I'm going to be in. I'll be and I'm gonna be Jacob Marley himself. So

nice. I heard great things about that script. Mhm. It It's a lot It's a lot of fun.

Christmas Carol December 20th, I think. Also, right before mine. That's great. I love that. You could do two Christmas carols back toback. Play different.

I think I'll go for both. Do it. Do it. Yeah. I love like being able to play so many different characters. Like I I feel like I've played like seven characters in A Christmas Carol over the years. I'm putting two households in fair corona into the chat there. So in case anyone wants to click on it to make it easier to find

guess I will share my art I'm going to look right now where I post Muppet. Yes, the Muppet is the best.

Oh, absolutely. Maybe I could find a script for that one. I think I have one if you don't. Yeah, because I think I've done that with another group. I'll I'll check through my

Yeah, let me know if you have one and then I'll ask folks if they'd want to do that one instead.

I do voices for various muppets. So, I believe I have it somewhere. And um I said bes for this group particularly um we have like I said the second half of the Princess Bride coming up next week, but the rest of the year is wide open. So, if you have a script that you want us to read, send it my way because I keep having to scrge for scripts. Um, I do next I have one slated for next May, but that's a a Star Wars version that we're going to read next May. Um, Star Wars without Luke Skywalker in it. It's a very very early draft. [snorts] So,

yeah, it should be interesting. But I'm going to do that probably close to May 4th, as in May the fourth be with you. But in the meantime, yeah, send me a script if you have one you want to read and we'll get it on the table, the Zoom table, so to speak. Um, some who's Count Rugan? Uh, Marlo, you said you have a Christmas carol script for the Muppets.

I do. Yeah, I've done it um with another group. Oh, awesome. Yeah. So, I was looking for it.

You can send it back. Be great. I rather large well of scripts. Yes, I'm running out of scripts to read. So yeah, if you could

That is insane. You cannot run out of scripts to read. Cat, I know, but I only have so many resources.

Like Gutenberg has a million bajillion plays that you haven't done yet, including art fever.

That is true. But we're looking for mostly screenplays. Oh, screenplays. Yes, that's true.

Or television. Yeah. TV series. Also, I have a friend who um like has a website that he uses because like I I teach acting and we do scene work and monologue work and he has like a bajillion.

Get him to join here and get him to send me some scripts. Oh, he's so busy. He lives in LA. He doesn't do Zoom stuff, which whatever.

Yes. But I'll I'll send the resources though. I'll get Okay. Anna Canarina can Karen Karen Anna

Marlo feel free to send me I also have the Judah script but maybe yours is better than mine like I have two versions I'm always like I'll take whatever script is better oh Anna Karanina the script I've never seen

like the one with Kira nightly oh it's a movie I thought there was a version like There there is a play. Yeah, there is a it's a book. It's a play version, but they made a movie. They made quite a few.

Um I've only read the book. Yeah, you can. You have better patience than I did.

I mean, I went to French school. We had to read all of those long ass book where you know they talk forever. I mean, Victor Go, I love him, but man, thousands of pages. I like but when you have to start reading war in peace which is like I think it's thicker than two Bibles. I swear

descriptions. It's just like you don't need to know the shade of the trees and the you know the smell of the oak and

especially when you're like 14. When were we reading it? Like in eighth grade I think 15. Oh my god.

I'm with you. I'm with you. Sorry. Thank you. But no, thank you. And then yeah, so you can post scripts on the Tory Tuesdays um group or email them to me. I will I'm not going to say my email address out loud, but I will put it in the chat. So,

how did everyone find um Table Read Tuesdays? Well, that's good. That's a good question because I posted all over the place.

I know. I was like, "Wow, Cat, look at you." I Well, I was here uh around like I've heard about it like 2022 when they were doing uh I think it was Wreckit Ralph was the first one I did. So like

Yep. Yeah. I was a Yeah. was interested in it and I just had had some time over the summer. So decided to join and have done a few here and there and yeah, it's just a lot of fun.

Always fun reading with you. I've been in the group from the beginning. I was invited by um two people created the group. Uh I won't say their last names, Jacob and Angel. And I'm friends with Angel. So [clears throat] yeah, I was invited right at the start. And I've been in almost all of them. I think I've missed like maybe half a dozen over the last four years.

Yes, Vickiy's our longtime reader. She's read more than anybody. found you on the was it the Pacific Northwest screenwriters group I think and this is my first one so I'm I'm excited I want to come back and do it again

um how about Julia which I think it was in Seattle filmmakers I actually don't don't remember I have so many of those Seattle local film make a lot of 48 because we do a lot of 48 um movies uh festivals so I'm like all over those uh groups in one of those for sure.

Marlo, how about you? Do you remember where you found? You uh I think when you were looking people specifically for Princess Bride, you um Cat posted in one of the other groups I'm in. I think it might have been Okay, Zoomer. Could have been another one. I don't really know, but I just saw new group and Princess Bride and I was like, I'm on it. So um [snorts] um and it's really fun to do things in like a different way that you know like it's a it's a um a very different experience to be like kind of looking at it like script as more of script focused as opposed to like performance focused.

Um and it's it's really really interesting as a as a writer kind of coming coming at it that way. Also, I haven't done that many like movie scripts, so that's also I mean I have done some, but they get kind of messy when nobody wants to read stage directions. So, it was

very entertaining to be able to to hear them um [clears throat] in this way. So

yeah, we don't usually have a shortage of people wanting to read stage directions here because we have you get a lot of lines. Um, you know, and even if it's a television script, we did what was that? Uh, Game of Thrones. There's a hu the almost the entire episode is a giant battle and I would say 75% of the script was stage directions. Um, and one person read them all or maybe split them between two. I can't remember. But um you know there were very few actual spoken lines because everyone's it's just describing all the fighting back and forth you know and it was a great episode but there's not a lot of speaking parts.

Um, unless you do the stage directions and by the time we were done, we're like, I need a drink of water.

Yeah. And then some scripts have almost no stage directions and it's often times if it was a play first.

Mhm. Um, there are very few stage directions and there's a lot of dialogue because plays rely on the dialogue to keep things going. I mean, obviously there's a few things where you have characters that you can do without a lot of talking, but um yeah, if it was a play first and then turned into a film,

[snorts] um the stage directions are usually more minimal or at least there's a lot more dialogue anyways. So, it's very interesting though to see how a sta how a script evolves. And that's one thing I really like about this group is it's not, like you said, not just about the acting, it's about how the story changes. Um, and [snorts] you know, some scripts will say like I've only seen one one or two, but whenever they change the script, they usually change the color of the paper that it's printed on. So, you know, it's a new person, new section being inserted. And so, one script we read had insert pink version, insert green version, insert pink, you know, back to yellow. And so you know this which which part of the scripts are older or younger than the other parts of the script which is fascinating to see because you never get to see that on the actual film you know so yeah it's uh kind of cool. That's

what you know I don't know any other group that shares the actual script on the screen. So that's um

and to find an early draft of something can be so interesting just yeah like Gremlins, right?

Yes. Gremlins were much more evil in the original script. I mean they're bad enough, but they were really evil and like

the script was so weird. Oh interesting. Yeah. Yeah. you know, and they kill the family dog and I think the mom dies, too. It's just lots more death and blood. They had to make it more PG to get it on the to pass it on to the actual film production stage.

So, yeah, it's very interesting to see the differences in the scripts. So, um and you can go back and look at some of those too. Actually, we do have a YouTube channel. Um it's just called Table Read Tuesdays. And um I've been a little lax about putting the live videos onto the recorded section, but if you go to the live tab, you can find them all there.

So, which is pretty fun, but I know I've [snorts] kept everyone that's at 8:30 here. Um kept everyone long enough. So, uh hopefully if you want to read next week, you go sign up is going for uh for next week. And if you can't make it next week, keep an eye out for future events. And we'll see you uh hopefully in another table read. It was so fun having you guys here. Wonderful meeting you, Julia and Marlo.

Wonderful meeting you. And always good reading with Jack and Jack and of course Cat. We're like sisters now. Cat,

you are. Byebye everyone. Good night. Good night. Have fun storming the castle. [snorts and laughter]

Things will make it. Oh, going to take a miracle. Goodbye. Bye-bye.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025"?

Dana (Guest), Haley Byermeister (Guest), Cat Wilson (Host), Vicky Dykes (Host), Heather Lee Cameron (Guest), Brandon Michael Bun (Guest), Jack Looney (Guest), Scott Keller (Guest).

What is discussed in "The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025"?

In order: 0:00 Brandon Michael Bun, The Princess Bride; 15:00 The Princess Bride, William Goldman; 2:15:00 The Princess Bride.

What is mentioned in this Table Read Tuesdays episode?

3 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including The Princess Bride, Brandon Michael Bun, William Goldman. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "The Princess Bride (1st half of script) 11-12-2025"?

The episode runs 2 h 29 min; the transcript is about 22,399 words in 459 timestamped sections.

More from Table Read Tuesdays

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated December 16, 2025.