We were pleasantly surprised with "The Princess Bride". This is a very cleverly written movie. Also, it is obvious that the direction and acting had to be cleverly and skillfully done. The actors do not "try" to be funny. They trust the script. Actors who try to ham it up, even with a funny script (Milton Berle, for example), water down the humor of the scene. I found myself chuckling at many lines and situations. The casting is wonderful, and the cast and direction of Rob Reiner make the time period work. This production took some risks, but the gutsy move pays off with a definite sleeper hit.