in the book the frame is this is a story Goldman heard as a kid and working in Hollywood has beat joy out of him, so he wants to remember a story that meant so much to his immigrant dad. But it's a slog. He wants to frame a BETTER version. But in the end, the story's the story.

when he was a kid, he had no time for his father's story. But as an adult, trying to find that magic, he discovers his dad was abridging the story himself the whole time, cutting out the boring political stuff. So he'll do the same! But of course it's more complicated than that.

THAT'S ALL FICTION. THERE'S NO S. MORGENSTERN! The story is the frame! The story is how we tell stories! The story is how we *share* stories, how stories take us back to more than just a narrative but a person, a moment, a connection. SOUNDS A LITTLE LIKE THE FILM, EH???

"Grandpa? Maybe you could come over and read it again to me tomorrow." THAT'S IT, that's what Bill Goldman (who is a character in William Goldman's novel) wants. That's why he came to Hollywood! That's what he misses about his Dad! That's the kinda of movies he wants to write!

anyway here's a thing I wrote several years ago about HOW the frame story works in THE PRINCESS BRIDE and WHY/HOW that explains our collective obsession with it. It's got, like, 550 tumblr notes so it MUST be good

@misskubelik I just want to know if William Goldman finished writing Buttercup’s Baby before he died!!!!!!!!!!! He promised to finish it for his granddaughter and that was years ago like more than 10 years ago.

@Doll_Legs I think about this constantly non stop why god why

@misskubelik THANK YOU

@MarjorieIngall I'M SORRY IF YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE BOOK BAD?????????

@misskubelik Unroll @threadreaderapp

@misskubelik Just a heads up - the movie can still be better even if the author of the book wrote the movie.

@misskubelik Thank you. I will fight everyone on this. Buttercup also gets the shaft in the film. She's so much wittier and stronger in the book. They're just different works of art!

@misskubelik @jentalleydesign I've been meaning to read the book. From what I hear about it, it sounds like a send-up of how legends get rewritten and polished over time.

@misskubelik People need to reed Inigo vs the Six fingered man just to see how much more powerful the book is than the film. its somehow more badass than what was put to screen and that is legendary already

@misskubelik There’s a reason the book is subtitled “Good Parts Version”. The movie is quintessential and basically above reproach, but the book is so filled with Good Parts you couldn’t fit into a film. The bald princess, The Zoo of Death, fat Yeste, Fezzik’s childhood. It’s all so good.

@misskubelik William Goldman was fantastic, RIP.

@misskubelik William Goldman.

@misskubelik We know. But people can still have a preference.

@misskubelik "Please stop HAVING AN OPINION DIFFERENT TO MINE" 🙄

@misskubelik The hashtag is called the film was better. Not the person who made the movie was better than the dude who wrote the book. They can be written the same or different. Doesn’t matter. Either the book or the film was better.