Love. Revenge. A clever hero. A beautiful princess. Sword fights. “The Princess Bride” has everything anyone could want in a Valentine’s Day movie, which is how the classic film became an annual tradition at the Arlington Drafthouse, which shows the movie, along with a magic show or stand up, every Feb. 14.
“I grew up with it, I can quote it line by line,” said Dana Biedrzycki, who also saw the movie at Arlington Drafthouse and Cinema last year. “I took my boyfriend last year, and I actually did quote it word for word in the theater.”
For Stacey Sawin, her love of the film goes all the way back to elementary school, when she got it as a present one year for Easter. Over the years, Sawin says it has become her favorite movies, but seeing it on Valentine’s Day, 2016, was extra special because her boyfriend of 10 months, Vikram Rajan, had never seen it.
“That’s inconceivable,” said someone behind them when Rajan confessed.
“I know,” Rajan answered, “I keep hearing that line.”
Further back along the line, Joe Tesher said his relationship had started with a similar story. He said he had seen Princess Bride before dating his girlfriend, but that she’d made him watch it again with her as a test to see whether they would last as a couple. Tesher said he had enjoyed it well enough the first time, but really loved it when he watched it with her.
The stand-up routine accompanying the movie was performed by Randolph Terrance, which is what Caroline Defebbo said brought her out on that Valentine’s Day.
“It’s already timeless,” Defebbo said,” but this is an additional layer. I’m excited to see a new take on it.”
Not everyone in the line was seeing it to celebrate Valentine’s Day. For Jennifer Burnette and Natasha Dfosu, best friends from high school in line to see the movie, it also happened to be their birthday.
“It’s the ultimate fairy tale,” Burnette said. “It’s a classic.”