William Goldman Quotes

“Widows happen. Every day—don’t they, Your Highness?”

“I have the keenest mind that has ever been turned to unlawful pursuits . . . ”

“Her tone was surprisingly tender, and probably she sensed how important he really was to her, because when he did die, two years further on, she went right after, and most of the people who knew her well agreed it was the sudden lack of opposition that undid her.”

“As you wish.”

“Stop saying that word. It was inconceivable that anyone could follow us, but when we looked behind, there was the man in black. It was inconceivable that anyone could sail as fast as we could sail, and yet he gained on us. Now this too is inconceivable, but look—look . . . See how he rises.”

“Life isn’t fair, it’s just fairer than death, that’s all.”

“This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it.”

“When I was your age, television was called books.”

“Inconceivable!”

“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!”

“He must have outplanned and outthought Vizzini and he will tell me how to break through the castle and kill the six-fingered beast.”

“There are no words to contain all my wisdom. I am so cunning, crafty and clever, so filled with deceit, guile and chicanery, such a knave, so shrewd, cagey as well as calculating, as diabolical as I am vulpine, as tricky as I am untrustworthy…”

Inigo had only one problem: he could not find the enemy.

“Finish him, finish him.” The Sicilian was getting peeved. “Succeed since Inigo failed us.” “But I can’t fence, I don’t know how to fence—” “Your way.” The Sicilian could barely control himself now. “Oh yes, good, my way, thank you, Vizzini.” Fezzik said to the hunchback. Then, summoning all his courage: “I need a hint.” “You’re always saying how you understand force, how force belongs to you. Use it, I don’t care how. Wait for him behind there—” he pointed to a sharp bend in the mountain path—” and crush his egg like an eggshell.” He pointed to the cannonball-sized rocks. “I could do that, yes.” Fezzik nodded. He was marvelous at throwing heavy things. “It just seems not very sportsmanlike, doesn’t it?”

“You seem a decent fellow,” Inigo said. “I hate to kill you.” “You seem a decent fellow,” answered the man in black. “I hate to die.”

Inigo screamed. He could not believe it; it had not happened. He screamed again. His father was fine; soon they would have tea. He could not stop screaming.

“Who are you?” he screamed. “No one of import. Another lover of the blade.” “I must know.” “Get used to disappointment.”

“I have spent all these years preparing to find the six-fingered man and kill him in a duel. But he is a master, Yeste.”

“That was below your heart. Can you guess what I’m doing?” “Cutting my heart out?” “You took mine when I was ten; I want yours now. We are lovers of justice, you and I—what could be more just than that?”

“I think, sweetest child, that we should strike a bargain, you and I: if Westley wants to marry you still, bless you both. If, for reasons unpleasant to mention, his pride will not let him, then you will marry me, as planned, and be the Queen of Florin.”

“He couldn’t be married. I’m sure. Not my Westley.”

“Am I ready? If you say I am, I will seek him through the world. If you say no, I will spend another ten years and another ten after that, if that is needed.”

″[L]ove is many things, none of them logical.”

“You see, there’s different kinds of dead: there’s sort of dead, mostly dead, and all dead. This fella here, he’s only sort of dead, which means there’s still a memory inside, there’s still bits of brain. You apply a little pressure here, a little more there, sometimes you get results.”

“You see, there’s different kinds of dead: there’s sort of dead, mostly dead, and all dead.”

“You heard him—true love is what he wants to come back for. That’s certainly worthwhile.”

“Sonny, don’t you tell me what’s worthwhile—true love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. Everybody knows that.”

“But my father only read me the action stuff, the good parts. He never bothered with the serious side at all.”

“He was glazed with fatigue. He had been bitten, cut, gone without rest, had assaulted the Cliffs of Insanity, had saved and taken lives. He had risked his world, and now it was walking away from him, hand in hand with a ruffian prince.”

“Inside and out, Westley’s world was ripping apart and he could do nothing but crack along with it.”

“The noble killed him then, with no warning; a flash of the nobleman’s sword and Domingo’s heart was torn to pieces.”

“I said I would not hurt him. But I never for a moment said he would not suffer pain. You will do the actual tormenting.”

“There are no words to contain all my wisdom. I am so cunning, crafty and clever … I told you there were not words invented yet to explain how great my brain is … ”

He was quite cheery until the iocane powder took effect.

“And now it is down to you. And now it is down to me.”

“You are better than I am,” Inigo admitted. “So it seems. But if that is true why are you smiling?” “Because,” Inigo answered, “I know something you don’t know.” “And what is that?” asked the man in black. “I’m not left-handed,” Inigo replied, and with those words, he all but threw the six-fingered sword into his right hand, and the tide of battle turned.

“Fool!” cried the hunchback. “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is ‘Never get involved in a land war in Asia,’ but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line’.”

“You only think I guessed wrong,” said the Sicilian, his laughter ringing loudly. “That’s what’s so funny. I switched glasses when your back was turned.”

“I do not think you will accept my help since I am only waiting around to kill you.”

“You know Fezzik, you finally did something right.”

“You know Fezzik, you finally did something right.”

“I wonder if he is using the same wind we are using.”

“I am Inigo Montoya and I do not accept defeat.”

“I’ve been in the revenge business for so long, now that it’s over I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life.”

“You mean you’ll forgive me completely for saving your life if I completely forgive you for saving mine? You’re my friend, my only one.”