Original artwork, not a still
You seem a decent fellow, I hate to kill you.
— The Princess Bride · 1987
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker offers a courteous compliment to someone they intend to kill, saying regret comes from liking the person. The civility makes the threat chillingly polite: the killing is not in doubt, only their reluctance about it, which they voice as a kind of respect.
Context reviewed
