Original artwork, not a still
Whew-hoo, look who knows so much. This man is only MOSTLY dead, see there's a difference between mostly dead, and all dead.
— The Princess Bride ‧ 1987
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker insists that mostly dead and entirely dead are different conditions. Treating such an unlikely distinction as an obvious correction creates the joke. The mocking opening adds to the comic certainty, making the explanation sound both authoritative and absurd.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Princess BrideShow the scene
Inigo and Fezzik carry Westley's lifeless body from the Pit of Despair to Miracle Max, a healer Prince Humperdinck has recently fired. When Inigo protests that Max can't question Westley because he's dead, this is Max's diagnosis: he pumps air into him with a bellows and explains that with all dead there is usually only one thing to do, go through his clothes and look for loose change. Shouting into Westley's ear what is worth living for, Max gets the faint answer "True love".
Sources (2)
- Wikipedia: The Princess Bride (film)Plot sectionReference checked
- Wikiquote: The Princess Bride (film)Dialogue section, 'Mostly dead'Reference checked
Context reviewed
