In the 1987 romantic comedy The Princess Bride, Westley repeatedly tells Buttercup, “As you wish.”
At first, Buttercup treats the phrase as a simple response to her requests. She later realizes that Westley’s words secretly mean “I love you,” turning the expression into the couple’s distinctive romantic code.
Cary Elwes plays Westley and Robin Wright plays Buttercup in the film, which adapts William Goldman’s 1973 novel. The story combines romance with adventure, fantasy, comedy and a framing narrative in which a grandfather reads the tale to his sick grandson.
The phrase is often quoted as though it were a conventional declaration of love, but its importance comes from the film’s explanation of its meaning. Westley’s delivery is also part of the joke: obedience and devotion are presented through the same short reply.