Rob Reiner reenacted a scene from 'The Princess Bride' with his dad Carl in heart-wrenching clip

Cecily Knobler
Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:49:48 +0000
Father and son, The princess bride, When harry met sally, Stand by me, Carl reiner, An american president, Movies, 80s movies, Films, Dan rather, Rob reiner

Legendary comedian Carl Reiner and his brilliant son Rob Reiner were thick as thieves. Incredibly talented and beloved by many in the entertainment community, they both had a warmth about them that translated into their work on screen. They spoke of each other often, each holding the other as inspiration for their work and for their love of family.

In a joint interview from 2019 posted by AXS TV, Carl and Rob sat down with host Dan Rather, who asks Carl to talk about Rob. Carl says, "Well, what I think about him is - and you'll say that's because you're his father - but he's made some of my favorite movies. Whoever made them, they'd still be my favorite movies." Carl asks Rob how many movies he's made, with Rob answering, "20!" Carl jokes, "And there's only one dud." Rob humbly waves his hand, "There's more than one dud in there."

Carl goes on to list the movies he loves, like The American President (Rob reminds him of the title), When Harry Met Sally, and The Princess Bride, with Rob adorably adding Stand by Me. One can tell they are so proud of each other - with a rhythm not just as father and son, but as comedians and artists with so much admiration.

Carl and Rob Reiner, father and son, sit down for an interview with Dan Rather. www.youtube.com, AXS Tv

Three days before Carl passed in 2020 at the age of 98, he and his Rob reenacted a scene from The Princess Bride, a film Rob had directed. The movie is based on a novel written by William Goldman, who according to a description on Good Reads is also an ode to HIS father. "As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the 'good parts' reached his ears. Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the 'Good Parts Version' to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere."

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Upon the tragic passing of Rob this week, the clip has gotten extra attention for its absolute purity. Writer Jenna Guillaume re-posted the video on Instagram, noting, "Rob Reiner wanted to make The Princess Bride - a story about a father sharing his favourite book with his son - because it was his favourite book, given to him by his father Carl Reiner.

That act of love became a grandfather reading to his grandson on screen. In a full circle moment, just days before Carl’s death in 2020, the pair reenacted the final scene from the movie - and that last, meaningful 'as you wish'. It was released as a fitting tribute for Carl in 2020, and it feels like a fitting, heartbreaking, beautiful tribute for Rob now."

In the video, we see Carl shut the book The Princess Bride closed as he says the line, "Now I think you are to go to sleep." We pan over to Rob, tucked away in his small bed. holding the covers up tightly. Carl, before putting on a fedora, says, "Okay, okay, alright. So long."

Rob calls out, "Grandpa? Can you come over tomorrow and read it again?" Carl half-smiles and nods, giving a slight salute and delivers a well-known line from the film, "As you wish."

The final scene in the film The Princess Bride. www.youtube.com, ABC Cinema, 20th Century Fox

The likes and comments are pouring in by the second. One person writes, "Once upon a time there was a family who shared their immeasurable talent, humor, and humanity with all of us. The world will miss them. May their memory be a blessing." Another shares this sentiment: "Maybe nobody is perfect, but these two certainly came close to it."

And one simply notes, "They made the world a better place."