Patinkin, who won the 1980 Tony Award for his performance as Che in Evita, is widely known for his film role as the revenge-seeking swordsman Inigo Montoya in the 1987 cult film version of William Goldman's novel "The Princess Bride," a comic fantasy set in the kingdoms of Florin and Guilder.
In a New York Times interview earlier this month, Patinkin took note of the fact that Cruz seems to have memorized a lot of the film and frequently quotes Patinkin's character's catchphrase, "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." He has sometimes used the line in connection with threats to "carpet bomb" the terrorist organization ISIS in the middle east in return for terror strikes against Paris and elsewhere.
Fans of the film and of Patinkin have been emailing clips like the one above to the actor, seeking a response. Patinkin was quoted by the Times saying, "I would like to be with Senator Cruz for a moment and I would like to respectfully ask him, since he quotes all the lines from 'The Princess Bride' and certainly all of my character, Inigo Montoya’s, lines, I would like to know why he doesn’t quote my favorite line?"
The line comes when Montoya finally kills the man who murdered his father. "I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it’s over, I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life."
Patinkin told the newspaper, "This man is not putting forth ideas that are at the heart of what that movie is all about. I would love for Senator Cruz, and everyone creating fear mongering and hatred, to consider creating hope, optimism and love. Open your arms to these people, these refugees trying to get into our country, and open your hearts."
Sought for comment, Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for the Cruz campaign, sent the Times an email stating only that the senator was "a huge fan of the film and the actors in it."
Patinkin appeared on "The Charlie Rose Show" Dec. 21 to share his views on the underlying issue of how the segments of the U.S. leadership are reacting to the Syrian refugee crisis with "hate rhetoric":
Patinkin has returned to the New York stage to create memorable soles in Sunday in the Park With George, The Secret Garden and Follies in Concert, but most of his work in recent years has been on television in "Chicago Hope," "Dead Like Me" and the current "Homeland."
