Pretty Woman

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For the Roy Orbison song sometimes known as "Pretty Woman", see Oh, Pretty Woman.

Pretty Woman PrettyWoman.jpg
IMDB Page (external link)
Writer:	J.F. Lawton
Starring:	Julia Roberts Richard Gere Jason Alexander Hank Azaria Ralph Bellamy Elinor Donahue Hector Elizondo Larry Miller Laura San Giacomo
Director:	Garry Marshall
Music by:	James Newton Howard
Distributor:	Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date:	March 23, 1990 (USA)
Runtime:	119 min.
Language:	[[English language\|English]]
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Pretty Woman is an American romantic comedy motion picture that was one of the top films at the box office in 1990. The winner of the Golden Globe Award and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her lead performance as Los Angeles streetwalker Vivian Ward, actress Julia Roberts achieved megastar status as a result of this film.

1 Overview
2 Music
3 Trivia
4 Primary cast
5 Main character analyses
- 5.1 Vivian
- 5.2 Edward
6 Themes
7 Awards

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Overview

An oft-told love story about two people from opposite ends of the social spectrum who meet and fall in love, Pretty Woman is the highest-grossing romantic comedy in history. Its setting is Hollywood, California in the 1980s. In a role modeled in part on real-life business financier Henry Kravis, co-star Richard Gere portrays Edward Lewis, a wealthy and ruthless businessman who makes a living as a corporate takeover specialist. While on a business trip in Los Angeles, Edward pulls over to ask for directions to The Regent Beverly Hills Wilshire Hotel. At this point he meets Vivian, who directs him to the hotel. Vivian tags along and ends up spending the night with him. The next day, Edward offers that Vivian stay with him for the remainder of the week, as his business escort.

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Music

The film features the song "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison. The song's title inspired the title of the movie.

The soundtrack's biggest hit, "It Must Have Been Love" by Swedish duo Roxette, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1990. The soundtrack also features "The King of Wishful Thinking" by Go West and "Wild Women Do" by Natalie Cole.

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Trivia

The movie was heavily edited into the final result with which most people are familiar. It is often referred to as a story about a "hooker with a heart of gold," implying that although she has chosen a lifestyle of prostitution, the character of Vivian is actually a good person.

The original script painted Vivian as hypersexual and a heavy drug user. These aspects were eventually incorporated into the character of Vivian's friend, Kit. However, scenes were filmed (but cut) featuring these aspects. Notably, a moment occurs when Vivian comments that she would rather give the character of Edward speedy gratification than have to spend the night with him. ("I could just pop ya good and be on my way.)" Another filmed scene has her confronted by drug dealers outside of The Blue Banana only to have Edward rescue her. These were included on the 15th anniversary DVD release.

Additionally, Roberts has commented that the body on the cover is not her own; her head was pasted on a photograph of her body double, who also appeared in the opening sequence of the film.

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Primary cast

Richard Gere: Edward Lewis
Julia Roberts: Vivian Ward
Ralph Bellamy: James Morse
Jason Alexander: Philip Stuckey
Laura San Giacomo: Kit De Luca
Hector Elizondo: Barney Thompson
Hank Azaria: Detective (Hollywood Blvd.)
Alex Hyde-White: David Morse
Amy Yasbeck: Elizabeth Stuckey
Elinor Donahue: Bridget
Bill Applebaum: Howard
Billy Gallo: Carlos

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Main character analyses

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Vivian

Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, describes herself as a “fly by the seat of her pants” kind of girl who lives “moment to moment.” She is a high school dropout who makes her living as a prostitute. Due to lack of exposure, Vivian is not wrapped up in a world of money and materialism. She appreciates the little things in life, and the bigger ones, even more. Vivian has no airs about her, and she longs to be accepted in the world of prestige to which she has recently been introduced.

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Edward

Edward Lewis, played by Richard Gere, is a successful, all work and no play corporate businessman who buys companies that are in financial trouble and sells off pieces of the company for a profit. He is just the opposite of Vivian. Business is his first priority, even over relationships. Throughout the course of a week, Edward begins to show Vivian a new level of class and sophistication. He buys her a new, sophisticated wardrobe and shows her respect that she has not seen in a long time. On the other hand, Vivian shows Edward how to take a more relaxed approach to everyday living.

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Themes

This 1990 feature film, directed by Garry Marshall, has become a classic love story that shows its viewers that love knows no boundaries or social status. The story shows that sometimes the people who influence and touch a person’s life are those that are least expected to do so. The personalities and characters of Vivian and Edward best represent this message, because the only thing that the two have in common is each other. Sometimes people learn the most from those who are the most different from them. While Vivian and Edward rub off on each other throughout the entire movie, they also influence each other on a deeper level.

Though there are many aspects of love represented in the movie, one that is most apparent is that fact that love cannot be confined to social class. While everyday society places emphasis on ones social status, the movie shows that two very different people can learn to love and appreciate one another. Because love does not limit itself within a social class, profession, or background, it can bring people who are worlds apart closer together to grow and teach each other about life.

Camera shots and scenes throughout the movie show Vivian and Edward’s interests in one another. The viewer can see that each is unfamiliar with the lifestyle of the other. For example, one of the first shots that the viewer sees Edward’s interest in Vivian is when the camera catches him admiring, yet wondering, about her while she is watching television. The shot shows him sitting on the couch with the light from the television flashing on the curious smile that he has drawn on his face.

Sometimes the person best suited for a person to love is not who the person thinks it is, often times because of each person’s status in society. While Edward may have never chosen or expected that he would fall in love with a prostitute, and Vivian thought that dreams of being with a wealthy and respectable man would come true, the development of characters and the relationship between them demonstrates the transformations in people that love brings.

One of the first transformations is captured in the shot where Edward has been looking for Vivian to take her to dinner and Vivian is sitting on a barstool in the downstairs lounge of the hotel and has just turned around and is facing the camera. She is out of focus and in the background of the shot; Edward is in the foreground, also facing the camera, but looking away from Vivian. This shows that she has changed, as he does not recognize her. The sequence continues with a slow film speed. As Edward turns around and Vivian comes into focus, the audience is shown that he sees Vivian for the first time as the woman she is becoming.

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