Sometimes, my partner and I get a hankering to watch an old film when we're sitting down together in the evening. We had a little browse through our ever-growing DVD collection and then decided to watch the newest addition to it, which just happened to be Pretty Woman. I hadn't seen it for a few years and fancied something a bit soppy and sweet, so we settled down for a few hours of brilliant entertainment.
Pretty Woman tells us the story of a prostitute, Vivian Ward, who is working on the streets in Hollywood. She happens to be stopped by billionaire Edward Lewis for directions, but ends up getting in his car and accompanying him to his hotel. Edward makes it clear he isn't after her for sex, and the two strike up a week-long business deal. Vivian starts to like the billionaire lifestyle and the friendship between the pair blossoms. But will the differences in their lifestyles keep them apart? And can Edward's friends get past the fact Vivian is a hooker?
Pretty Woman is simply one of the classic films of all time - it's popularity will stay on a constant line because it is like a fairytale and just so enjoyable to watch. Although the story is wonderful, for me it is the performances by the two lead actors which make this film the classic that it is. Julia Roberts, in her first major film role, and the one which shot her to the gigantic levels of fame she has since achieved, takes on the role of Vivian. She plays her with her a real honesty and charm, you are instantly endeared to her. Roberts plays the street-wise hooker so well, you just want Vivian to make it work with Edward to make the happy ending!
For me, her stand-out scenes took place on Rodeo Drive, in the snobby shops there. She first enters dressed in her street clothes - thigh boots, a mini skirt and revealing top, only to be cast from the shop by the snooty assistants before she has a chance to
tell them she has a lot of money to spend. Instead of verbally abusing them, she gets her revenge when she strolls in later dressed like a perfect lady and asks if they work on commission. When they say yes, she utters two words which are just perfect, and Roberts carries this off with utter charm and finesse.
The male lead of Edward is played by Richard Gere, who shot to fame with his role in the famous romance movie An Officer and A Gentleman. He plays the cool, calm and collected billionaire Property Mogul who stumbles upon Vivian when he asks her for directions. Gere plays to the opposite of Roberts here, she is street-smart, witty and quite loud woman, whereas Edward is quite a quiet man, not keen to flash his cash too much. He really plays the role well, you instantly warm to him also but you can see his naivety towards women in Vivian's line of work, he at first doesn't seem to know how to talk to Vivian and is quite awkward. But Vivian helps him to open up and I think by the end of the film, quite a transformation has occured!
As well as the two main leads, there are some other fantastic performances in this film as well. One of those for me was that of the hotel manager Barney Thompson played by Hector Elizondo. He adapts his character perfectly, he is quite condescending to Vivian at first, yet his attitude has a complete u-turn when speaking with Edward. However he carries this off with a real humour, and is a great performance. Vivian's friend and fellow prostitute Kit is played brilliantly by Laura San Giacomo, a woman with a real attitude and a loyal friend to Viv. And finally, Edward's lawyer Philip Stuckey is played by Jason Alexander and is probably the least likeable of all the characters for his horrible treatment of Vivian!
Another thing which I think helps this films to stand out is the soundtrack. It contains some fantastic songs which just add to the atmosphere of the film. Most obviously featured is the movie's title song 'Pretty Woman' by Roy Orbison was perfectly placed when Vivian is under-going her transformation from prostitute to lady. Other stand out songs for me include "Wild Women Do" by Natalie Cole, and of course, THE love theme of the movie, 'It Must Have Been Love' by Roxette. I adore this song and it is so perfect in this film, it fits in so well with the fairytale plot! Oh, and who could forget Prince's 'Kiss', sung by Vivian in a huge bubble bath!
One thing that stood out to me was the prejudice that prostitutes have to withstand from people. Understandly it is not the best job in the world and not something one would boast about, but nonetheless, the attitudes towards Vivian throughout the film were awful, and actually quite terrible to watch. The way the shopgirls look down their noses at her and speak to her like she is a moron is unacceptable, and it is awful to think people can really speak to fellow human beings in this demeaning way. Also the way the hotel treats Vivian isn't pleasant to watch either, they are so keen on protecting their reputation they are willing to disrespect Vivian is not right but again I expect common-place in such high-brow establishments.
But I think it is the fairytale story which keeps this movie in such high standings and will make it a classic in the years to come. It really is a story of hope - if Vivian can bag the rich billionaire, then so can we! You would never normally associate these two individuals, yet when you look past their jobs and place in society they really are just 2 people who happen to like each other...a lot. The charm of Roberts and the chemistry she has with Gere is wonderful to watch and makes for a superb romance movie. I just adore this film, and think it is still unbeatable as the best romance movie in my books!
You can buy the 15th Anniversary Special Edition DVD on Play.com for the bargain price of £3.99, and at that price you can't go wrong! The film was released in 1990 and runs for 1 hour 59 minutes. It has a certificate of 15 in the UK. The film is written by J. F. Lawton and Directed by Garry Marshall.
The bonus features on the Special Edition are as follows: - A blooper reel which lasts for 2 1/2 minutes, and is quite a funny little addition to the DVD. - There is also a feature entitled "Live From The Wrap Party" and is a featurette of Julia Roberts, Richard Gere and Garry performing "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" in October 1989. It features Gere playing the piano with a live band in a small studio and lasts for 4 minutes. Not the best sort of feature but okay. - Also on the DVD is LA: The Pretty Woman Tour. It's a guide of all of the locations used in LA for the film pretty woman, and is an interactive style part. There is a picture of LA in cartoon-style on the screen, and you can choose which area to visit, or to 'Play All'. If you choose to play all, the feature lasts for nearly 9 minutes, and is well worth a watch, especially if you have an interest in that type of thing! - Another bonus feature is the option to watch the film with an audio commentary throughout by the director Garry Marshall. - There is also a 1990 production featurette, which lasts for nearly 4 minutes, and is a short little video about the film with mini interviews from the director, Gere and Roberts. A nice little feature. - Finally, the last bonus feature is the music video to the song 'Wild Women Do' by Natalie Cole, which was featured in the film.
Main Cast: Richard Gere ... Edward Lewis Julia Roberts ... Vivian Ward Ralph Bellamy ... James Morse Jason Alexander ... Philip Stuckey Laura San Giacomo ... Kit De Luca Alex Hyde-White ... David Morse Hector Elizondo ... Barney Thompson
Thank you for reading.
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This 15th Anniversary celebration of PRETTY WOMAN is even more irresistible than ever with ... more
all-new, never-before-seen special features you'll love at first sight. Academy Award winner Julia Roberts (Best Actress, Erin Brockovich, 2000) is a spirited, s...
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![Pretty Woman [15th Anniversary Edition]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/98018254.jpg "Pretty Woman [15th Anniversary Edition]")
Feb 18th, 2008
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