This Sunday, March 23, marks 35 years since we first saw Julia Roberts, the Pretty Woman, in her unmistakable blue and white suit, strutting down Rodeo Drive. In 1990, the late Gary Marshall’s enduring fairy tale helped relaunch the romantic comedy in Hollywood, made Richard Gere and Julia Roberts forever famous, and continues to attract thousands of viewers, young and old, every time it is re-released on television. With a budget of less than $15 million, this unlikely romance earned more than $400 million worldwide and was the second highest-grossing production in the United States, behind only Ghost.
Love it or hate it, Pretty Woman ushered in a golden decade of romantic comedy, with a very young Julia Roberts as “America’s Sweetheart.” To celebrate its 35th anniversary, we’ve compiled some unexpected facts about the film’s origins and legacy. So, “Welcome to Hollywood!”
The Original Script for Pretty Woman was Raw and Dark
The love story between struggling sex worker Vivian Ward (Roberts) and prominent New York businessman Edward Lewis (Gere) did not always have a feel-good tone or a dreamy ending.
J.F. Lawton’s script for Pretty Woman, originally titled 3000, was dark and different from the romantic comedy we know and love. In it, Vivian and Edward agree to spend a week together for three thousand dollars, but in the end, the dashing millionaire does not fall in love with her. The script describes Vivian as a vulgar drug addict, and her cocaine use is explicitly addressed. Edward, on the other hand, is a powerful and cruel tycoon, bordering on despicable.
In the despairing finale of 3000, Edward drives Vivian back to Hollywood Boulevard and throws her out of his limousine. She, heartbroken, spends the money raised with her friend Kit de Luca (Laura San Giacomo), at Disneyland. “The original was more of an art, independent, prestige film,” Lawton (Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death) told Yahoo Entertainment.
However, when executives at Touchstone Pictures, a division of Walt Disney Studios, came on the scene, they decided to reconceptualize the idea. Former Mouse House president Jeffrey Katzenberg and the project’s director, Gary Marshall (Runaway Bride, The Princess Diaries), were determined to make the film a combination of fairy tales. And, after several rewrites involving Robert Garland, Stephen Metcalf, and Barbara Benedek, the story acquired the happy ending we all know, in which love ultimately prevails.
Neither Roberts nor Gere Was a First Choice
At this point, it’s hard to imagine how Pretty Woman would have turned out without Julia Roberts’ infectious laugh or Richard Gere’s seductive charm. Nevertheless, according to casting director Dori Zuckerman, there was a long list of actors considered for the iconic film.
When Disney acquired the script for Pretty Woman, Roberts was already part of the cast. However, as she had never starred in a film and was not well known, the Mouse House decided to consider several candidates such as Molly Ringwald, Michelle Pfeiffer, Patricia Arquette, and Diane Lane. Roberts was neither the first nor the second choice, but thanks to her relentless persistence, she managed to hold onto the leading role.
Gary Marshall and Touchstone Pictures executives also did not have Richard Gere in mind to play Edward. Marshall’s favorites were Christopher Reeve and Daniel Day-Lewis, although the producers also spoke with representatives for Kevin Kline and Denzel Washington. John Travolta and Al Pacino did camera tests with Roberts, but reportedly there was not enough chemistry.
Meanwhile, Richard Gere was a tough sell. Even when Marshall himself realized that the American Gigolo star was the right person for the story, the actor turned down the offer several times. Finally, Roberts managed to persuade him with a little sticky note on which he wrote, “Please, say yes,” and the rest is history.
It is the Second Highest-Grossing Romantic Comedy of All Time
Today, Pretty Woman ranks as the second highest-grossing and most profitable romantic comedy film of all time. With a gross of $432,566,361, it has only been surpassed by 2016’s Chinese-Hong Kong romantic comedy The Mermaid, which achieved worldwide earnings of $525,018,479. If Pretty Woman’s figure doesn’t impress you, keep in mind that it made its debut in 1990.
The enchanting and luxurious fantasy of “the prostitute with the heart of gold” has been and remains a movie industry benchmark. It set a new style, with its use of the mythical 1964 Roy Orbison song, the soft and glamorous lighting by Charles Minsky, the magnetic costume design by Marilyn Vance (including the iconic shopping session on Rodeo Drive linger), the innate chemistry between its protagonists and, above all, for its appealing and unconventional storyline. From the outset, this is a modern version of the Cinderella story that subtly meditates on power, social classes, sex work, and self-improvement.
Pretty Woman has been Adapted for the Stage
In March 2018, the musical adaptation of Pretty Woman premiered at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre, written by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton themselves. Under the direction and choreography of the wildly imaginative Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots), and with original music and lyrics by Bryan Adams and his songwriting partner Jim Vallance, Pretty Woman: The Musical managed to combine the best of Hollywood and Broadway.
Few romantic comedies can boast such a successful theatrical adaptation. After breaking box office records on Broadway and completing its U.S. tour, Pretty Woman: The Musical has moved to Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, and Spain. It is scheduled to debut in Switzerland and Australia in 2025.
35 Years Later
While some of its choices have not aged too well, the romantic comedy Pretty Woman remains a marvelous feat and a popular phenomenon. Whether we know the story by heart or not, the authentic connection between Vivian and Edward endures. Pretty Woman is available on Hulu and is a must-see for romantic-comedy lovers.
