Pretty Woman

Starring: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo, Jason Alexander

Year: 1990

In May 2019, my husband and I flew to LA with friends. First stop on our agenda - Beverly Hills! And Rodeo Drive. My first time. I was so excited. Although I was a bit disappointed to find out that the store that Julia’s character shopped in no longer existed, it was still super exciting to be there.

A Garry Marshall film, Pretty Woman has it all. The beautiful damsel in distress, the handsome prince who rescues her and the happily-ever-after. Pretty much a modern-day Cinderella.

Vivian (Roberts) is a prostitute. Edward (Gere), a billionaire. One night, by chance, they meet on the streets of Beverly Hills. He’s lost and rich. She knows Beverly Hills and needs the cash. It’s a win win. That chance meeting turns into a week long business arrangement; Edward hiring Vivian to keep him company day and night. He’s quiet, well mannered, smart and has loads of money. She is loud, has no manners, not too sure of herself and has zero money. Never in a million years would you put the two together. And never in a million years would Edward have ever guessed he would fall in love with her.

Fun Facts: #1 The producers originally had Meg Ryan in mind to play Vivian. #2 Al Pacino, Christopher Reeve and Denzel Washington were considered for the role of Edward. #3 Julie Roberts was twenty-one. Richard Gere forty-one. Can I say "eww"?? - and yet somehow it worked. #4 When Edward snaps the jewellery box shut, it isn't planned. Gere decided to do it as a joke. Robert's laugh was so natural, they kept the scene. #5 It's not Julia Roberts on the poster for the film. Her head was photoshopped onto another woman's body.

Sadly romantic comedies are a rare breed these days. Ones where you swoon over the love interest, fall in love with the characters, laugh out loud and find yourself still smiling as the credits roll. Luckily we can go back to classics like Pretty Woman. It's romantic, it's funny, it's heart-warming and has characters you will easily fall in love with. A must watch! If you don't - Big Mistake! Big. Huge. 😉

Favourite Lines:

*Big Mistake! Big. Huge.

*It must be difficult to let go of something so beautiful.

*People put you down enough, you start to believe it.

*I would have stayed for two thousand. I would have paid four.

*Fifty bucks grandpa. For seventy-five, the wife can watch.

*In case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight.

*I‘m gonna treat you so nice, you’re never gonna let me go.

From one movie "buff" to another....get that popcorn popped, the lights dimmed and the movie rolling.