7 things you didn’t know about pretty woman
This week, 25 years ago, one of the most charming romcoms of all time made it’s debut in the cinemas. Now that Pretty Woman is celebrating her anniversary there’s all the more reason to take a look back at this dream of a film, that you must have seen at least 30 times during your lifetime.
1. The original was much grimmer
The original title of the movie was $3000, just as grim as the original ending. In this version of the script Vivian was a drug addict who ended up being evicted from Edward’s car and using her profits to take Kit to Disneyland.
2. Richard Gere played his own music
In the scene where Edward is downstairs playing the piano (where he ends up making love to Vivian), he pays music that was composed by Richard Gere himself.
3. Fieldwork
To prepare for her roll as prostitute Julia visited a free clinic for venereal diseases for a period of two weeks.
4. Loose Tooth
In one of the last scenes while Edward was firing his attorney, Stuckey, you see him uneasily twitch his mouth. In reality a molar crown had broken off and was rolling around in his mouth.
5. Influence on pop culture
This fact is especially for the younger readers among us. The film pretty woman has had a enormous influence on modern pop culture. First of all it meant the breakthrough of Julia Roberts and it was one of the first romcoms that was an international success. Quotes and expressions like: “You work on commission?“, “Big mistake!” And “Cinda-fuckin-rella“, are still used today.
6. Pretty Woman for a day
The movie was indeed recorded at the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel and you can still book a ‘Pretty Woman for a day” arrangement. Even the restaurant from the scene of the flying escargot still exists and is called the Cicada and you can still ask for the pretty woman table.
7. Quarter million dollar necklace
The diamond necklace Edward loaned Vivian for the opera was worth $250.000. During the takes a permanent security guard was posted beside the director to keep an eye on it.
