Pretty Woman is a 1990 American romantic comedy
film directed by Garry Marshall from a screenplay written by J. F.
Lawton. The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and features
Hector Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy (in his final performance), Laura San
Giacomo and Jason Alexander in supporting roles. Its story centers on
down-on-her-luck Hollywood hooker Vivian Ward, who is hired by Edward
Lewis, a wealthy businessman, to be his escort for several business and
social functions, and their developing relationship over the course of
her week-long stay with him.
Originally intended to be a dark cautionary tale about class and sex
work in Los Angeles, the film was reconceived as a romantic comedy with a
large budget. It was widely successful at the box office and became one
of the highest-grossing films of 1990. The film is one of the most
popular films of all time; it saw the highest number of ticket sales in
the US ever for a romantic comedy, with Box Office Mojo listing it as
the #1 romantic comedy by the highest estimated domestic tickets sold at
42,176,400, slightly ahead of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) at
41,419,500 tickets.
The film received positive reviews, with Roberts's performance being
praised, for which she received a Golden Globe Award, and a nomination
for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In addition, screenwriter J. F.
Lawton was nominated for a Writers Guild Award and a BAFTA Award.
Plot
Edward Lewis, a successful
corporate raider in Los Angeles on business, accidentally ends up on
Hollywood Boulevard, in the city's red-light district after being
rejected and breaking up with his girlfriend during an unpleasant phone
call in which Lewis appears highly controlling; he asked his girlfriend
to escort him during his California business trip, but she was offended
that he could demand from her whatever he wants, as if she is his 'beck
and call girl'. After leaving the party where he had this unpleasant
phone call, taking his lawyer's Lotus Esprit luxury car, Lewis
encounters a prostitute, Vivian Ward. He stops for her, apparently lost
and having difficulties driving the car, asking for directions back to
Beverly Hills. It is not clear if he really wants to hire her, or just
get help getting back to his hotel. He asks her to get in the car and
show him how to return to the Beverly Hills Regent where he is staying.
It becomes clear that Vivian knows more about the Lotus than he does,
and he lets her drive him to his hotel. Vivian charges Lewis $20 for the
ride, and then they separate. He goes to his hotel, and she goes to the
bus stop to go back to Hollywood Blvd. Lewis goes back to find Vivian
waiting for the bus, and decides to hire her for the night, and then
later, to play the role his girlfriend had refused, offering Vivian
$3000 to stay with him for the next six days as well as paying for a
new, more acceptable wardrobe for Vivian. Edward is visibly moved by her
transformation from hooker to sophisticated woman, and begins seeing
Vivian in a different light. He begins to open up to her, revealing his
personal and business lives.
Edward takes Vivian to a polo match he sponsors in hopes of networking
for his business deal. His attorney Phillip begins to suspect Vivian to
be a corporate spy. Edward reassures him by telling him how they truly
met and Phillip approaches Vivian, suggesting they do business once her
work with Edward is finished. Insulted by Phillip and furious that
Edward has revealed the secret of who she really is, Vivian wants to end
her arrangement with Edward. Edward confesses to feeling jealous of a
business associate who has paid Vivian some personal attention during
the week. Vivian's straightforward personality is rubbing off on Edward
and he finds himself acting contrary to his normal personal and business
personalities. Clearly growing closer, Edward flies with Vivian in his
private jet to see La Traviata in San Francisco. Vivian is moved to
tears by the story of the prostitute who falls in love with a rich man,
further edifying Edward's feelings towards Vivian. After the opera
Edward appears to have truly fallen in love with Vivian.
Growing extremely fond of Edward, Vivian breaks her "no kissing on the
mouth" rule (which her friend Kit taught) and finds herself falling in
love with him. He offers to put her up in an apartment so she can be off
the streets but she rejects it, insulted and says this is not the
"fairy tale" she dreamed of where a knight on a white horse rescues her.
In meeting with business associates whose company he is in the process
of "raiding", Edward changes his mind at the last minute. His time with
Vivian has shown him a different way of looking at life and he suggests
working together to help save the associates' company rather than
tearing it apart and selling it off for a profit. They will build big
ships together. Furious over the loss of so much money, Phillip goes to
the hotel to confront Edward, but only finds Vivian. He blames her for
changing Edward and attempts to force himself on her. Edward arrives and
throws him out of the apartment.
With his business in L.A. complete and his return to N.Y. imminent,
Edward tries to persuade Vivian to stay one more night with him because
she wants to, not because he's paying her but she refuses. On his way to
the airport, Edward re-thinks his life and his unexpected feelings for
Vivian. He has the hotel chauffeur detour to Vivian's apartment building
where he leaps from the white limo and "rescues her"; a visual urban
metaphor for the knight on a white horse rescuing the princess,
fulfilling Vivian's childhood fantasy.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Woman