Pretty Woman is one of those movies I can watch countless times ā it never gets old or boring.
But considering how many times Iāve seen it, itās a bit surprising that Iāve never noticed these bloopers and mistakes that tell a different story about the film.
- Disney changed everything
- Al Pacino turned down the lead role
- The croissant becomes a pancake
- Truth behind the iconic dress
- Richard Gereās tie
- āObsceneā shopping spree
- The ruby-and-diamond necklace was real
- Jewelry box scene was a practical joke
- Edwardās disappearing shoes
- Money in the boot
- Four colored condoms
- Richard Gere didnāt like his character
- More than just onscreen lovers
- Roberts convinced Gere to star inĀ Pretty Woman
Disney changed everything
Pretty WomanĀ became a romantic comedy that captivated millions and launched Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to superstardom.
But thatās not how it was supposed to be. The original screenplay was titledĀ 3,000, penned by then-struggling screenwriter J.F. Lawton. The early draft tackled much darker themes about societal disparity and corporate greed.
However, everything changed when Disney took the reins. The company preferred to downplay the themes of class and sex work in Los Angeles. Instead, Disney gave it a large budget and turned it more into a a romantic comedy.
Al Pacino turned down the lead role
For me, itās unthinkable to envision anyone other than Richard Gere in the role of Edward Lewis, the mega-rich business man from New York who hires Vivian (Julia Roberts) to be his escort for a week.
The casting process forĀ Pretty WomanĀ took longer than expected, with Al Pacino initially leading the charge for the role of Lewis. The legendary actor even went so far as to participate in a casting reading with Julia Roberts before ultimately deciding to turn the part down.
Although he liked the script, Pacino never disclosed his reasons for passing on the role. In hindsight, he has expressed admiration for Roberts, who was a relatively unknown actress at the time.
āI mean, you could tell at the reading, this is going to be good, this is going to be a hit picture. You just knew it,ā PacinoĀ shared.
He went on to say: āAnd this girl was phenomenal. I mean, I said to Gary, āWhere did you get this girl?āā (Gary being Gary Marshall, the filmās director). Pacinoās instincts were spot on, as Robertsās standout performance would define her career and the filmās legacy.
The croissant becomes a pancake
In the scene where Richard Gereās character orders breakfast to the room, thereās a funny little detail you might not have noticed. It starts with Vivian enjoying a croissant while talking to Edward.
But then, in the blink of an eye, the croissant magicallyĀ turns into a pancake.
How did that happen? According to director Garry Marshall, he preferred Robertsā performance in the later takes, where she was eating a pancake instead of the croissant, so they kept the footage.
However, this created a continuity issue. In the first shot with the pancake, Vivian takes a second bite, but in the following shot, the pancake has only one bite missing, and the bite pattern is noticeably different.
Itās clearly not the same pancake!
Truth behind the iconic dress
The careful consideration of costume design might go unnoticed by the average moviegoer. However, whether you have a keen eye for fashion or not, itās impossible to overlook the iconic red dress that Julia Robertsā character wears in the movie.
The red dress symbolizes Vivanās transformation and empowerment, during an ātransformativeā scene in the film where Robertsā character accompanies her Edward Lewis for a night at the opera.
VogueĀ described the dress as āeye-catching, incredibly sexy without losing an ounce of elegance.ā The genius behind that stunning dress? None other than the award-winning costume designer Marilyn Vance.
She crafted six fabulous outfits for Julia Robertsā character, Vivian Ward, and was also the mastermind behind Richard Gereās dapper looks.
Take, for instance, the charming brown-and-white polka dot dress Roberts wore to the horse race. That little gem was created from old silk found in a tiny antique fabric shop in Los Angeles ā talk about recycling in style! And those chic shoes? Yup, they were by Chanel.
Richard Gereās tie
As for Gereās wardrobe, it was a masterclass in color coordination, featuring brown, navy, and blue-gray suits, all designed by Vance.
Now, about that famous tie that Roberts snatches from a store employee? According to Vance, it was ānothing specialā and certainly not designer.
She picked it up in a Los Angeles shop for a cool $48.
The tie makes several appearances throughout the film, and if you watch closely, you might notice that it mysteriously changes knots from time to time.
During the polo match, Edward sports a straight-collar shirt along with the tie that Vivian gifted him, knotted in a half-Windsor. But in a later scene, the sharp-eyed viewer can spot a subtle change ā Edwardās collar has magically transformed into a spread style, and the tie is now in a full-Windsor knot.
āObsceneā shopping spree
When Richard Gere introduces Julia Robertsā character to the glamorous world of the rich, he takes her on aĀ wild shopping spreeĀ down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
That afternoon shopping trip? It would have set Gereās character back at least $30,000, according to designer Marilyn Vance.
Talk about a retail therapy session on steroids! Itās like they were shopping with Monopoly money ā no wonder Vivian was in a daze.
The ruby-and-diamond necklace was real
The jewelry Julia Roberts sported with her stunning red ball gown ā a heart-shaped necklace crafted from rubies and diamonds ā was valued at a whopping quarter million dollars. Yes, you heard that right.
According to movie trivia sites, this ruby-and-diamond masterpiece was the real deal. In fact, while filming, an armed security guard hired by the jewelry store responsible for this extravagant necklace stood vigilantly behind the director.
Jewelry box scene was a practical joke
The scene where Richard Gere presents Julia Roberts with the pricey necklace is not only one of the most romantic and iconic moments in movie history, but it also has a funny backstory.
Originally, it was meant as a playful prank for the filmās gag reel.