Pretty Woman is one of those movies I can watch countless times — it never gets old or boring.
It's quite astonishing that despite having seen it numerous times, I never noticed those bloopers and errors that reveal a different perspective of the film.
Disney changed everything
Pretty Woman blossomed into a beloved romantic comedy that captured the hearts of millions, catapulting Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to stardom.
Yet, the journey to success was not straightforward. The original script, titled 3,000, was penned by screenwriter J.F. Lawton, who was facing significant challenges in his career. The early draft delved into much darker themes, tackling issues like social inequality 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
It's hard to picture anyone other than Richard Gere in the role of Edward Lewis, the wealthy New York businessman who hires Vivian, portrayed by Julia Roberts, as his escort for a week.
The casting process for Pretty Woman took much longer than anticipated. Initially, Al Pacino was the top choice for the character of Lewis. He even participated in a reading alongside Julia Roberts, but ultimately chose to pass on the role.
Despite appreciating the script, Pacino never disclosed his reasons for declining the offer. In hindsight, he has spoken fondly of Roberts, who was relatively unknown at the time.
“I 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,” Pacino shared.
He continued by saying, “This girl was amazing. I told Gary, ‘Where did you find her?'” (Gary is Gary Marshall, the director of the movie). Pacino really knew what he was talking about because Roberts's incredible performance would shape her career and the film's reputation.
The croissant becomes a pancake
In the part where Richard Gere's character asks for breakfast in the room, there's a funny detail that you might have missed. It begins with Vivian munching on a croissant while chatting with Edward.
But then, in the blink of an eye, the croissant magically turns into a pancake.
What led to that situation? Director Garry Marshall revealed that he favored Julia Roberts' performance in the later takes, where she was munching on a pancake instead of a croissant, which is why they decided to use that footage.
This choice, however, resulted in a continuity problem. In the initial shot featuring the pancake, Vivian takes a second bite, but in the next shot, the pancake shows only one bite taken out, and the bite marks are clearly inconsistent.
It's clearly not the same pancake!
Truth behind the iconic dress
The meticulous thought put into costume design often flies under the radar for the typical viewer. Yet, regardless of your fashion sense, the striking red dress worn by Julia Roberts' character in the film is something that simply cannot be ignored.
The red dress symbolizes Vivan's transformation and empowerment, during an “transformative” scene in the film where Roberts' character accompanies her Edward Lewis for a night at the opera.
Vogue described the dress as “incredibly eye-catching and undeniably sexy, yet maintaining an air of elegance.” The talented designer behind this stunning creation is the acclaimed costume designer Marilyn Vance.
Vance crafted six exquisite outfits for Julia Roberts' character, Vivian Ward, and also designed the dapper looks for Richard Gere.
One particularly memorable piece is the charming brown-and-white polka dot dress that Roberts donned at the horse race. This delightful dress was fashioned from vintage silk sourced from a quaint antique fabric shop in Los Angeles — how fantastic is that for sustainable fashion? And those chic shoes? They were from Chanel!
Richard Gere's tie
Gere's wardrobe was truly striking, featuring excellent color coordination with suits in shades of brown, navy, and blue-gray, all designed by Vance.
And what about that famous tie that Roberts snatches from a store employee? Vance noted that it was “nothing special” and certainly not a designer item.
She found it in a Los Angeles boutique for a mere $48.
The tie makes several appearances throughout the film, and if you watch closely, you might notice it changing knots in an unusual manner.
During the polo match, Edward sports a straight-collar shirt paired with the tie that Vivian gifted him, tied in a half-Windsor knot. However, if you pay attention later, you'll spot a subtle shift — Edward's collar has transformed into a spread style, and the tie is now tied in a full-Windsor knot.
‘Obscene' shopping spree
When Richard Gere introduces Julia Roberts' character to the glamorous world of the rich, he takes her on a wild shopping spree down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
Remember that afternoon shopping spree? Designer Marilyn Vance estimated that Gere's character would have shelled out a minimum of $30,000.
Talk about a lavish shopping experience! It felt like they were spending Monopoly money — it's no surprise Vivian seemed so bewildered!
The ruby-and-diamond necklace was real
Julia Roberts wore some amazing jewelry with her beautiful red ball gown. She had a heart-shaped necklace made of rubies and diamonds that was worth an incredible $250,000! Can you believe it?
Movie trivia websites say that this ruby-and-diamond necklace was totally authentic. While they were filming, there was even an armed security guard from the jewelry store watching over it right behind the director.
Jewelry box scene was a practical joke
The moment when Richard Gere presents Julia Roberts with the lavish necklace stands out as one of cinema's most iconic and romantic scenes, but there's a humorous backstory to it as well. Initially, it was intended to be a lighthearted gag for the film's blooper reel.
You may recall the hilarious moment when the jewelry box unexpectedly snaps shut on Julia Roberts' fingers, resulting in one of the most genuine and joyful laughs captured on film.
Director Garry Marshall shared the true tale behind this scene, revealing the playful decision he and Gere made to prank the young actress.
At just 23, Roberts occasionally showed up on set looking a little groggy after a night of partying, as noted by Marshall.
“I mentioned to Richard, ‘You should give her a little nudge. When she reaches for the box, just drop it hard,'” Marshall recounted. The box was cushioned, so he felt confident it wouldn't cause any harm.
During the final editing, they opted to keep that scene in the film. “We decided to include it, and it turned out to be the standout moment of the movie,” Marshall shared.
Thus, a spontaneous joke evolved into a remarkable highlight on screen.
Edward's disappearing shoes
There are some little mistakes in Pretty Woman that you might not notice the first time you watch it, but some really observant viewers have caught them.
One example is when Vivian takes off Edward's shoes after they leave the opera and go to the park. But then, when he lies down, the shoes suddenly show up again like magic.
Money in the boot
There's an interesting little mystery about Vivian's boots that you might not have noticed.
When Edward hands her $100 in the penthouse, she swiftly tucks the cash into her boot for safekeeping. However, when the room service arrives with champagne and she removes her boots, the money has vanished without a trace.
Did the cash simply vanish, or is Vivian a master at concealment? Perhaps her boots have a secret compartment, or maybe the $100 just decided it was time to leave the scene!
Four colored condoms
When Vivian offers Edward a selection of colorful condoms, it seems they have a mind of their own.
Vivian begins with four options that are all lined up nicely (excluding that shiny gold circle one). But in the next scene, it's like magic because the order has totally switched around.
Richard Gere didn't like his character
Richard Gere has undoubtedly reaped the rewards of the blockbuster success of Pretty Woman, both in his professional life and financially. However, he hasn't always expressed complete enthusiasm for the film, particularly regarding his character, Edward. During a film festival in Venice, Gere referred to Edward as “criminally underwritten,” stating, “Essentially, he's just a suit and a good haircut.”
One particular scene that troubled Gere involved Edward playing the piano while Vivian drew closer. Reflecting on it later, he quipped, “Honestly, there's no chemistry whatsoever. This actor and this actress had absolutely zero chemistry… I haven't witnessed that in ages. What a passionate scene.”
Director Garry Marshall came up with the concept for the scene by inquiring about Richard Gere's late-night activities while staying in hotels. Gere shared, “I usually struggle with jet lag and end up awake all night. I often seek out a ballroom or a bar, and I enjoy finding a piano to play.” Marshall found this idea intriguing and responded, “Let's create something around that.”
The scene ended up being largely improvised. Gere noted, “He asked me to play something with a moody vibe, so I began to play something that mirrored the character's emotions.”
In an unexpected turn, they reverted to the original setup in the third shot, almost as if the condoms were having their own hidden dance party behind the scenes.
More than just onscreen lovers
The connection between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere in Pretty Woman was undeniably powerful. Their bond extended beyond the set, as they developed a genuine friendship off-screen as well.
In 2017, Gere revealed that he still keeps in touch with Roberts frequently, stating they communicate “all the time.” During the filming of the movie, their conversations were so frequent that they would talk “three or four times a day.”
You could say it was love at first sight, in a friendly sort of way.
”Yeah, we loved each other immediately. So it was a nice thing,” Gere admitted.
Even director Garry Marshall noticed the connection between them right away.
During the initial meeting, he remembered a particular instance when he excused himself to the restroom, leaving the actors to mingle on their own.
Marshall shared, “As I stepped out, I noticed them at the end of the hallway, simply gazing at one another. In that instant, it struck me just how strong their chemistry was. They were complete strangers, yet it was evident that they were forming a genuine connection.”
Roberts convinced Gere to star in Pretty Woman
Even though Al Pacino almost got the part, it looks like Julia Roberts really wanted Richard Gere to be her co-star in the movie.
She practically pleaded with Richard Gere in a very genuine way.
”He's a very serious actor and he had very specific thoughts about the movie and the part and what worked and didn't work for him,” she told SiriusXM in 2017.
I found myself nodding and smiling frequently, completely on board with everything he mentioned. I said to him, “You absolutely have to take this role! If you don't, and things go south, I might lose my job, and that would be terrible.”
Here's Richard Gere's recollection of the moment:
“I was still uncertain about committing to this film. We were getting acquainted, sharing some playful banter. She was seated at the desk, scribbled something on a notepad, flipped it around, and pushed it toward me… ‘Please say yes.'”
Even in a fairytale romance, things don't always go as planned. Maybe that's just what makes this movie so endearing —and keeps us coming back for another look, year after year.
Did we miss your favorite “Pretty Woman” blooper? Share it with us and keep the fun going!
