This year marks the 25th anniversary of the most popular comedy melodrama "Pretty Woman". According to statistics, this particular film has the highest viewership rates, despite its impressive age. And its popularity only increases over the years.
How the harsh truth of life turned into a beautiful fairy tale
The first version of the script of this film was not much like the fairy tale that the viewer eventually saw, and was called "$ 3000". Screenwriter Jonathan Lawton lived near Hollywood Boulevard and was an unwitting spectator of all the horrors of America's worst place in the 1980s. Under the impression of what he saw, he created a story about a girl of easy virtue, a drug addict and her client. The main character traded in almost the same way as the heroine, "had" and deceived people, but earned on this dozens of times more. The script didn’t end as beautifully as its final version, and the film based on it would have turned out to be more of a drama than a comedic melodrama.
Magical transformation of history and fascinating casting of actors
The Disney film studio undertook to shoot the film. The artistic council considered the picture too grim and suggested changes to the script. In such a magical way, the heroine of the future fairy tale turned into a spontaneous and charming Vivian, and the main character - into a sensitive romantic with an iron business acumen.
With the choice of the cast, there were also many curious situations. For example, only starlets and aspiring actresses applied for the role of Vivian. But the director did not see the fabulous Cinderella from Hollywood Boulevard in any of them. Serious actresses with a certain position in the world of cinema flatly refused to play the role of a street girl. And only Julia Roberts (a diligent Catholic!) Had the courage and talent to show all the facets of the heroine's character.
Richard Gere didn't like the script at all and didn't even read it to the end. Julia Roberts had to persuade the star, and she successfully coped with this mission. By the way, even car manufacturers of famous brands refused to "show" their cars in such a scandalous film. Only a little-known British Lotus dared to provide its Esprit, and earned from such advertising not only a lot of money, but also a worthy position in the world car market. After the premiere of "Pretty Woman", sales of Lotus cars have tripled!
How and where was the shooting of "Pretty Woman"
Almost all the scenes of the film were filmed in the pavilions of the film studio. And only street scenes, shots in the hotel lobby took place outside the studio. On the screen, the viewer sees the lobby of the Beverly Wilshire hotel and a real Hollywood boulevard. Also, not all cinemas agreed to hold the debut screening, as they considered the picture to be propaganda of the ancient profession. But "Pretty Woman" came out on screens, captivated viewers of all ages, all over the world!
