Pretty Woman might have that fairytale kiss in the final scene that made it a happy ending, but did you know that in the original script, the kiss was nowhere to be found?
Yes, you read that right. Originally, Vivian Ward, a Hollywood Boulevard hooker, was supposed to be heartbreakingly deserted by her client after agreeing to do away with cocaine in exchange for spending time with the callous financier.
During Julia Roberts’ 25-year reunion interview with Matt Lauer from NBC, the actress shared that in the original script, Richard Gere’s character was supposed to push Ward out of the car before throwing money at her.
Unsurprisingly, the film remains one of the most-loved movies in Hollywood, featuring a love story between a businessman and a prostitute. Pretty Woman helped boost Roberts to star status and also paved the way for one of the highlights in director Garry Marshall’s career.
With all its popularity, the film may not have been regarded so fondly if the original script was followed. J.F. Lawton, the screenwriter behind the film, was going through tough times when he wrote a film named 3,000, which was actually a reference to how much money the prostitute received.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Lawton said that he was a screenwriter trying to land a job. He was unemployed, working in post-production, and trying to sell his scripts in hopes of getting some attention in the industry. Since all his ninja and comedy scripts weren’t getting him anywhere, he realized that maybe he should try something dramatic and serious for a change.
While the initial script did include a prostitute from Los Angeles and a businessman much like Richard Gere’s character, it was far from a cheerful film. The script did include many of the iconic scenes in the film, including the one where Vivian was soaking in the bathtub, the trip to the opera, helping Edward with his tie, and being cast out from the boutique.
Although these scenes were part of the original script, Vivian’s character was far from the innocent woman that Roberts brought to life on the big screen.
During the film’s run at the Sundance Institute, producers from Vestron purchased the script but folded later on. Disney then took over the project after looking for something from a darker genre. Thanks to Disney’s involvement in the project, the film took a lighter turn.
Disney debated over the ending and rewrote some parts of the script, resulting in the modern fairy tale that we all know and have come to love. Their vision to make the film a far happier one seems to have been a good call. The film holds the top spot as the highest grossing R-rated movie by Disney to date.