Garry Marshall's 1990 blockbuster film, "Pretty Woman," is a Cinderella story, if Cinderella were a $100-per-hour call girl and Prince Charming were a Wall Street douche with daddy issues. The movie can't seem to decide if money is the root of all evil or if having a bunch of it solves everyone's problems.
Julia Roberts plays Vivian Ward, your quintessential hooker with a heart of gold who is sometimes a naive Southern bumpkin but then randomly also a savvy, capable businesswoman who shuns having a pimp.
Richard Gere plays Edward Lewis, a rich corporate raider and womanizer from New York who is also somehow the kindest man in the world and just needs this prostitute to make him change his money-loving ways.
Jason Alexander plays Phillip Stuckey, Gere's ultra-slimy lawyer who helps him execute underhanded deals involving crooked politicians. Once Stuckey learns that Julia Roberts is a working girl, he starts creeping on her and ultimately attempts to force himself upon her.
Laura San Giacomo (Maya from "Just Shoot Me") plays Kit De Luca, Julia Roberts' wisecracking friend and roommate, who taught her the prostitution trade.
Héctor Elizondo plays Barney Thompson, the kind hotel manager who helps Julia Roberts out. Let’s face it: he is basically this movie's Fairy Godmother.
Join us as we discuss how this movie was basically an advertisement for the Lotus Esprit sports car, what the original, much grittier script was like, and as we get to the bottom of the whole Richard Gere gerbil rumor.
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This episode is sponsored by Damage Deflection.
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