Thirty-six years after its theatrical debut, Pretty Woman remains the romantic comedy that turned Julia Roberts into a star and cemented its place as one of Hollywood’s most enduring modern fairy tales.

One night in Hollywood, corporate raider Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) borrows his lawyer Philip Stuckey’s (Jason Alexander) car and ends up in the red-light district, where he meets street walker Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts). Lost in operating the stickshift, Edward accepts Vivian’s offer to drive him to the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Impulsively, he hires her for the night, and they spend it together in his penthouse. The following day, Edward asks Vivian to stay for the week while he handles a series of business events to acquire Jim Morse’s (Ralph Bellamy) shipbuilding company. He negotiates $3,000 for her services and gives her money to purchase appropriate clothes for the week.

Vivian struggles to shop on Rodeo Drive, where snobbish saleswomen reject her. Hotel manager Barnard “Barney” Thompson (Héctor Elizondo) assists, arranging a cocktail dress and teaching her table etiquette. Edward is astonished by Vivian’s transformation as she attends a business dinner with Morse and his grandson David (Alex Hyde-White). Although the dinner is tense—Morse and David disapprove of Edward’s plans—the evening allows Vivian to gain confidence and witness Edward’s personal life, including his strained relationship with his late father. Edward takes her to a polo match and later the San Francisco Opera, where she connects with the story of La traviata, deepening their emotional and romantic bond while breaking some of her personal rules.

As the week concludes, Edward offers Vivian a condominium and allowance, but she refuses, feeling he is treating her like a prostitute. Philip confronts Vivian alone, crudely propositioning her, leading to a violent encounter when he later attacks her; Edward rescues her, punches Philip, and fires him. Vivian prepares to move to San Francisco to start a new life with a job and diploma. Edward arrives at her apartment, ascending the fire escape in a white limousine in homage to her childhood fantasy of being rescued. In the final moment, Vivian declares she rescues him right back, and they share a kiss, completing their modern fairy-tale romance in Pretty Woman.

Julia Roberts’ career skyrocketed because of her performance in Pretty Woman, and deservedly so. Even while portraying a Hollywood escort, one could sense the talent on display. She earned plenty of accolades, including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. The film itself would go on to be honored by the American Film Institute as one of the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Passions in June 2002, cementing it as one of the greatest love stories in cinematic history. And yet, there’s a universe where the film had completely different actors in the roles of Vivian and Edward. Even for someone new to watching the film, this is almost impossible to fathom—but that’s Hollywood.

I think the version that audiences saw is better than what was originally intended. As initially conceived, Vivian was a drug addict and Edward’s deal included her staying off drugs for a week. Ultimately, Pretty Woman draws on the Pygmalion myth, transformation and all. We have Jeffrey Katzenberg to thank for this, as he insisted that the film become a modern-day fairy tale and love story. After excising the drug storyline, it becomes easier for audiences to sympathize with Vivian and root for her to end up with Edward.

A few years ago, one might have gotten the sense that Pretty Woman would have a tough time getting made today, but that was before Sean Baker’s comedy-drama Anora took home multiple Oscars a year ago. There are still qualities that make the 1990 rom-com entertaining to watch—Roberts and Richard Gere have undeniable chemistry—but you also find yourself cringing at times, such as when the married Philip Stuckey hits Vivian and attempts to rape her. Nothing about that is enjoyable. I understand him wanting to get back at Edward for changing his plans with Morse’s company, but this isn’t the way.

I watched Pretty Woman two days after rewatching The Princess Diaries. It’s fascinating to see what Garry Marshall borrows from this film for the 2001 comedy, including actors Héctor Elizondo and Larry Miller. Both films feature transformations, though in this film it’s Elizondo’s character who guides Vivian through hers. Alan Kent even plays a waiter in both films, delivering the same line to both Vivian and Mia.

Pretty Woman takes audiences across a number of locations in Los Angeles, especially along Hollywood Boulevard. It wasn’t nearly as cleaned up in 1990 as it is today. The filmmakers didn’t add any extra lighting—what you see on screen is essentially how they shot it. If you’re walking down Rodeo Drive hoping to see the same stores from the film, keep in mind that some have moved out over the years. As for what was then the Regent Beverly Wilshire, it is now the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel.

While the Beverly Wilshire is one of the film’s primary locations, the pool scenes were actually shot at the W Los Angeles – West Beverly Hills. Interestingly enough, I’ve been to both hotels while traveling for work. Even before seeing Pretty Woman, I knew about the role the Beverly Wilshire played in the film—so much so that I made sure to take photos from across the street. That alone speaks to the film’s impact on pop culture. That being said, the majority of interior scenes were filmed at the since-demolished Ambassador Hotel.

Decades later, Pretty Woman endures not just as a romantic comedy, but as a snapshot of Hollywood at its glossy, larger-than-life best. Its mix of charm, transformation, and star-making performances continues to resonate, even when some moments feel uncomfortable by today’s standards. For all its imperfections, the film remains a cultural touchstone—and a reminder of the fairy-tale magic that keeps audiences coming back.

DIRECTOR: Garry Marshall
SCREENWRITER: J.F. Lawton
CAST: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Ralph Bellamy, Jason Alexander, Laura San Giacomo, and Héctor Elizondo

Touchstone Pictures released Pretty Woman in theaters on March 23, 1990. Grade: 4.5/5

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