Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Pretty Woman
- Who's watched: M & G, several times
- Mentions: *1* *2*
- Commentary: Considering how many times over the years with my mother I have been put to the task of finding "the next showing" of this movie, renting this movie, watching this movie and, finally, purchasing this movie, I'm truly surprised I haven't mentioned it more in my journals. I think the hardest thing for me to admit about this movie is that as much as it offends me, I also enjoy it. Some years ago I took a romance novel writing class and this movie was held up as the perfect structure for any romance story. And, I have to admit, as much as details about it irritate me, much of it is very satisfying for me to watch, including the end. Funny how cultures imbue people with even personally disagreeable characteristics. It's important to note, my mother loves this movie, despite the fact that she has never been a typical woman on a typical trajectory.
I took a class in writing romances (novels, short stories, "true confession", movies, whatever). My instructor said, at the beginning of the class, that this movie is an example of "a perfect romance". As we went through our book and learned the dynamics of writing a romance (a book, by the way, she did not like and did not recommend, but was stuck with by the English department), sure enough, turns out, this movie follows the formula exactly!
You'll notice, as well, that I did not thin this movie out of my collection after my mother died. And, yes, in case you're curious, I occasionally still watch this movie. And, no, I've never been a typical woman on a typical trajectory, either. Go figure. Maybe I will figure this one out, sometime later in my life.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Richard Gere Edward Lewis Julia Roberts Vivian Ward Héctor Elizondo Barnard Thompson Laura San Giacomo Kit De Luca Ralph Bellamy James Morse Jason Alexander Phillip Stuckey Dey Young snobbish saleswoman Hank Azaria a detective
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1990
Directed by Gary Marshall.
Labels: julia-roberts, mom-favorite2, richard-gere, romance3
