Pretty Woman: The deleted scenes you never knew you needed

Regardless of how many times I’ve seen it, Pretty Woman is one of those enchanted movies that always manages to captivate me when I watch it on TV or streaming.

Not everyone is aware of this, though, as there are a number of deleted sequences that very few people have seen. What’s even more unexpected? The same thing is said by almost everyone who views them.

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One of those films that simply improves with time is Pretty Woman. Furthermore, as I get older, Richard Gere’s character just appears to get more endearing and timeless—yes, I’m a straight man!

No matter how many times they watch it, audiences are captivated by the film’s fairy tale romance and the captivating chemistry between Richard Gere as Edward and Julia Roberts as Vivian.

A yuppie sociopath
Pretty Woman’s original script was significantly darker than the lighthearted, romantic comedy that won over the world. J.F. Lawton, a struggling screenwriter at the time, wrote the initial script, titled 3,000.

He was unsuccessful in his attempts to achieve recognition for his comedy and ninja scripts. He wrote Red Sneakers, a serious script about a one-legged lesbian comedian, after changing his emphasis, and it immediately attracted attention.

As a result, 3,000—a darker tale about America’s financial hardships and the perils of showing the good life to people who haven’t known it—was created.

In the grim initial version, Vivian was presented as a user, and Kit, her witty roommate, was portrayed as a hardened junkie who was constantly on the verge of overdosing.

The hints of this backstory are still present in the current film, such as when Edward tells Vivian to “quit fidgeting,” which alludes to her previous difficulties. In the original script, Edward was a cold, aloof yuppie psychopath who resembled James Spader. He never once considered Vivian to be more than a passing entertainment or a toy.

Did you know, by the way, that Meg Ryan and Sean Connery were originally considered by Disney executives for the starring roles?

The first script was rejected by Roberts.
Even now, Julia Roberts has declared that she will never play the original 3,000 role.

Roberts remarked, “I couldn’t do it now, I couldn’t do it then.” “Thank heavens it broke.”

It was a great idea to transform Pretty Woman into a romantic comedy so that it could appeal to a wider audience. Even then, some fans can’t help but wish that some deleted sequences were included, even though the majority concur that the creators made the right choice in removing the darker parts.

The film’s Director’s Cut enhances the narrative by including more conversation and sequences that provide the characters’ journeys with greater depth and perspective. An extended rendition of Edward and Vivian’s first encounter is one of these instances, which deepens their early chemistry. Carlos, the menacing pimp, is also shown in a stressful sequence pursuing Vivian in an attempt to get the money Kit owes him.

Although these sequences were not included in the final cut, they provide insight into Vivian’s life outside of Edward. They may have added dimension to her character and the film, as well as made the story feel more balanced.

Richard Gere and Julia Roberts can be seen riding horses together in one of these scenes, which gives Vivian’s character and her world some depth and color. Vivian’s life outside of her encounters with Edward is depicted in another captivating scene that many would love to see added back into the movie. This would give the narrative more symmetry and bring back echoes of My Fair Lady.
Personally, I think Pretty Woman ended out looking fantastic. I believe that the wonderful atmosphere that makes the film so exceptional would have been diminished if the gritty, more “realistic” sequences had been retained. This works because fairy tales are supposed to be a little hazy and polished. The film’s charming, whimsical tone simply wasn’t suited to the more gritty parts, such as the conversation outside the club.

Family-friendly renovation
A few classic lines from Pretty Woman were adapted for a family audience in the television adaptation! For instance, when Kit is trying to lift Vivian’s spirits, she says “Cinderella” rather than her typical “Cinde-f**kin’-rella.”

Not only a re-dub, the scene was re-shot to align her mouth with the updated language. And that timeless phrase, “Grampa, you have fifty dollars.” The wife can watch for 75.

In the television adaptation, Kit remarks on the woman’s attire, saying, “My grandmother has curtains just like that.”

Scene of a horseback ride
As we’ve already discussed, the majority of fans appear to be satisfied with the film’s outcome, and it’s evident that very few would have preferred the deleted sequences to remain. Fans, though, can’t help but wish that one particular scene had made the final cut.

Richard Gere and Julia Roberts enjoy a lovely horseback riding moment in this sequence, which would have given Vivian’s character and her world a bit more nuance and complexity. Such a scenario could have added even more charm to the fairy tale.

 

Regarding horses, Elizabeth informs Philip that she is going for a ride with a couple called the Ritters in a deleted scene from the polo match.

It’s ironic that Amy Yasbeck, who plays Elizabeth, would marry actor John Ritter and have a daughter with him years later.

Finding these undiscovered treasures years later makes it seem to fans that the movie is still giving back, rekindling their love of Pretty Woman from a new perspective.
One observer said, “Seeing these scenes after all these years is such a luxury.” Another person remarked, “It’s like the movie that just keeps giving.”

Watch these scenes below—I had no idea they existed!

Here are a few undiscovered treasures from Pretty Woman that were never shown on the big screen!

It’s absurd to consider how the film may have turned out differently if those parts had been cut. We cannot, however, dispute that the final cut gave us the beloved and well-known fairy tale.

However, it’s entertaining to speculate about how those instances might have turned out. In your opinion, should they have retained any of them? Tell me in the comments below!