RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN

The Fantasy Theme Of Pretty Woman Margaux Tavernier St. Edwards University March 20th 2013 COMM3333

RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN

Artifact:

This paper will be focusing on the fantasy theme of a well-known romantic comedy from the 90s: Pretty Woman. It will also be related on feminism and how fantasy theme works in a movie. First I will explain what a fantasy theme are and how it is working in specific artifact (Pretty Woman) then I will be talking about how feminism and romance can related to the fantasy theme of the movie.

RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN

Introduction: Fantasy Theme also called a symbolic convergence theory according to Foss in chapter 5 of Rhetorical Criticism Exploration and Practice; is a method that was created by Ernest G. Bormann. It is here to provide insights into the shared worldview of a group. Groups to indentify the group dynamic based on a communication that allows information regarding issues related to the group use it. Bormann extends the fantasy into a theory and a method. Robert Bales first discovered it. Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film. It was directed by Garry Marshall and produced by Amon Milchan, Steven Reuther and Gary. W. Goldstein. Starring with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. This story is based on a romantic story between two people coming from an opposite background. Edward is a rich, ruthless businessman who specializes in taking over companies and then selling them off piece by piece. He travels to Los Angeles for a business trip and decides to hire a prostitute. They take a liking to each other and he offers her money if she'll stay with him for an entire week while he makes the "rich and famous" scene (since it doesn't do for a man of his stature to be alone at society parties and polo matches). Vivian Ward has found a way of living by working as a prostitute on Hollywood Boulevard. When she runs into the prince of her dreams, who comes along on his wild horse, she first does not recognize him as her savior. The prince, a ruthless and wealthy businessman by the name of Edward Lewis, does not know that she could be more than just a girl from the sidewalk, but he changes his

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decision after the first night with the beautiful stranger. Her being the first person in a long time that could surprise him, Edward can slowly feel the light at the end of the tunnel. He is on his way to become a better person, whereas Vivian has got a new chance to start over again. Today I will write my first essay based on how the fantasy theme has an impact on Pretty Woman movie (Research Question). First, I will first describe the movie then I will explain the involvement of Fantasy Theme on the movie based on several literature reviews to prove my statements and arguments then I will analyze the whole and finish with a conclusion. Literature Review In the literature review, I will explain how does the fantasy theme have an impact on film Pretty Woman throughout mostly the romance and the feminism. Pretty Woman develops the Fantasy theme in three parts: distance, conflicts and union. Vivian and Edward's values are distinguished. It quickly becomes evident that Edward values money and success above all else, including ethics. He is a corporate raider who buys companies in trouble, breaks them into little pieces, and sells those pieces for profit. He is also a workaholic with a history of broken relationship, and he has no real friends. As a typical romantic hero, however, Edward has redeeming qualities. He is wealthy, successful, sophisticated, older, and handsome He's in a good position to protect someone. It takes a little longer to discover Vivian's values. She's supposed to be the moral one, which makes it a bit strange that she's a prostitute. Romantic

RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN heroines, in fact, are usually innocent virgins, but instead the filmmakers have drawn on Perelmans dissociation of ideas: Vivian appears to be a hooker, but she's really a good person. Yes, the hooker with a heart of gold. The movie starts with her dressing up as a hooker, as, though the clothes were just a costume. When Vivian talks tough, she doesn't sound like herself she sounds like her roommate Kit, who is a prostitute. Vivian doesn't do drug, and we never see her with any client but Edward, so she's quite virtuous within the boundaries of the film. At any rate, soon Vivian is doing nice things such as leaving money for Kit, being kind to the hotel staff, and nurturing Edward. She also shows herself to be emotionally vulnerable when the snobby saleswoman hurts her. The infamous shopping scenes that follow are typical of popular romances, which tend to focus on the woman's wardrobe, but getting new clothes also serves to make Vivian look like the lady she really is. However, at this stage in the drama, Edward's values dominate. For example, the two meet Mr. Morris, Edward's current target, and Vivian notes that Edward likes Morris. Edward says that emotions have no place in business. More importantly, both Vivian and Edward claim theirs is a business relationship only. The second part presents conflict, as the two of them disagree on the fine points of their business relationship. Popular romance conflicts are usually caused by the man's stupidly not recognizing the woman's true worth. So it is with Pretty Woman. The problem starts when Vivian speaks to Grandson Morris, the typical innocuous male rival, at the polo match. Edward becomes jealous, and realizes he likes Vivian he feels something for her. However, Edward's

RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN lawyer, Philip Stucky, suspects Vivian is a spy for Morris. Edward then does his stupid thing: He tells Stucky that Vivian is a prostitute. Stucky is the villain of the movie ugly, morally corrupt, interested only in sex and money (much like Edward at this point, but Stucky can't be redeemed). Stucky makes a pass at Vivian, saying he knows that she's a prostitute. Vivian is less angry at Stucky than at Edward, who has made her feel cheap. Edward doesn't quite understand this: But you are, in fact, a hooker, and you are my employee, he says. She replies, why didn't you let me wear my old clothes, then? In those clothes I can handle it. I'm prepared. Edward hasn't realized that the real Vivian is the classy woman standing before him, not the one who'd been dressed as a call girl. When Vivian leaves without taking Edward's money, he figures it out. So after that we coming to the last part, which is the union, the two unite as Edward learns to adopt Vivian's values. She teaches him to take time off, walk barefoot in the park, and eat hot dogs. They start kissing on the lips, so their sex becomes more loving, less businesslike. And Edward becomes emotional in his corporate raiding business as well: he acts on the fact that he likes Mr. Morris. He takes Vivian's advice and decides, to build things with Mr. Morris, instead of breaking Morris' company into little pieces. For this, Vivian gives him moral approbation: It was good, she tells him. It felt good, he has to admit. Edward's becoming happy unlike his previous state he wasn't before.

However, the redemption process isn't complete until Edward dissociates himself totally from Stucky and all he represents. Stucky is already angry that Edward has turned from his own values to Vivian's, so Stucky tries to rape Vivian,

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giving Edward a chance to save her and rid himself of Stucky. A true romantic heroine, however, Vivian then demands a full commitment from Edward, because without marriage, she will never be safe and happy. If she's Edward's mistress, she says, There will always be some guy thinking he can treat me like Stucky... thinking it's allowed... Vivian formally disavows prostitution and considers going back home to finish high school. Romances must have happy endings, however, so finally Edward saves Vivian, and she gets her permanent protector. And she saves him right back: She's turned him into a good person, thus saving his soul. And they both live happily ever after. Also Pretty Woman dealt with some critics of medieval romance. Medieval romance has benefitted from a great deal of attention to the representation of women and the ideologies of masculinity and femininity in- forming them. It bas even benefitted from a kind of critical enthusiasm. Deep at the heart of Pretty Woman's success lies a medieval romancetwo medieval romances, actually. One has been the subject of much commentary on Garry Marshall's phenomenally popular film, which grossed approximately $177 million in 1990, thereby establishing itself as Disney's biggest box-office success.' The romance in question emerges as the film begins to imagine a future for its characters, when Edward (Richard Gere) asks Vivian (Julia Roberts): "What do you see happening between us?" Vivian claims not to know but tells him a story in lieu of explanation: When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when 1 was bad, which was pretty often, and I would pretend I was a princess trapped in a tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly, this

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knight on a white horse with these colors flying would come charging up and draw his sword, and 1 would wave. And he would climb up the tower and rescue me. Almost every critic of the film has resisted this fantasy, performed at the end of the film, sans sword and substituting a white limousine for a horse, those who seek to uncover its "gendered economics" and those exposing its "co-opted feminism." (Pretty women the romance of the unknown fair, feminism and the contemporary romantic comedy) Pretty Woman has also dealt with the romance of the unknown fair Central to the romance of the fair unknown is a fantasy of social mobility historically impossible in its chivalric and feudal setting. This fantasy works ultimately to reaffirm the status quo and the assumptions and prejudices of the noble class. The aristocracy's tie to blood forms the basis of an ideology of inherited difference, a difference manifested in the behavior of the feudal nobility. In other words, gentlemen perform gentle deeds. " (Pretty women the romance of the unknown fair, feminism and the contemporary romantic comedy) that goes with the fantasy of the social mobility. In Pretty Woman, too, we are presented with a fantasy of social mobility that turns out to be falsifiable in the same way as the fair unknown's.'' While Vivian has been elevated in the social hierarchy by some "really offensive" spending on Rodeo Drive and a quick education in table etiquette from a hotel manager, we find at the film's climax that her "street" demeanor, signified by blonde wig and revealing clothing, has been her disguise all along. (Pretty women the romance of the unknown fair, feminism

RUNNING HEAD: THE FANTASY THEME OF PRETTY WOMAN and the contemporary romantic comedy)

Pretty woman also dealing with the romance unknown of fair via the feminism: If it is possible to see Pretty Woman as a romance of the fair unknown, in fact, an inversion of such a romance's traditionally heroic rolesand it is possible to see how the film works as a self-conscious display of the powers of Hollywood romance, then it is also possible to see in Pretty Woman a potentially "private" feminism. This is not to say that Pretty Woman is in any real way a feminist film, but it does give credit to its feminist viewers for "knowing better." (Pretty women the romance of the unknown fair, feminism and the contemporary romantic comedy).

Analysis The analysis of my paper will be to criticize what I have given in my literature review with my own opinion and point of view about this movie. I do believe that the Fantasy Theme of Pretty Woman dealt with the fantasy of a modern Cinderella version when you see at the end of the movie when Edward came to pick up Vivian at her apartment with a white limousine instead of a horse. This moment reflect on the feminism also in certain way because many girl at that time believe in the perfect prince that will save her from her rough life and going to live happily ever after. The Fantasy Theme also dealt with the fact that the romance because this movie main focus is the romance that is going between Edward and Vivian. Indeed along the movie we can see their love being more the fact that they are coming from a different social mobility. For instance when Vivian has been rejected from a store on Rodeo Drive or when she is learning to know to eat a big fancy restaurant. I do

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believe that the fantasy theme of Pretty Woman must be reflected by an impossible unimaginable love that becomes possible after all. A love that is hard to be true to the eyes of others at that time but that would be easier to accept in our society nowadays as we had become more open minded.

Conclusion:

Overall I do believe that thanks to Pretty Woman and no matters what all the critics said, I do believe that the fantasy theme of the movie has managed to change people minds and become more open minded in our society we are living today. Also I am not surprised that movie has become a huge success across the globe because it reflect in a certain way the impossible love that we want to make it comes true and be possible. The forbidden romance that becomes possible. The image of the feminism was at the beginning really inappropriate becoming along the movie more elegant. I do believe that Pretty Woman has impact us in lots of ways in our society.

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