It's the last segment on my learning from Pretty Woman posts, and I'm cramming a whole lot of action in!
Okay, we left Vivienne and Edward after the 3rd turning point. In the next few scenes, they go to the opera, play chess, and Vivienne persuades Edward to take the day off. They eat hot dogs, go to the park, go horseriding, and Edward walks in the grass in his bare feet. On the way home they call in to The Blue Banana Club where Vivienne is hoping to find her friend, Kit, and have trouble with a local gang. Edward gets them out of there and they go back to the hotel. Their relationship is changing again, he's enjoying showing her his world, and she's showing him what he's missing by being focused on work all the time. Edward is becoming a better person, a happier person, and so is Vivienne.
~Here comes the 4th turning point ~
Vivienne comes into the bedroom. Edward is asleep. She
kisses him on the mouth - the one thing she'd always say she wouldn't do. There is a passionate love scene, with lots of kissing. Lying safe and secure in his arms, Vivienne murmurs
"I love you." She thinks Edward is asleep. He isn't, but he doesn't answer, and lets her think so.
The next morning, Edward, who's obviously been thinking about it, has organised a solution to his feelings for Vivienne. He offers to put her up in an apartment in New York, and tells her he's organised a car for her as well.
But Vivienne has changed. Being a mistress is not enough for her. She goes out onto the balcony (Edward hates heights, and doesn't follow - he's only in the penthouse because 'it's the best', not because of the view.)
She tries to explain to him how she dreamed of a knight climbing up the tower to rescue her. And concludes that the knight when he got there didn't say "C'mon, baby. I'll put you up in a great condo." She wants the fairytale, and won't take less. Edward tries to talk her around. He's changed too - just not enough. He says "This is all I'm capable of right now. It's a really big step for me."
There's then a change of scene. Edward is going to clinch the deal to buy a company to break up. He is different. He notices and smiles at a father and son. In the meeting, the company owner, Mr Morris, is ready to hand over everything, but Edward talks to him privately and says he wants to keep the company going instead of breaking it up, and will invest. Morris is delighted, and tells Edward he's proud of him. Edward's lawyer, Phil is furious. He's been sidelined, and is fit to be tied.
Edward goes for a walk, without his shoes, in the park. It's obvious he's feeling better about himself.
When he gets back to the hotel, it's to find Vivienne being attacked by Phil. Edward hits him and throws him out. He tends carefully to Vivienne's bruised cheek, as they talk about the deal he's done, and he admits that it felt good. He asks her again to stay, but she says "I want more, I want the fairytale."
~Here comes the black moment ~
Edward gives her the money and his business card. As a last ditch effort to have Vivienne on his terms, he asks: "Stay. Stay the night with me. Not because I'm paying you, because you want to."
Vivienne softly answers,
"I can't."
~And Edward lets her go.~
Okay, so now at this late stage in the movie - Edward is leaving to go back to New York, alone.
Vivienne feels there is no future for her with Edward, they are from different worlds, and it will never work. She has made the decision to go to San Francisco, get a job, and go back to school.
They've both changed radically from the beginning of the movie.
Edward leaves the hotel, after a brief discussion with Barney Thompson, the manager. He asks Barney to return a necklace and earrings on loan, and Barney offers Daryl the limo driver to take Edward to the airport. Barney looks at the jewels, and says: "It must be difficult to let go of something so beautiful."
We know, and Edward does too, that he ain't talking about the bling.
Barney says: "You know, Daryl also drove Miss Vivienne home yesterday."
Edward pauses, then replies "Thank you, Mr Thompson."
It's the first time he's acknowledged that he even knows the manager's name. And he strides away with purpose.
~Resolution~
Vivienne is leaving. She hears opera from outside, and looks out of the window to see Edward clutching roses standing up with his body through the sunroof of the limo. She climbs out onto the balcony.
Edward realises that he must face his fear of heights and of commitment, and in order to win Vivienne, he must give her the fairytale.
He climbs up the fire escape - and Vivenne lets go of the feeling that they are too different to ever be together, and climbs down to meet him halfway.
Edward says: "So, what happened after he climbed up the tower and rescued her?" as he's holding her in his arms.
Vivienne replies: "She rescues him right back."
And there it is - Pretty Woman - Great movie!
