Pop Culture Conspiracy Theory #2: Pretty Woman (1990) Is a Remake of Crocodile Dundee (1986)
A wealthy, New York professional (corporate raider Richard Gere in Pretty Woman, reporter Linda Kozlowski in Crocodile Dundee) who works a job they existentially-but-not-yet-consciously dislike thanks to a controlling father (Gere’s dad left him the company-buying business in Pretty Woman, Kozlowski’s dad owns Newsday in Dundee) travels a great distance (to L.A. in Pretty Woman, Australia in Dundee) to meet a charming-yet-seedy underdog (back alley sex worker Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, outback madman Paul Hogan in Dundee) whose services they hire out for a sum ($3,000 in Pretty Woman, $2,500 in Dundee), and after a week of awkward interactions with elitist yuppies, they fall in love, nearly break up due to a misunderstanding, and then get back together, cemented by a grand, rushing romantic gesture on the part of the New York professional.
But wait, there’s more, and with increasing specificity:
While put up in a fancy hotel by the New York professional, the charming-yet-seedy underdogs both see fit to watch reruns of I Love Lucy.
Then, the charming-yet-seedy underdog takes a luxurious bubble bath, and sings aloud, only to be discovered by their New York professional who finds the behavior to be extraordinarily endearing.
Finally, and most incredibly, both films present a pair of friendly streetwalkers who
lead us to an alleyway confrontation with low-level pimps
which ends with our hero being rescued by his chaffeur/sidekick.
Reginald VelJohnson in Dundee:
R. Darrell Hunter in Pretty Woman:
I firmly believe we can close this case, and from this point forward, instead of referring to Pretty Woman as “a benchmark for ’90s romantic comedy,” “the Julie Roberts sex worker movie,” or “obligatory date night viewing,” we can now refer to it by its proper title: “the American remake of Crocodile Dundee.”
