There is no question that director Garry Marshall, 81, who brought us Pretty Woman (four Golden Globe nominations in 1990, and a Globe for Best Comedy actress Julia Roberts), Runaway Bride (1999), The Princess Diaries franchise (2001-2004), Valentine's Day (2010), New Year's Eve (2011), and now Mother's Day, loves to celebrate women. He is in fact unabashed in his praise: “Women are more interesting than men,” he says. “There's nothing wrong with men but what goes on in a woman's mind is amazing.”

In return, Marshall's women are undeniably loyal to him when he comes calling. Most notably, Julia Roberts, a still unknown actress when he cast her in the lead of Pretty Woman, and again in Runaway Bride, returns as part of his most recent ensemble. Kate Hudson, with whom he worked in Raising Helen (2004) also returns the favor, but it's Jennifer Aniston, with whom he has never collaborated, who leads this all-star cast.

“Garry Marshall is the reason most of us said yes to this movie without even reading a script,” says Aniston. “Since I was a kid, watching Happy Days, The Odd Couple, Laverne and Shirley and all of his incredible movies, he really does have a beautiful touch on the different scenarios of what different family units are today.”

For all his good intentions, no stereotype is spared in Marshall's depiction of the diverse family unit – from the gay couple, the inter-racial family, the divorced couple who grapple with shared custody arrangements and new spouses, to young mothers, estranged mothers, and the older style matriarch whose homophobic, racist views are out of sync with today's world.

Aniston, who is constantly plagued by rumors about the state of her own marriage and supposed pregnancies, plays a newly divorced woman and single mother of two sons. Marshall notes, “Jennifer had the hardest role to play because she had to show such different emotions.”

Aniston says, “I've always had an appreciation for my mom. She was a single mom as a lot of our parents are from that generation. I’ve always had a great appreciation for women who are working moms, single moms, and that's not lost on me,” she says. “I've played mothers for years but this movie doesn't change how I feel about motherhood.”

Marshall views family life and relationships through a rose-tinted lens and along those lines, Mother's Day is no different from his previous films. His relentlessly upbeat view remains. “So many people want to do real life movies and tell the truth but real life is not always so perfect. I started in TV with Happy Days. That wasn't about a real family, it was about what a family should be and could be, if possible,” he explains. “I like hope.”

As evidenced in Pretty Woman, the esteemed director has an idealized view of even the darkest of subjects. “When I was doing Pretty Woman, a couple of critics said 'This is terrible. It's about drugs and prostitution!' I said to the audience, 'Did you miss something in this film? Did you want more?' And they answered, 'No we know that part. We wanted to see something else.' Sometimes the audience wants to see how it could be.”

Marshall cast three of Hollywood's favorite rom-com movie stars, all of whom have maintained their unrivaled popularity. He says of their appeal, “Aniston is the friend everyone wants to have. She's not threatening to women and people want to get to know her. Kate is lovable, always was. She's as likeable off-screen as she is on. And Julia,” he sighs. “There's noting more magical than that smile. And some men are afraid of her, but I'm not afraid. I'm Italian, I'm a Scorpio, I have a sister, and daughters.”

Marshall has rarely veered off course from his favored genre. “It's getting harder and harder to make romantic comedies because studios want franchise pictures with cartoon characters. I grew up watching Batman and Superman but I don't know how to blow people up, and I don't do green screen. I like to see people in a room.”

In our increasingly cynical world, can he foresee a time in which there will no longer be an audience for this type of happily-ever-after escapism? “Well, I hope romantic comedies stay around. When I did Pretty Woman they said 'It'll never work in Europe because people don't like romantic comedies overseas.' Well, it happened to do very well internationally and one of my happiest moments was knowing that it played in India every day for a year.”

Given his sentimental leanings, Marshall cast Hector Elizondo, a pivotal figure in Pretty Woman, to re-team with Roberts in Mother's Day. In fact, there are a few nods to their roles in the iconic film. He shrugs his shoulders. “A movie takes a year and maybe you want a couple of moments of self-indulgence.” he says. “Hector got emotional when he first saw Julia on set of Mother's Day because we knew her when she was 19. The three of us celebrated her 21^st birthday together.”

In many ways Marshall's movie is a love letter to his own mother. “I wanted to do something for her and I cried very much when she passed away,” he says. “She was a dance teacher and she taught me how to recognize magic in someone. And I found it in Julia and I see it in Britt Robertson (The Longest Ride) which is why I cast her in this,” he says, adding, “I also put a couple of extras in the scenes because you never know when they might get noticed.” It's this generous attitude that has no doubt contributed to his beloved status in Hollywood.