LEGALLY BLONDE
US, 2001, 103 minutes, Colour.
Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Matthew Davis, Selma Blair, Victor Garber, Holland Taylor, Ally Larter.
Directed by Robert Luketic.
Legally Blonde was one of the surprise hits of 2001. It established Reese Witherspoon’s reputation as a strong comedienne. She followed this film with the sequel, Legally Blonde 2, a variation on the political aspects of such films as Mr Smith Goes to Washington.
Witherspoon plays the dumb (or rather ditzy) blonde who proves that she is not. Though she goes through life rather carefree, jilted by her boyfriend (Luke Wilson), she manoeuvres herself into Harvard Law School and by a series of coincidences as well as comic turns, she establishes some common sense behaviour in the law courts.
The film has a strong supporting cast including Selma Blair and a guest appearance by Raquel Welch.
At times the film is very funny, Reece Witherspoon’s performance is well worth seeing (and could be considered the brighter side of her performance in Election).
1.An enjoyable film, its popular success, the sequel, the Broadway musical? Elle as an icon?
2.The old-style chick-flick – and yet the parody of this kind of film, and yet its being endearing and Elle being endearing?
3.The colour style, fashion, college, Harvard, the courts? The musical score?
4.Elle and Reece Witherspoon’s screen presence, lively, self-confident, the blonde, alert, ambitious, glamour, her knowing everything about fashion, about style?
5.With Warner, in love, hoping for the engagement, chatting with her girlfriends, giggling, the discussions, the meal, the break-up, the reasons, her reaction, getting her hair done and a manicure?
6.Her decision to go to Harvard, her parents’ reaction and their comment about her beauty pageants? Going to the counsellors and bewildering them? The application, using the sex appeal, the board, their reaction to her, the decision? Their reasons? The grounds for getting into Harvard?
7.Going to Harvard, arrival, meeting Warner, his getting in, his parents pulling strings, his shock to see her there? His taking up with Vivienne – the type of wife he wanted for his career?
8.Her arrival, her dress and manner, attitude, with the other students, coming into class, the lecturer and her discussion about Aristotle, the young man and his emotionless reactions, questions? Her being ousted by Vivienne? Going to the group in the library and being rejected? Coming across the lawyer, chatting with him, his interest in her, helping, questions, change? Her developing her mind? Surviving? Being invited to the party, going as a Bunny, making good, making everyone happy? The reaction of the various groups, her being accused of discrimination and saying she never used the word “dyke”, her saving the dorkish man and reprimanding him for his dumping her and the girl’s reaction?
9.Vivienne, her background, knowledge, in class, with Warner? Snobbish? Her being humiliated by Callahan, getting the coffee? Talking with Elle, breaking with Warner, their becoming friends? She and Warner and the other assistants to Callahan?
10.Callahan, his lectures, Elle’s answers, his hiring her, getting Vivienne to get the coffee, Vivienne’s reaction, Warner not being asked? Elle and her talk, at the meetings, the lawyer and his advice? The case, the murder, the circumstances, the alibi – and Elle going to prison, discussing with the widow, the secret about liposuction and the threat to her career as a health guide, Elle keeping this confidential and refusing to tell anyone? In the court, the testimony of the pool cleaner, Elle realising he was gay, the lawyer, the questions, asking the name of his boyfriend and his saying it, the outburst in the court? The daughter of the murdered man, the discussion about permanent waves, the judge’s reaction, the lawyer’s, Callahan after his being sacked? The issue of the perm? The emergence of the truth?
11.Elle and her friendship with Paulette, their chatting, Paulette and boyfriends, going with Elle as a lawyer, confronting the boyfriend, getting the dog? Paulette and her falling in love with the delivery man, breaking his nose, their being together, in the court?
12.Elle’s achievement, the years of study, the lecturer and her praising her, the introduction to the valedictory speech, her success?
13.The postscript about what happened to everyone? Failures to get jobs like Warner, friendship with Vivienne, an engagement proposal from the lawyer?
14.A tongue-in-cheek presentation of the American dream – in what looked like the life of a bimbo but actually was much more? Stepping into the sequel?
