Legally Blonde (2001)

Director:

Robert Luketic

Writers (WGA):

Amanda Brown (novel)
Karen McCullah Lutz (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 July 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

This summer go blonde!

Plot:

When a blonde sorority queen is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to follow him to law school to get him back and, once there, learns she has more legal savvy than she ever imagined.

Plot Keywords:

Smart Blonde | Broken Engagement | Client | Spa | Beauty Salon

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Reese Witherspoon	...	Elle Woods
Luke Wilson	...	Emmett Richmond
Selma Blair	...	Vivian Kensington
Matthew Davis	...	Warner Huntington III
Victor Garber	...	Professor Callahan
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Paulette Bonafonté
Holland Taylor	...	Professor Stromwell
Ali Larter	...	Brooke Taylor Windham
Jessica Cauffiel	...	Margot
Alanna Ubach	...	Serena
Oz Perkins	...	Dorky David Kidney
Linda Cardellini	...	Chutney Windham
Bruce Thomas	...	UPS Guy
Meredith Scott Lynn	...	Enid Wexler
Raquel Welch	...	Mrs. Windham Vandermark

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and sexual references.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-3 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37637) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12

Filming Locations:

All Saint's Episcopal Church - 132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Marc Platt Productions

Trivia:

Neither the confrontation with Warner outside the courtroom nor the final graduation scene was a part of the original script. When the movie was tested, audiences were so wrapped up in Elle's story they were disappointed that she never got her revenge on Warner, and they also wanted to know what happened to her in the end (did she become a lawyer after all?). The two scenes had to be shot in England, because Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Davis were both filming there (she was filming The Importance of Being Earnest (2002), while he was filming another project) at the time. During the graduation scene, only Witherspoon and Davis are actually present. Shots of Jennifer Coolidge, Selma Blair, Luke Wilson and other supporting cast members were filmed in LA and the whole thing was edited together later.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Elle and Paulette drive to her ex-husbands house to pick up Rufus, the camera is reflected in the car door.

Quotes:

Elle: Warner, what kind of shoes are these?
Warner Huntington III: Umm... black ones.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Legally Blonde: The Musical (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

That's the Way (I Like It)

A pleasant summer comedy

It would seem strange for me to like a "pleasant" summer comedy, but I think this one is actually watchable and even gives laughs sometimes. It is John Grisham meets um, should I say Clueless? A ditzey yet very smart college girl gets dumped by her boyfriend, and figures out that if she becomes a law student and perhaps even a laywer, she might win him back (even after she realizes he's engaged). Clumsy at times and of course cliched (aren't they all nowadays), but also fun in a brainless dead-zone way. B