The Legally Blonde Legacy: Where It Comes From and Where It's Going

by Lewis Robinson

Many of us already are familiar with Legally Blonde, the 2001 movie starring Hollywood sweetheart Reese Witherspoon. But, while some of the movie plot (sans spoilers) will be presented in this review, you will also find out more of the inspiring story behind the movie and its continuing legacy of bold blondes.

The Story Behind the Movie

In the case of Legally Blonde, more than just inspiring you to get more serious about your mani pedis and youthful skin with red light therapy for skin, you might also be inspired to discover that a 31 year-old woman self-published the novel that this blockbuster hit was based on in 2001. The novel carries the same title as the movie, Legally Blonde, and was the first novel written by Amanda Brown.

After finishing undergraduate studies in 1993, Brown entered law school at Stanford. It was there that she compiled notes and humorous anecdotes that later became the creative fodder for her first manuscript. Brown never did finish her J.D. at Stanford, but it's hard to argue with her success as an author. Her three published books consistently have received attention from the film industry. Brown claims her favorite authors are Jane Austen, Edith Wharton, and Candace Bushnell, which makes it easy to see where she draws her inspiration for unexpectedly endearing female heroines.

The Legacy of the Movie

Besides Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003), the legacy of Elle Woods and the original Legally Blonde movie has spilled over into a gorgeous Legally Blonde Barbie doll, and a deal for Legally Blonde: The Broadway Musical signed in 2003. Whispers of a third Legally Blonde movie coming out in theaters on May 20, 2022 are also in the air. Some fans expected the movie two years earlier around Valentine's Day, but production was pushed back, some suspect due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Elle Woods, of course, is the iconic blonde who fights her way through Harvard Law in the first Legally Blonde movie to win back the boyfriend she thought she always wanted to be with. As it turns out, she learned more than just law in law school; she also learned to value herself more. In the end, Elle realizes that she deserves the love of a man who respects her mind and heart as much as her perfect body and flawless accessorization.

Her character's development over the course of the movie is enough to win the hearts of even some of the most skeptical movie watchers, just as she manages to almost effortlessly win the friendship of her rival and enemy in the movie, her ex's new girlfriend. Could it be that Elle Woods has managed to inspire a generation, or maybe two generations, of young women to be bigger, bolder, and brighter than the world might expect us to be?

This could be a great movie for young women coming of age to enjoy, but parents may be wary of some of the sexual references in the movie if they have not prepared their kids for such things. At the end of the day, the movie is a romantic comedy more than anything else. It maintains a lighthearted feel even through mascara-streaked teary cheeks and heated courtroom battles. But, laughs aside, the way that the movie reveals the big heart and sharper than expected wit underneath the blonde in Gucci heels offers an excellent message about not being quick to judge a person by external appearances.

If you're reading this and you've never seen the movie Legally Blonde, it's time for you to take the plunge. Just as with its main character, a hasty judgment about this movie may leave you missing out on some masterful moments that have now entered into popular culture and cinematic history for keeps. And, if you enjoy the movie, consider picking up a copy of the book to read.