Many years before 2023’s smash hit Barbie, there was a different blonde dressed in pink who dominated the screen.
Legally Blonde is a comedy romance movie that premiered on July 13, 2001 in the North America region. In the opening week, the movie had a gross of $20 million.
In North America the movie made $96.5 million and worldwide the movie made $141.7 million.
The main protagonist, Elle Woods, played by the incomparable Reese Witherspoon, is a fashion student at Stanford University. Her boyfriend at the time, Emmett Richmond, got accepted into Harvard Law school and thought it would be best for them to have some time apart.
Elle got upset so to prove that they were meant to be together, she applied to Harvard Law and got in.
This movie is very powerful in the sense that Elle Woods was an icon for women two decades before Barbie because she was a powerhouse while still keeping her femininity. She showed women that you can still be powerful while still being beautiful which is why I think this movie is really special; not only for the Law community but for women as well.
This movie became a power movement in today’s society. The film shattered the idea that women should be confined to certain professions or lifestyles, and instead encouraged them to pursue their passions without fear of judgment or criticism from others.
Elle Woods is constantly underestimated because she was seen as a “ditzy blonde” who cared only about makeup, shoes and hair products.
Underneath, she was a powerhouse woman with a mind as sharp as a tac and the determination of a fierce tiger.
This movie is important because it challenges viewers to consider where real empowerment comes from. It explores themes about equality and gender politics decades before the aforementioned Barbie.
In some ways, Elle Woods paved the way for many female heroines to follow.
The film became such a success that it became a Broadway play many years later. Even in 2023, it is still remembered by many as an iconic representation of strong women.
The movie had inspired many young females around the world, including myself.
It impacted my life by inspiring me to potentially go into law and going to Harvard law school. I would consider myself just like Elle Woods in relating to herself and not giving up even when life gets hard to go through day to day.
I would recommend this movie if you’re interested in law, female empowerment or just feminism in gender.
Just like Professor Stromwell once said “If you’re going to let one stupid prick ruin your life… you’re not the girl I thought you were.”