One of Reese Witherspoon’s most memorable characters is Elle Woods in the comedy Legally Blonde, and had it kept its original ending, its legacy would be completely different and for the worse. Throughout her career, Reese Witherspoon has explored different genres – from teen movies like Cruel Intentions to black comedy with Election and drama with Walk the Line. However, despite showing her acting range in these and more, she’s best remembered for her comedic roles, most notably Elle Woods in both Legally Blonde movies.
In 2001, the world met the always-optimistic Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Directed by Robert Luketic and based on Amanda Brown’s 2001 novel of the same name, Legally Blonde follows sorority girl Elle Woods who, in an attempt to get her ex-boyfriend back, enrolls at Harvard Law School. There, Elle finds a new purpose, overcoming the hurtful stereotypes against women and blondes. Legally Blonde is still quite popular, and its legacy is a surprising but great one, but it could have been entirely different had the movie kept its original ending.
Legally Blonde’s Original Ending Was Focused On Elle & Emmett’s Relationship
Legally Blonde Originally Had No Graduation Speech From Elle
Legally Blonde follows Elle Woods’ road to success in the field of law from the moment she sent her video essay to her graduation, along with all the prejudice and more she faced at Harvard. While there, Elle meets Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson), her teacher’s junior partner, who sees her potential and helps her with the case of Brooke Windham. Of course, romantic feelings between Elle and Emmett emerge, but she stays focused on her new career.
Legally Blonde originally ended at the courthouse, right after Elle won the case.
At the end of Legally Blonde, there’s a time jump of two years to meet Elle at her Harvard graduation, where it’s revealed she and Emmett had been dating for the last two years. This wasn’t the original ending for Legally Blonde, but the original idea would have been very different. According to screenwriter Karen McCullah Lutz (via Vulture), Legally Blonde originally ended at the courthouse, right after Elle won the case. Emmett would have arrived to congratulate her and kiss her, and then it would have cut to a future Elle and Vivian (Selma Blair).
Elle and Vivian would have started their own Blonde Legal Defense Club at Harvard (because Vivian would have also been a blonde now), but this ending didn’t do well with test audiences, who wanted to see more of Elle and her success. McCullah admitted that it was a “weak ending”, and luckily, it was changed.
Legally Blonde’s Original Ending Didn’t Fit The Movie’s Tone & Message
Legally Blonde’s Original Ending Would Have Changed The Movie’s Genre
Elle’s focus is proving that she’s smart enough and worthy of studying at Harvard and becoming a lawyer, and the ending seals this.
It’s not just that the original ending of Legally Blonde left the audience wanting more of Elle and a bit confused about her future, but it would have changed the movie’s tone and genre. Despite having its dose of romance, Legally Blonde isn’t a rom-com, instead being a comedy. Even though the trigger for Elle’s decision to enroll in law school is Warner (Matthew Davis) breaking up with her, Elle’s focus is proving that she’s smart enough and worthy of studying at Harvard and becoming a lawyer, and the ending seals this.
The original ending of Legally Blonde would have turned the movie into a rom-com and would have shifted the focus to Elle and Emmett’s relationship. This might have also been a reason why test audiences weren’t on board with it, as the kiss would have felt off with Elle’s journey. Instead, the ending in the final cut completes Elle’s journey, proves that she succeeded on her own merits, and that, ultimately, it wasn’t about a man – but she still gave herself the chance to be in a new (and much healthier) relationship.
Legally Blonde’s Legacy Is In Large Part Thanks To The Movie’s Ending
Legally Blonde’s Legacy Continues
Legally Blonde’s legacy goes beyond being one of the best comedies of the 2000s and one of Reese Witherspoon’s best performances. Legally Blonde has inspired generations of women to enroll in law school, as well as inspiring many viewers to be unapologetically themselves. A key part of Elle’s journey and what has made it so inspiring to many is the ending, showing how she succeeded and overcame stereotypes and more, all while driven by her own ambitions and not because of a man – which wouldn’t have been that clear with the original ending.
It’s hard to say if keeping the original ending would have led to a Legally Blonde sequel being greenlit, but it would have definitely impacted its legacy and influence on the audience. Changing Legally Blonde’s ending was a wise decision, as it made Elle Woods a more complete character and didn’t leave doubts about where she would go next, as she had just proven she could do anything she put her heart and mind into.
Source: Vulture.
