Legally Blonde
八月 21, 2017
Legally Blonde is a American comedy film in 2001, adapted from a novel written by Amanda Brown. The film directed by Robert Luketic, scripted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith. The film contained a type of film theory, which is Feminist. Feminism shares a common goal – to define, establish and achieve different rights for women, including educational and professional chances for women which are equally to men.
Feminist
film theory started in 1920s; it is looking at women’s expression of her own
subjectivity. After the radicalized feminist movement of sexual liberation and
political debate of female, this film theory matured in the late 1960s. Feminism
analyses of the social or historical position women as subordinated oppressed
or exploited in dominant modes of production and social relations of patriarchy
or male domination. Audiences can seek out the ideological and social
construction of women in films because films are viewed as a reflection of
society. Feminist theory explored discrimination, stereotyping,
objectification, oppression and patriarchy. We can look at feminism in films by
assumed predetermined sexual identity to expose the misrepresentation of women
in films. The assumption of female being represent by a patriarchy society.
Second way is looking at the various female representations in the film and
compares each of them, then seeking out the final resolution of the preferred
female representation. Lastly, look at the female representation of the film
from the female spectator’s point of view.
Legally
Blonde is a story of Elle, a fashion merchandising student decided to pursue
Warner, the governor’s son, which was her boyfriend that breaks up with her
with reason of she is not serious enough for his political aspirations. She
puts a lot of effort and scores a 179 on Law School Admission Test, which gain
her admission to Harvard where Warner enrolled. After arrived at Harvard, she
is totally a contrast to her classmates’ personalities. She also found out that
Warner engaged to her classmate, Vivian. Elle starts to struggle with the whole
new syllabus and unprepared for lecture. She meets Emmett, junior partner of
her lecturer. He gives some advices for handling her lecturers. She then
realizes Warner never take her back as he is telling Elle is wasting her time
after she tells Warner she is going to apply for Professor Callahan’s
prestigious internship. She started to improve herself in her class performance
and keep up the syllabus, she make it. She surprised Warner and Vivian during
defending of a prominent fitness instructor as she is the one who found out the
killer. Two years later, Elle gives the graduation speech at Harvard. She and
Emmett have been dating since the trial, and Vivian is her best friend, while
Warner has graduated with nothing.
In Legally Blonde, the whole film is all about how a
simple girl grows up to her success. She makes her own decision, and she is
being responsible on her decision. Although she retreated once, but she is
becoming the more frustrated the more courageous. The key theme of feminism
film theory is the gaze. The concept of scopophilia expanded to introduce
visual pleasure and identification with the on screen male actor. The female
actresses on screen can be seen as an exhibitionist, as symbol of eroticism and
visual pleasure.
One of the perspectives of looking is male character
looking at the female character in the film. For example, when Elle is talking
about her leadership and her skills of making decision when comes to important
thing in her admissions video to Harvard, with sparkly bikini and floating in
swimming pool, the Harvard Admissions board accepts her application – like
without hesitation, saying the school need diversity student body. This is the
depiction of male gaze.
The second perspective – audience is looking at the
female character in the film. In the beginning of the film, we can see Elle
always have some pinky clothing and accessories. When she comes to Harvard, she
is a big contrast to the students – she easy to get attention in the dark and
grey clothing of the other students. Like example, she wears a bunny girl
costume to attend a party (but it is actually not a costume party). She is the
easiest one who catches the attention, as her clothing is really outstanding. Another
example is when she acts for her client. In the court, everyone is wearing formal
and greyish clothing, but only Elle wears a pink formal dress.
The third perspective of looking is looking through
the eyes of male character that is looking at the female character. There is
one scene, Warner is playing baseball with his friends, Elle have a sun bath in
front of them. When the camera cut to Elle, it is sort of a looking through the
eyes of Warner. She shows her charming body in front of them.
After all, Legally Blonde is a “girl power” film that I
actually like. It shows that, girl is actually stronger in any perspectives
than man because they have that ability – tolerable and strong in mind and
heart.
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