Christy Leonard
Dr. Hendrix
PHL 206
September 2010
Ethics at the Movies – Legally Blonde
Based on a novel by Amada Brown, Legally Blonde is a comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a bubbly, outgoing California sorority girl who has, surprisingly, outstanding morals and ethics in any situation.
In the beginning, Elle’s is going on a date with her long-term boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, whom she is expecting a proposal of marriage from on this very date. He instead breaks up with her with the excuse that he is starting law school at Harvard, and she is not “serious” enough to be his wife. Instead of seeking revenge, or bashing him, Elle seeks to better herself, and prove to him that she is “serious” by pulling some strings and going to Harvard herself.
Upon arriving to Harvard, Elle, dressed head-to-toe in pink, is welcomed with an anything but a warm greeting. Instead of yelling crude comments back, she maintains a sunny disposition, with her head held high.
After facing the rude introduction with Warner’s new finance Vivian, Elle does not return the rude behavior. Instead, she runs hurt and teary-eyed to the nearest nail salon. When Elle is asked by her manicurist, Paulette if Vivian is as pretty as she is, Elle replies with, “She could use some mascara and some serious highlights, but she’s not completely unfortunate looking.”
Unfazed, Elle attempts to join Warner and Vivian’s study group bearing a basket full of muffins. She is rudely rejected, and while walking away, another classmate taunts, “maybe you could join, like, a sorority, like…” Elle then rebuttals, “You know, if you would have came to a Rush, I would have been nice to you.” “Was that before or after you called me a dike behind my back?” Then hurt again, Elle politely responds with, “I don’t use that word, you must have heard it from Vivian.” Though all of the ruthless hate filled confrontations, Elle responds with polite poise without the use of dirty words....