MovieChat Forums > Legally Blonde (2001) Discussion > Question about the final two scenes

Question about the final two scenes

posted 15 years ago by pooka5472
18 replies | jump to latest

From the movie's trivia section:

"Neither the confrontation with Warner outside the courtroom nor the final graduation scene was a part of the original script. When the movie was tested, audiences were so wrapped up in Elle's story they were disappointed that she never got her revenge on Warner, and they also wanted to know what happened to her in the end (did she become a lawyer after all?)."

Why did the producers have to wait until the test audiences spoke out before putting those two scenes in? Why didn't they just put those scenes in the film right off the bat?

[–] autumninfo 15 years ago

Because if they ended it where it was originally intended to end, people without imagination (like the test audiences) wouldn't have had everything spelled out for them. I guess they filmed the two extra scenes to have the "closure" the test audiences seemed to need.

[–] little-miss-chocolate 15 years ago

I really liked those two scenes. WEll, just the last one really. But then, I'm a sucker for epilogues - I love scenes that show a bit of the characters' future.

I'm anespeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericumbobulations...

[–] jodi437 14 years ago

So what was the original ending then? Anyone know?

[–] little-miss-chocolate 14 years ago

Presumably just her winning the case.

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. – G. Apollinaire

[–] VerucaPepper 14 years ago

Winning the case and walking down the steps with the reporters. I liked the ending with the graduation... but I hate how she squeaks "We did it".

[–] angela_bees 11 years ago

There might have been more to it. On the video for Perfect Day, there's a couple of little bits from the movie that seem to take place outside the court house. One of Vivienne chasing after Elle. One of Elle and Emmett kissing.

They're not in the Deleted Scenes. Maybe that was the original ending but the producers decided with the graduation scene, those bits weren't necessary.

[–] rabbyt1 14 years ago

I assume the original ending is when she walks out the door of the courtroom and it fades out.

I always wondered why that scene was like that but it makes sense now.

[–] daveyh (632) 4 years ago

now that you mention it, yeah, I've wondered that too. Especially because the next scene (Warner asking her back) takes place immediately outside the courtroom. If it had cut straight to the epilogue after the fade out it would have made more sense but now I know why

[–] JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies 14 years ago

I love scenes that show a bit of the characters' future.

Yeah, I like those, too, whether it's just some text over a freeze frame or something, or a bit more common recently--scenes, stills, drawings, etc. that you see during or after the end credits.

http://www.rateyourmusic.com/~JrnlofEddieDeezenStudies

[–] Samuraibro 10 years ago

Wanting closure with the characters and their futures doesn't make test audiences "obtuse", and it doesn't mean that they need everything spelled out for them.

[–] bsharporflat 10 years ago

Wanting closure with the characters and their futures doesn't make test audiences "obtuse", and it doesn't mean that they need everything spelled out for them.

There is no true "closure" unless maybe the movie traced Elle's future to the grave. Then the test audience would probably want to know her kids' future etc. etc.

What the test audience wanted was not "closure" but symmetry. Most of the movie was dedicated to a summary of Elle's past undergraduate college life and her first year of law school. Having the movie end with the non-college related courtroom scene was asymmetrical. Unbalanced.

Bringing the movie back to law school graduation which summarized the next future three years of Elle's law school education, it brought the movie back into balance.

[–] race1650 10 years ago

While I enjoyed the ending the first time I saw it, I now feel its a bit too contrived and convenient. Warner might not have a girlfriend or graduate with honors, but it's hard to believe that a Harvard law school graduate wouldn't have as least a few employers interested in him. Elle and Vivien become best friends? Not completely impossible, but these are two very different people. It just seemed that everything worked out a little too well, slightly over-the-topish. But then again, the whole movie had that feel.

[–] Alexis_Brooke 11 years ago

If Warner getting his comeuppance was the point, I think it'd've been a lot more satisfying to see Elle and Vivian wind up together (hell, it'd've been a lot more satisfying in any case).

[–] Moonlighty 10 years ago

Yeah I think the movie wouldn't have felt like it had a conclusion without those scenes.

-
Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that I'll be over here looking through your stuff.

[–] kentry-28530 9 years ago

I would have loved to have seen text saying "Chutney Windham was found guilty of murder, perjury, framing, and attempted murder and is now serving a 30 year old sentence at Kennedy Women's Correctional Facility. Brooke Windham is now head of a multistate Fitness Empire. Callahan's Law firm filed for bankruptcy after female lawyers sued him for touching them inappropriately without their consent."

[–] carrie_713 9 years ago

That would have been nice, esp since we didn't see Brooke in the sequel. But we already knew Brooke was head of a fitness empire and wealthy on her own. Would have been nice to see Calalhan's firm shut down. :D

[–] daveyh (632) 4 years ago

I think I prefer this ending - by this point, so much has happened that I'd forgotten all about her original reason for being there (but I guess the test audience hadn't!), and besides, surely she'd already gotten her "revenge" on Warner by being successful in the course. It also sends a nice message that she doesn't need a man to be happy and fulfilled.
There was enough in her scenes with Luke Wilson to suggest they may become a couple in the future but for now she was focussing on becoming a lawyer.
Way to ruin all that, final 2 scenes

[–] melissah1982 (883) 4 years ago

I find this trivia interesting. Maybe we don't need the where are they now stuff but it was a fun way to end the story. But I DO think it was important to have Elle reject Warner. The whole point of her going to Harvard was for him. To not see her reject him and realize she didn't need him would have been a cheat to the audience. I don't think it makes the audience stupid or obtuse, they just know the importance of a fully rounded story and plot. Maybe if this movie were a darker Indy adult (as in mature Academy Award film) they could have a more artistic abstract ending. But for a fun RomCom/Breakup movie, there needed to be the Warner/Elle ending. We needed to see Elle come full circle with her character.