''I read the script and it reminded me a lot of 'Private Benjamin,''' says Witherspoon. ''I just loved the idea of this woman being presented as somebody who is helpless and not so bright, and sort of turning the tables on everyone.'' In this ''guppy out of water'' comedy, the actress plays Elle Woods, an annoyingly perfect -- and blond -- Beverly Hills sorority queen who enrolls at Harvard Law School on a quest to win back her boyfriend (Davis). Everyone's in for a shock when she proves she's got the smarts to crack a murder case.
For Aussie director Luketic, who is making his feature film debut, casting Witherspoon was a no brainer. ''Using her gave the script another dimension,'' he says. ''It took it out of the teen comedy realm and made it more substantial and emotional.'' Another bit of casting that has him beaming: a cameo by Raquel Welch. ''That was an amazing experience,'' he says. ''It was like old Hollywood.'' Ouch.
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