| Abstract : | American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. Kevin Spacey stars as Lester Burnham, a middle-aged office worker who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, Angela (Mena Suvari). Annette Bening co-stars as Lester's materialistic wife, Carolyn, and Thora Birch plays their insecure daughter, Jane; Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper and Allison Janney also feature. The film has been described by academics as a satire of American middle class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction; analysis has focused on the film's explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, beauty, materialism, self-liberation and redemption.
Ball began writing American Beauty as a play in the early 1990s, partly inspired by the media circus around the Amy Fisher trial in 1992. He shelved the play after realizing the story would not work on the stage. After several years as a television screenwriter, Ball revived the idea in 1997 when attempting to break into the film industry. The modified script had a cynical outlook that was influenced by Ball's frustrating tenures writing for several sitcoms. Producers Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen took American Beauty to DreamWorks; the fledgling film studio bought Ball's script for $250,000, outbidding several other production bodies. DreamWorks financed the $15 million production and served as the North American distributor. American Beauty marked acclaimed theater director Mendes' film debut; courted after his successful productions of the musicals Oliver! and Cabaret, Mendes was nevertheless only given the job after twenty others were considered and several "A-list" directors turned down the opportunity.
Spacey was Mendes' first choice for the role of Lester, even though DreamWorks had urged the director to consider better-known actors; similarly, the studio suggested several actors for the role of Carolyn until Mendes offered the part to Bening without DreamWorks' knowledge. Principal photography took place between December 1998 and February 1999 on soundstages at the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, California and on location in Los Angeles. Mendes' dominant style was deliberate and composed; he made extensive use of static shots and slow pans and zooms to generate tension. Cinematographer Conrad Hall complemented Mendes' style with peaceful shot compositions to contrast with the turbulent on-screen events. During editing, Mendes made several changes that gave the film a less cynical tone.
Released in North America on September 15, 1999, American Beauty was positively received by critics and audiences alike; it was the best-reviewed American film of the year and grossed over $350 million worldwide. Reviewers praised most aspects of the production, with particular emphasis on Mendes, Spacey and Ball; criticism tended to focus on the familiarity of the characters and setting. DreamWorks launched a major campaign to increase American Beauty's chances of Academy Award success; at the 72nd Academy Awards the following year, the film won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Spacey), Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography. The film was nominated for and won many other awards and honors, mainly for the direction, writing and acting.
Plot
Lester Burnham (Spacey) is a middle-aged office worker who despises his job. His wife, Carolyn (Bening), is an ambitious real-estate broker; their sixteen-year-old daughter, Jane (Birch), abhors her parents and has low self-esteem. The Burnhams' new neighbors are retired United States Marine Corps Colonel Frank Fitts (Cooper) and his introverted wife, Barbara (Janney); their teenage son, Ricky (Bentley), is a marijuana smoker and drug dealer whom the colonel subjects to a strict disciplinarian lifestyle. Ricky records his surroundings with a video camera, and keeps dozens of taped videos in his bedroom. Lester becomes infatuated with Jane's cheerleader friend, Angela Hayes (Suvari), after seeing her perform a half-time dance routine at a high school basketball game. He begins to have sexual fantasies about Angela, during which red rose petals are a recurring motif. Carolyn begins an affair with a business rival, Buddy Kane (Peter Gallagher). Lester is told he is to be laid off, but blackmails his boss for $60,000 and quits his job, taking employment serving fast food. He buys his dream car and starts working out after he overhears Angela tell Jane that she would find him sexually attractive if he improved his physique. He begins smoking marijuana bought from Ricky and flirts with Angela whenever she visits Jane. The girls' friendship cools and Jane becomes involved with Ricky; they bond over what Ricky considers the most beautiful imagery he has filmed: a plastic bag dancing in the wind.[1]
Lester discovers Carolyn's infidelity, but reacts indifferently. Buddy cools the affair, saying he is facing a potentially expensive divorce. Col. Fitts becomes suspicious of Lester and Ricky's friendship, and finds his son's footage of Lester lifting weights while nude, which Ricky captured by chance. After watching Ricky and Lester through Lester's garage window, the colonel mistakenly concludes the pair are sexually involved. He later beats Ricky and accuses him of being gay. Ricky falsely admits the charge and goads his father into turning him out of their home. Over Angela's objections, Ricky convinces Jane to flee with him to New York City, after first calling Angela ordinary. Carolyn loads a gun and drives home. Col. Fitts confronts Lester and attempts to kiss him; Lester rebuffs the colonel, who flees. Lester finds a distraught Angela; she asks him to tell her she is beautiful. He does, and she begins to seduce him. After learning that Angela is a virgin, Lester stops; the pair instead bond over their shared frustrations. Angela goes to the bathroom and Lester smiles at a family photograph in his kitchen. A gunshot sounds and blood spatters on the wall. Ricky and Jane find Lester's body. Carolyn is seen crying in the bedroom, and the colonel returns home, bloodied, a gun missing from his collection. Lester's closing narration describes meaningful experiences he's had during his life, and explains that despite his death he is happy, as "it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world"
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