Great Scene: “American Beauty”
Today’s great scene comes courtesy of writer Alan Ball and the fantastic dark satire he wrote American Beauty (1999). This is a hauntingly…
Today’s great scene comes courtesy of writer Alan Ball and the fantastic dark satire he wrote American Beauty (1999). This is a hauntingly beautiful moment and drives home how even the most mundane events — such as a plastic bag caught up in the wind — can translate into powerful drama.
After Ricky asks Jane, “You want to see the most beautiful thing I’ve ever filmed,” the following scene ensues:
Here is the movie version of the scene:
From an Amazon.com interview with screenwriter Alan Ball:
Amazon.com: There’s something so simple and poetic about Ricky’s encounter with the plastic bag that just keeps whirling in the breeze. You’re not sure what it means, but the simple beauty of it has a profound effect. How did that come about?
Alan Ball: I had an encounter with a plastic bag! And I didn’t have a video camera, like Ricky does. I’m sure some people would look at that and go, “What a psycho!” But it was a very intense and very real moment. There’s a Buddhist notion of the miraculous within the mundane, and I think we certainly live in a culture that encourages us not to look for that. I do like, though, that Ricky says, “Video’s a poor excuse, but it helps me remember.” Because it’s not the video he’s focused on; it’s the experience itself. He’s very connected to the world around him.
The miraculous within the mundane. Yes, so true. Little things can take on a world of meaning depending upon the characters and the situation.
But here’s another takeaway from this scene: We, as writers, have to be observant, pay attention to the world around us, be mindful of narrative possibilities. Alan Ball happened upon a dancing plastic bag. He could have simply passed by. He didn’t. His eyes captured the moment. And that inspired one of the most memorable scenes in this memorable movie.
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