American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes is considered to be somewhat of a cult classic film for its dark undertones and controversial storyline. Focusing on the Burnham and Fitts families in what seems to be normal suburban American lies dark secrets, sexual tension, and heartbreak. From Lester Burnham’s obsession with his daughter Jane’s friend Angela, to Ricky Fitts love affair with Jane and his presence as a doorway into darkness for Lester. One of the common symbols of the film is the color red, it is presented most commonly in the form of red roses but is also seen through the film in other forms. Personally I feel that this prevalent color is a symbol for lust and sex, both very prevalent in the story.
When we first see the color red it is most obviously being used as a reference for sex, it when Lester first see Angela preforming at the basketball game. In his mind he sees her undress and red rose petals explode from her chest towards him. His lack of sexual activity with his wife and their failing marriage drive him to consider Angela as a tangible sexual partner despite being a underage girl as well as his daughters friend. This sexual desire for Angela continues throughout the film, including images of Angela in a bathtub with roses, roses falling from the ceiling when he thinks of her, as well as roses in the shot when the two almost have intercourse in Lester’s living room.
Sex and the color red are not solely used to express the sexual tension between Lester and Angela, but also used with Carolyn Burnham and her love affair with Buddy Kane. Initially Carolyn is upset that Buddy’s services are much more successful than hers, but after her interaction with him at a banquet, it become obvious that her intentions (although they may not be obvious to her yet) are to sleep with him. In the advertisements around town for Buddy Kane’s realtors service (The Real Estate King) the background is also red. The red in the posters represent how Buddy is able to help release tension that Carolyn has in her life by having sex with her. Besides the red in Buddy’s advertisements, the color red further represents Carolyn’s unfaithfulness for when she and Buddy are finally discovered by Lester, Carolyn is wearing a red sweater, kissing Buddy when going through the drive-thru that Lester now works at.
Although red primarily seems to represent some sort of sexual desire, there is also a sense of power that comes along with the color red. After Lester loses his job, he purchases a red car to assert his dominance over his his wife now that she has become the sole bread winner, only further putting strain on their doomed marriage. Another point in time that we see this car is the background of the scene when Colonial Fitts comes over to what originally perceived as him going to confront Lester about have a relationship with his son (although its a misunderstanding). This scene is a pivotal point the movie because here it is revealed that Colonial Fitts, who as outwardly expressed hatred for homosexuals, it actually gay. It is the rejection from Lester that leads him to kill Lester in order to protect himself.
The last moment of red is the blood on the floor underneath Lester’s dying body. Only shortly before he rejects Angela after learning she is a virgin and Carolyn decides stops seeing Buddy Kane. All of these events lead down to one thing, a loss of power, and all of the sexual difficulties for each character in one way or another seem to be resolved.
The last moment of red is the blood on the floor underneath Lester’s dying body. Only shortly before he rejects Angela after learning she is a virgin and Carolyn decides stops seeing Buddy Kane. All of these events lead down to one thing, a loss of power, and all of the sexual difficulties for each character in one way or another seem to be resolved.
"American Beauty – Blu-ray Disc Review." HighDefDiscNewscom RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. Screenplay by Alan Ball. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes
Bentley, Mena Suvari. Dreamworks, 1999. DVD.
"American Beauty (1999) Movie Pictures." American Beauty (1999) Movie Pictures. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
American Beauty. Dir. Sam Mendes. Screenplay by Alan Ball. Perf. Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes
Bentley, Mena Suvari. Dreamworks, 1999. DVD.
"American Beauty (1999) Movie Pictures." American Beauty (1999) Movie Pictures. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.