American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Alone in the sunroom, Carolyn cries briefly, then composes herself for the next clients.

Scene 26 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Carolyn

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 13 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 26

After becoming infatuated with his teenage daughter’s friend, a dissatisfied suburban father quits his job and pursues a more vivid life, unsettling his family and drawing him into the orbit of a troubled teenage neighbor.

Scenes 1–13
Lester is trapped in a suburban routine of corporate work and a marriage performed for appearances.
Just before
Scene 23
Carolyn sells the kitchen's supposed positive energy to another couple.
Scene 24
Carolyn points out a ceiling fan's savings to a pregnant buyer.
Scene 25
Carolyn pitches the backyard to two women and offers tiki torches.
Scene 26
This scene

26INT. SALE HOUSE - SUN ROOM - LATER

Carolyn enters, alone. She's furious. She locks the sliding glass door and starts to pull the vertical blinds shut, then stops. Standing very still, with the blinds casting shadows across her face, she starts to cry: brief, staccato SOBS that seemingly escape against her will. Suddenly she SLAPS herself, hard.

CAROLYN

Shut up. Stop it. You... Weak!

But the tears continue. She SLAPS herself again.

CAROLYN (CONT'D)

Weak. Baby. Shut up. Shut up! Shut

up!

She SLAPS herself repeatedly until she stops crying. She stands there, taking deep breaths until she has everything under control, then pulls the blinds shut, once again all business. She walks out calmly, leaving us alone in the dark, empty room. We HEAR CHEERING and APPLAUSE.