American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

The Colonel condemns the Jims while Ricky placates him and totals his income.

Scene 43 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Colonel
Ricky

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 23 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 43

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.
Scenes 14–31
Family estrangement and his attraction to Angela expose how urgently Lester wants to feel alive.
Just before
Scene 40
Ricky answers his mother without looking away from Jane.
Scene 41
Ricky joins the Colonel and Barbara at breakfast; Barbara forgets Ricky does not eat bacon, and a doorbell interrupts them.
Scene 42
The Colonel meets the two Jims and learns they are partners.
Scene 43
This scene

43INT. COLONEL'S FORD EXPLORER - LATER

The Colonel drives, staring darkly at the road ahead. In the passenger seat, Ricky is using a CALCULATOR and jotting numbers down in a NOTEBOOK.

COLONEL

How come these faggots always have

to rub it in your face? How can

they be so shameless?

RICKY

That's the whole thing, Dad. They

don't feel like it's anything to be

ashamed of.

The Colonel looks at Ricky sharply.

COLONEL

Well, it is.

A beat, as Ricky continues his calculations, before he realizes a response is expected from him. Then:

RICKY

Yeah, you're right.

The Colonel's eyes flash angrily.

COLONEL

Don't placate me like I'm your

mother, boy.

Ricky sighs, then looks at his father.

RICKY

Forgive me, sir, for speaking so

bluntly, but those fags make me

want to puke my fucking guts out.

The Colonel is taken aback but quickly covers.

COLONEL

Me too, son. Me too.

Case closed, Ricky goes back to his calculations.

CLOSE on the pencil in his hands: He's totaling two columns of NUMBERS. Under the column "Income" he writes in swift, bold strokes: $24,950.00.