American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

The Colonel, Barbara and Ricky watch television in silence after Barbara forgets what she said.

Scene 45 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act one

Ricky
Barbara

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 27 min into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 45

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 42
The Colonel meets the two Jims and learns they are partners.
Scene 43
The Colonel condemns the Jims while Ricky placates him and totals his income.
Scene 44
Angela boasts about a photographer; Jane questions Angela's claim that Ricky was institutionalized, then Ricky approaches Jane and introduces himself.
Scene 45
This scene

45INT. FITTS HOUSE - DEN - THAT NIGHT

CLOSE on a TV SCREEN: "Hogan's Heroes" on Nick at Nite.

The Colonel and Barbara are seated on a couch, watching television. The Colonel is smiling, enjoying the show; Barbara just stares.

The Colonel CHUCKLES at a joke and startles her. We HEAR a door opening elsewhere in the house, and Ricky enters.

RICKY

Hey.

He sits on the couch, next to his father, and watches TV along with them. The Colonel's smile fades.

BARBARA

(out of the blue)

I'm sorry, what?

RICKY

Mom. Nobody said anything.

BARBARA

Oh. I'm sorry.

The three of them stare at the TV, like strangers in an airport.