American Beauty · written by Alan Ball · 1999

Ricky says he entered to show Jane the Colonel’s Nazi plate; the Colonel’s anger gives way to shame and tenderness.

Scene 97 of 163 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Colonel
Ricky

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:02 into a 1:37 film

The story so farBefore scene 97

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.
Scenes 32–75
Lester follows the desire into risky fantasy, exercise and open defiance of Carolyn.
Scenes 76–90
Lester quits and takes a fast-food job while Jane and Ricky begin connecting in parallel.
Scene 91
Lester's dinner-table outburst shatters the family's performed normality and makes his rebellion public at home.
Just before
Scene 94
The Colonel bursts into Ricky’s room, punches him and demands to know how he got in.
Scene 95
Jane watches the beating through the window and closes the drapes.
Scene 96
From Jane's view, the Colonel continues beating Ricky through the window.
Scene 97
This scene

97INT. FITTS HOUSE - RICKY'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Ricky's lip is bleeding, but he maintains a steady gaze at his father during this violence.

COLONEL

(unnerved)

How!? How?! C'mon, get up! Fight

back, you little pussy!

RICKY

No, sir. I won't fight you.

The Colonel grabs him by the collar.

COLONEL

How did you get in there?

RICKY

I picked the lock, sir.

COLONEL

What were you looking for? Money?

Are you on dope again?

RICKY

No, sir. I wanted to show my

girlfriend your Nazi plate.

A beat.

COLONEL

Girlfriend?

RICKY

Yes, sir. She lives next door.

The Colonel glances toward the window.

His POV: In the WINDOW across from us, Jane peeks out from behind the drape. She quickly pulls it shut.

RICKY (CONT'D)

Her name's Jane.

A beat. The Colonel is suddenly, deeply shamed.

COLONEL

This is for your own good, boy. You

have no respect for other people's

things, for authority, for...

RICKY

Sir, I'm sorry.

COLONEL

You can't just go around doing

whatever you feel like, you can't--

there are rules in life--

RICKY

Yes, sir.

COLONEL

You need structure, you need

discipline--

CONTINUED: (2)

RICKY

(simultaneous)

Discipline. Yes, sir, thank you for

trying to teach me. Don't give up

on me, Dad.