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      American Beauty (1999)

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      Ross
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      American Beauty (1999)
      Jun 13, 2010 11:49:13 am
      I first watched this film around a year ago in Media Studies at college. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really understand the hype. I think a lot of this was due to confusion at the end as to who killed Lester Burnham.

      I watched it for the second time last night. As they say, I started to notice different things this time. However, yet again I was confused as to who killed Lester. So I had a little look on the internet. Suddenly I've just realised how clever this film is.

      So for those of you who have seen the film - what may have happened?

      1) Col Fitts - perhaps the easiest explanation is that Fitts killed Lester due to his belief that his son Ricky was involved in a homosexual relationship with Lester. However, maybe there's another reason. Could Fitts have killed Lester in attempt to hide his sexual feelings towards him? I assumed that the kiss in the garage was a 'test' for Lester, but maybe he kissed him because he wanted to kiss him?

      Now here's an interesting thing. If Fitts shot him, surely he wouldn't have that amount of blood on his shirt as he would of been stood behind Lester when he shot him and the blood fired forward onto the wall. Could the gunshot that Carolyn heard outside be of Fitts killing his own wife? Again something to do with his own insecurity and homosexuality?

      2) Ricky - obviously didn't kill Lester, but did he have some part to play? I always wondered why he was knelt almost smiling when he found Lester dead.

      It's only that I read over these ideas that it all started to make sense. I looked back over the film and remembered hints/key parts which all seem to link in with the almost cliffhanger ending.

      What do you think?
      Dexter
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #1: Jun 13, 2010 01:30:12 pm
      The father did it because he was a homophobe, no confusion there for me. He got all that blood on his shirt because he was standing that close, he put the gun almost against the back of his head before shooting.

      Ricky didn't have anything to do with it. He smiled once he noticed Lester looked happy, which he was when he died.

      Think it's a great movie, seen it several times.
      Roddenberry
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #2: Jun 13, 2010 03:06:52 pm
      Originally, the film was meant to be started & ended with scenes from Ricky & Jane's trial for murder.
      Ross
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #3: Jun 13, 2010 03:34:20 pm
      Originally, the film was meant to be started & ended with scenes from Ricky & Jane's trial for murder.

      Interesting.
      The father did it because he was a homophobe, no confusion there for me. He got all that blood on his shirt because he was standing that close, he put the gun almost against the back of his head before shooting.

      Ricky didn't have anything to do with it. He smiled once he noticed Lester looked happy, which he was when he died.

      Think it's a great movie, seen it several times.

      Kind of weird though, don't you think? Smiling when someone dies?

      I'm not sure whether his wife was in hysterics because she did it, she was about to do it before someone already had or just generally because Lester had been killed. Not sure whether putting the gun in the washing basket was supposed to be a hint at something?
      Dexter
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #4: Jun 13, 2010 03:56:12 pm
      Originally, the film was meant to be started & ended with scenes from Ricky & Jane's trial for murder.
      Do you know in what manner though? Were they really meant to have done it, or were they falsely accused and the movie then flashbacked to what really happened?

      Interesting.
      Kind of weird though, don't you think? Smiling when someone dies?
      It's odd, but the guy was pretty odd. He saw beauty in everything.

      I'm not sure whether his wife was in hysterics because she did it, she was about to do it before someone already had or just generally because Lester had been killed. Not sure whether putting the gun in the washing basket was supposed to be a hint at something?
      She didn't do it, you can hear the gun shot when she's outside in the rain. She became hysterical after she saw his clothes in the closet. Not sure if it's because of one thing, might be several emotions. She didn't purely hate or love him, she probably did both.
      Dexter
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #5: Jun 13, 2010 04:03:17 pm
      Found this on imdb:

      Quote
      Another version of the script involved Ricky and Jane being arrested and convicted for the murder of Lester. The main evidence is the video Ricky made of Jane offering him $3,000 to kill her father, which we, the viewers, find out was a joke immediately after Ricki turns off the camera, one second too late for the defense. It also involves Mrs. Fitts finding her husband's bloody clothes, and hiding them immediately after.
      « Last Edit: Jun 13, 2010 04:31:39 pm by Dexter »
      Ross
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #6: Jun 13, 2010 06:25:10 pm
      Glad they didn't involve that bit in the film.
      Dexter
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      Re: American Beauty (1999)
      Reply #7: Jun 13, 2010 06:46:28 pm
      I agree, it would've been a bit too much.

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