Screenplay

Appendix B - Excerpt from American Beauty Written by Alan Ball EXT. ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - EARLY MORNING Were FLYING above suburban America, DESCENDING SLOWLY toward a tree-lined street. LESTER (V.O.) My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood. This is my street. This... is my life. Im forty-two years old. In less than a year, Ill be dead. INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS Were looking down at a king-sized BED from OVERHEAD: LESTER BURNHAM lies sleeping amidst expensive bed linens, face down, wearing PAJAMAS. An irritating ALARM CLOCK RINGS. Lester gropes blindly to shut it off. LESTER (V.O.) Of course, I dont know that yet. He rolls over, looks up at us and sighs. He doesnt seem too thrilled at the prospect of a new day. LESTER (V.O.) (CONTD) And in a way, Im dead already. He sits up and puts on his slippers. INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - MASTER BATH - MOMENTS LATER Lester thrusts his face directly into a steaming hot shower. ANGLE from outside the shower: Lesters naked body is silhouetted through the fogged-up glass door. It becomes apparent he is masturbating. LESTER (V.O.) (amused) Look at me, jerking off in the shower. (then) This will be the high point of my day. Its all downhill from here.

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EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER CLOSE on a single, dewy AMERICAN BEAUTY ROSE. A gloved hand with CLIPPERS appears and SNIPS the flower off. CAROLYN BURNHAM tends her rose bushes in front of the Burnham house. A very well-put together woman of forty, she wears color-coordinated gardening togs and has lots of useful and expensive tools. Lester watches her through a WINDOW on the first floor, peeping out through the drapes. LESTER (V.O.) Thats my wife Carolyn. See the way the handle on those pruning shears matches her gardening clogs? Thats not an accident. EXT. JIMS HOUSE - CONTINUOUS In the fenced front yard of the house next door, a dog BARKS repeatedly. A MAN in a conservative suit (JIM #1) chastises the barking dog. JIM #1 Hush, Bitsy. You hush. What is wrong? LESTER (V.O.) Thats our next-door neighbor Jim. A second MAN in a conservative suit (JIM #2) comes out of the house. LESTER (V.O.) (CONTD) And thats his lover, Jim. JIM #2 (re: barking dog) What in the world is wrong with her? She had a walk this morning. JIM #1 And a jerky treat. JIM #2 You spoil her. (sternly) Bitsy. No bark. Come inside. Now.

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EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Lester watches all this from the window. CAROLYN Good morning, Jim! Jim #1 walks toward the fence to greet Carolyn. JIM #1 Morning, Carolyn. CAROLYN (overly friendly) I just love your tie! That color! JIM #1 I just love your roses. How do you get them to flourish like this? CAROLYN Well, Ill tell you. Egg shells and Miracle Grow. Jim #1 and Carolyn continue to chat, unaware that Lester is watching them. LESTER (V.O.) Man. I get exhausted just watching her. Lesters POV: We cant hear what Jim and Carolyn are saying, but shes overly animated, like a TV talk show host. LESTER (V.O.) (CONTD) She wasnt always like this. She used to be happy. We used to be happy.