American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes

“American Beauty” through images and character depiction attempts to portray and question the triteness of middle class sexual mores. One of the main ways director Sam Mendes portrays this is through symbols, especially in the seductive color red, used to represent both sexuality and youth. The characters of the film, through their dialogue and various deceptions to the outside world also pose questions about society’s expectations for sex. Mendes’ also utilizes lighting, props, sets and music as commentary on the sexuality of all of his characters, both sexual reawakening and oppression. The visual style of the film coupled with the character’s unique struggles and views make “American Beauty” a haunting look at the way our culture views gender and sex.

The color red, primarily used in the symbol of a rose, is the most prominent and memorable visual image of the film. The American Beauty rose is a “perpetual rose”, one that regrows every year and is known for its blood red color. When the film opens and we are introduced to Carolyn, the uptight wife of the film’s protagonist Lester, she is snipping the growing roses at the stem symbolizing her stifled and loveless marriage. We see Carolyn’s roses a few other times in the film essentially dying in a vase, never as vibrant as when she first cuts them in the front yard for the whole world to see. However, when Lester first sees Angela, his daughter’s friend from high school, she reawakens him sexually and everything about her is red. She wears blood red lipstick and a red uniform while Lester imagines her with flowing, vibrant red roses. While these characterizations and imagery help establish the rose and the color red as definers of these women’s sexuality, they are a...

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...ering associations with their own youth help to form the division between them that drives the story of the film.

The director’s choices in symbols, music and characterizations in “American Beauty” successfully portray several statements about our culture’s sexual beliefs and how Mendes’ characters view their own sexuality. Symbols used to represent youth, conservative ideals and liberal sexual ideals help shape the film’s melancholy portrayal of the suburban middle class. Many of Mendes’ comments are critical, showing conventional aspects of life as drab, dark, and unexciting through plain sets and dull lighting. Being adventurous or rebellious is portrayed positively through upbeat music, bright lighting and vibrant colors. The stylization and character development in “American Beauty” makes many poignant statements about Middle America’s sexual archetypes.