Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0004493, Mon, 18 Oct 1999 08:14:47 -0700

Subject
Re: VN Filmography: "American Beauty" (fwd)
Date
Body
From: Dana Dragunoiu <ddraguno@chass.utoronto.ca>
Dear Galya and List Members:

A more covert reference to VN and his work in *American
Beauty* was (perhaps) being made during the sequence
when Ricky is showing Jane his favourite cinematic moment:
the bag being "played with" by the wind, which Ricky
identifies as a benevolent force behind all visible existence.
My guess would be that the screenplay writer makes a direct
reference to *Lolita* (via "Angela Hayes") in order to signal
a wider, more subtle and generous relationship with VN and
his outlook. VN has often shown us the "beauty" that is often
hidden or travestied by vulgarians, money-grubbers, and the like,
which is precisely the governing idea in *American Beauty*.

Dana Dragunoiu