Latent homosexuality despite the man being openly homosexual. Latent homosexual themes were a common theme of science fiction films of the 1950s. In the 1999 film "American Beauty" the character Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper) is depicted as being a latent homosexual. Throughout the film, Fitts makes several statements that are narrow-minded and homophobic, and it disturbs the colonel that his son Ricky might be homosexual. However, towards the end of the film, it is revealed that Fitts himself has sexual feelings towards men when he approaches his neighbor Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) and kisses him, but Lester rejects Col. Fitts, and this
American Beauty (1999 film) that some characters were unoriginal, but said their detailed characterizations made them memorable. Kenneth Turan of the "Los Angeles Times" said the actors coped "faultlessly" with what were difficult roles; he called Spacey's performance "the energy that drives the film", saying the actor commanded audience involvement despite Lester not always being sympathetic. "Against considerable odds, we do like [these characters]," Turan concluded. Maslin felt that Mendes directed with "terrific visual flair", saying his minimalist style balanced "the mordant and bright" and that he evoked the "delicate, eroticized power-playing vignettes" of his theater work. Jackson said Mendes' theatrical roots rarely showed,