American Beauty

Did this phrase precede the 1999 movie?

By Deane Barker • • tags: movies, flora •

Yes, this is a type of rose. It’s deep pink in color.

It was bred in France in the late 1800s then introduced (and renamed) in America. It was very popular during the Gilded Age of the early 1900s.

Roses were a recurring motif in the movie American Beauty, though I feel like the color was different. The roses from the movie were clearly very red.

Why I Looked It Up

The phrase came up several times in Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty, who thrived during the Gilded Age and were wealthy enough to afford American Beauty roses (which were quite expensive):

The palatial rooms of 660 Fifth Avenue shimmered with orchid chains, palm fronds, and vases of silver baskets of Jacqueminot, Gloire de Paris, and American Beauty roses, alternating with potted palms.

Links from this – Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty April 24, 2022
Enormously entertaining history of the Vanderbilt family by CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who was a Vanderbilt on his mother’s side. Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt was a self-made man. He started ferrying people on a small boat around New York Harbor and ended up becoming the richest man the world had...