'American Beauty' writer honoured

BEVERLY HILLS - Alan Ball, author of the dark suburban satire American Beauty, took a top honour from the Writers Guild of America yesterday, winning its award for best screenplay based on material written for the screen.

American Beauty was chosen ahead three scripts written by directors - Magnolia, by Paul Thomas Anderson, The Sixth Sense, by M. Night Shyamalan, and Three Kings by David O. Russell. The other nominee at the guild's 52nd annual awards was Being John Malkovich by Charlie Kaufman.

Ball also won a Golden Globe and is the frontrunner for the Best Screenplay award at the Oscars on March 26.

Election, written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, was the guild's pick for best screenplay based on material previously produced or published for the big screen.

Other nominees in the category were Anthony Minghella for the screenplay of The Talented Mr Ripley from the novel by Patricia Highsmith; director Michael Mann for The Insider, based on a magazine article by Marie Brenner; and John Irving for the screenplay based on his novel The Cider House Rules.