 In the script that was sent to prospective actors and directors , Lester and Angela had sex ; by the time of shooting , Ball had rewritten the scene to the final version . Ball initially rebuffed counsel from others that he change the script , feeling they were being puritanical ; the final impetus to alter the scene came from DreamWorks ' then @-@ president Walter Parkes . He convinced Ball by indicating that in Greek mythology , the hero " has a moment of epiphany before [ ... ] tragedy occurs " . Ball later said his anger when writing the first draft had blinded him to the idea that Lester needed to refuse sex with Angela to complete his emotional journey — to achieve redemption . Jinks and Cohen asked Ball not to alter the scene right away , as they felt it would be inappropriate to make changes to the script before a director had been hired . Early drafts also included a flashback to Col. Fitts ' service in the Marines , a sequence that unequivocally established his homosexual leanings . In love with another Marine , Col. Fitts sees the man die and comes to believe that he is being punished for the " sin " of being gay . Ball removed the sequence because it did not fit the structure of the rest of the film — Col. Fitts was the only character to have a flashback — and because it removed the element of surprise from Col. Fitts ' later pass at Lester . Ball said he had to write it for his own benefit to know what happened to Col. Fitts , though all that remained in later drafts was subtext . 
 In the script <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>that</mark></a>was sent to prospective actors and directors , Lester and Angela had sex ; by the time of shooting , Ball <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> rewritten the scene to the final version . Ball initially rebuffed counsel from others that he change the script , feeling they <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> being puritanical ; the final impetus to alter the scene came from DreamWorks ' then @-@ president Walter Parkes . He convinced Ball by indicating that in Greek mythology , the hero " <a href='got' title='4'><mark>has</mark></a> a moment of epiphany before [ ... ] tragedy <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>occurs</mark></a> " . Ball later said his anger when writing the first draft <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> blinded him to the idea that Lester needed to refuse sex with Angela to complete his emotional journey — to achieve redemption . Jinks and Cohen asked Ball not to alter <a href='None' title='7'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='8'><mark>scene</mark></a> right away , as they felt it would be inappropriate to make changes to the script before a director <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>had</mark></a> been hired . Early drafts also included a flashback to Col. Fitts <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'</mark></a>service in the Marines , a sequence <a href='null_relcl' title='11'><mark>that</mark></a>unequivocally established his homosexual leanings . In love with another Marine , Col. Fitts <a href='uninflect' title='12'><mark>sees</mark></a> the man die and <a href='uninflect' title='13'><mark>comes</mark></a> to believe that he is being punished for the " sin " of being gay . Ball removed the sequence because it did not fit <a href='None' title='14'><mark>the</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='15'><mark>structure</mark></a> of the rest of the film — Col. Fitts was the only character to have a flashback — and because it removed the element of surprise from Col. Fitts <a href='null_genetive' title='16'><mark>'</mark></a>later pass at Lester . Ball said he had to write it for his own benefit to know what happened to Col. Fitts , though all <a href='null_relcl' title='17'><mark>that</mark></a>remained in later drafts was subtext . 
In the script was sent to prospective actors and directors , Lester and Angela had sex ; by the time of shootin , Ball done rewritten the scene to the final version . Ball initially rebuffed counsel from others that he change the script , feeling they was being puritanical ; da final impetus to alter the scene came from DreamWorks ' then @-@ president Walter Parkes . He convinced Ball by indicating that in Greek mythology , tdahero " got a moment of epiphany before [ ... ] tragedy occur " . Ball later said his anger when writing the first draft done blinded him to the idea dat Lester needed to refuse sex with Angela to complete his emotional journey — to achieve redemption . Jinks and Cohen asked Ball not to alter no scene ryte away , as they felt it would be inappropriate to make changes to the script before a director done been hired . Early drafts also included a flashback to Col. Fitts  service in the Marines , a sequence unequivocally established his homosexual leanings . In luv w anotha Marine , Col. Fitts see thdaan die and come to believe that he is bein punished for the " sin " of being gay . Ball removed thedaquence b/c it did not fit no structure of the dat of the film — Col. Fitts was the oda character to have a flashback — and becab/cremoved the element of surprise from Col. Fitts  later pass at Lester . Ball said he had to write it for his own benefit to know what happened to Col. Fitts , though all remained in later drafts was subtext .