The Couch Potato’s Guide to Old/New Hollywood: The Legacy of Diane Keaton

Firooz Zahedi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By Geoff Carter

Probably best-known for her “La-di-da, la-di-da” refrain in her portrayal of the ditzy titular character in Annie Hall, that particular Diane Keaton role is nothing like her intense performances as the desperately promiscuous schoolteacher in Looking for Mr. Goodbar or the angry and frustrated wife and mother in Shoot the Moon. Keaton is not only a gifted comic actress, but one who shows great depth and detailed emotional layering within all of her roles. As Kay Corleone in The Godfather, I and II, she portrays an increasingly unhappy wife and mother trying to hold her family together while all the while trying to reconcile herself to the fact that the man she loves is a monster. The dramatic chemistry she generates between herself and Al Pacino, as Michael Corleone, is palpable.

Of course, she nearly achieved a separate notoriety—or oeuvre—in her collaborations with Woody Allen. She is absolutely hilarious in Sleeper, Play it Again, Sam, Love and Death, and—of course, Annie Hall, although in that film, as in Manhattan, Keaton reaches deeply into complexities of her characters to show us insecure, sophisticated, and sometimes selfish women searching for happiness. What beguiles us about Keaton is that fact that her layers of sophistication are nearly always wrapped around a sturdy core of innocence and optimism. Even her most hard-bitten characters contain a grain of hope and even naivete that glimmer through the toughest shells. Her Theresa Dunne in Looking for Mr. Goodbar is beautifully patient and gracious when working with her handicapped students by day even as she is compulsively cruel and self-destructively promiscuous at night. 

But it is as a comic actress that Keaton shines. Her timing, her eccentric diction, her expressiveness, her deadpan deliveries, and her obvious enjoyment in her work make her a pleasure to watch. The scene in Annie Hall when she and Woody Allen are attempting to boil lobsters seems so spontaneously joyous, that the audience becomes instantly involved. Her work as the goofy political zealot Sonja in Love and Death has her tiptoeing that delicated line between sincerity and absurdity.

In short, Diane Keaton is a personality like none other on the screen. She is, in turns, disarming, naïve, vulnerable, sophisticated, klutzy, shrewd, gawky, or manipulative. But she is also beautiful, a shining presence that cannot be denied.

 

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Diane Keaton’s Ten Best Films

Annie Hall: In this endearing Woody Allen romantic comedy, Keaton plays Annie Hall, an eccentric and insecure student. After she and Allen (Woody Allen) and start dating, the subtleties of the dynamics within their relationship begin to play. Annie grows from being her boyfriend’s protégé to understanding herself as an independent woman. Even though Allen encourages her to “find” herself through her singing and acting aspirations, he begins to resist her independence when she grows out of their relationship. Besides being one of Allen’s most charming and innovative movies (in the days when he was not a complete pariah), it established Keaton’s screen persona as an eccentric and uniquely charming woman. Notable for the innovative scene when Allen—sick of hearing a guy standing in line spouting off about Marshall MacLuan—pulls MacLuan into the scene to shut the other guy up.

Starring: Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, Michael Murphy, Carol Kane, Shelly Duvall, and Paul Simon. Written and directed by Woody Allen.

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The Godfather Saga: As Kay Corleone, an innocent New England schoolteacher who falls in love with and ultimately marries a Mafia kingpin, Keaton develops Kay first as a young woman in love who begins to understand that her husband’s world is predicated on a deadly criminal culture. As the film—and their relationship progresses—Kay’s housewife persona begins to fray in the face of who her husband is, and the dissatisfaction and frustration she has been trying to understand, and then ignore, finally boil over. The expression on Keaton’s face as she sits with her children after an assassination attempt at her home is priceless, simultaneously conveying anger, fear, contempt, and betrayal. Notable for the incredible chemistry—and chemistry turned sour—between her and Pacino.

Starring: Diane Keaton, Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan, John Cazale, Robert Duvall, and Talia Shire. Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola from the novel by Mario Puzo.

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            Looking for Mr. Goodbar: In this seamy psychological drama, Keaton plays Teresa, a young woman who leads a double life, teaching handicapped by day and cruising the bars and picking up strange men at night. Raised as an Irish Catholic, Teresa rejects the tenets of the church and marriage, refusing to date any of the “nice boys” her parents introduce to her. Rejection by her father, coupled with the psychological baggage of a limp she suffered as the result of a childhood disease, causes Teresa to throw herself into a hedonistic and self-destructive lifestyle. Keaton’s portrayal captures the bitterness, self-loathing, and angry woman who rejects her upbringing but who is also patient and caring to the children she teaches. Keaton balances both sides of Teresa brilliantly. While not particularly liking the character, the audience cannot help but to feel sympathy for her. Notable for William Atherton’s supporting performance as a would-be suitor. 

            Starring: Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, William Atherton, Tuesday Weld, Tom Berenger, Richard Kiley, and Alan Feinstein. Written by Judith Rossner and Richard Brooks. Directed by Richard Brooks.

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Reds: In this historical biopic following the life and times of John Reed (Warren Beatty), a journalist who becomes caught up in the Russian Revolution of 1917, Keaton takes on the role of Louise Bryant, a repressed homemaker who decides—after meeting Reed—that she needs more out of life and pursues her career as a journalist. She leaves her husband and pairs up with Reed; together, the two of them move away. After having an affair with playwright Eugene O’Neill (Jack Nicholson) Bryant goes to Europe. Reed follows and the two of them get caught up in the Russian Civil War, from which Reed produced his book, Ten Days that Shook the World. Keaton’s performance as Bryant received high critical praise. While Beatty, who directed the film, stated he wanted Keaton for her “nervousness and insecurity”, in actuality, she conveys an inner strength and frail self-assurance that grows stronger as the film goes on. Notable for the Oscar-winning performance of Maureen Stapleton as Emma Goldman. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Paul Sorvino, Maureen Stapleton, Jerzy Kosinski, and George Plimpton. Written by Warren Beatty and Trevor Griffiths. Directed by Warren Beatty.

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Manhattan: In yet another bittersweet Woody Allen comedy, Keaton revives the persona as an unhappy and complicated New Yorker trying to find happiness—or at least a guy. Isaac Davis (Woody Allen)—in an eerily prescient role—is in dating Tracy (Mariel Hemingway) a 17-year-old high school student when he meets Mary Wilkie (Keaton), a snobby pseudo-intellectual and his best friend’s mistress who he, of course, despises. They meet again—in a memorable series of scenes at the Natural History Museum—and sparks fly. As a result, Isaac breaks up with Tracy, starts dating Mary until he discovers she has betrayed him and, in her cynicism, returned to Yale (Michael Murphy), his best friend. Betrayed once again, Isaac realizes he loves Tracy and tries to seek her out before she leaves for London. While managing to an portray a liveliness and charm, Keaton still wears an air of cynical weariness like a vintage sportscoat. Notable for a short but fantastic performance by Meryl Streep as Isaac’s ex-wife. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, Michael Murphy, Meryl Streep, Mariel Hemingway, and Anne Byrne. Written by Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman. Directed by Woody Allen.

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Shoot the Moon: An unnerving domestic drama that follows George Dunlap (Albert Finney), his wife Faith (Keaton), and their four children through the final terrifying stages of a disintegrating marriage. After years of his infidelities and betrayals, Faith confronts George, who blows up and then moves into his beach house with his newest mistress Sandy (Karen Allen). Faith begins an affair with Frank Henderson (Peter Weller), the contractor who is working on their house. When George arrives to give his oldest daughter Sherry (Dana Hill) a birthday present, she refuses to see him. Enraged, George breaks into the house and confronts Sherry until Faith forces him out. After they begin divorce proceedings, George returns and has a final devastating encounter with the family. Notable for Keaton’s performance as a woman experiencing an emotional roller coaster of rejection, anger, violence, infatuation, and love. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Albert Finney, Peter Weller, Karen Allen, Diana Hill, and Viveka Davis, and Tina Yothers. Written by Bo Goldman and directed by Alan Parker.

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Father of the Bride: In this remake of the 1950 classic comedy, successful businessman George Banks (Steve Martin) is informed by his daughter that she’s engaged. He meets the son-in-law and takes an instant dislike to him, and, when his daughter Annie (Kimberley Williams) and wife Nina (Diane Keaton) began to plan an outrageously extravagant affair with Franck Eggelhoffer (Martin Short), he snaps. While Keaton mostly finds herself playing straight man to Martin and Short’s antics, her consistently gracious and stable presence provides the anchor to George’s resistance to the wedding. Of course, he is scared to death of losing his daughter. Notable for the beautiful scene where George and his daughter play one-on-one in the driveway. 

Starring: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberley Williams, Martin Short, Kieran Culkin, and George Newbern. Written by Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyer. Directed by Nancy Meyer.

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Marvin’s Room: In this dysfunctional family drama, Bessie Wakefield (Keaton) is living in Florida, caring for her father, who has been incapacitated by a stroke he suffered years before. When Bessie discovers she has leukemia, she turns to her sister Lee (Meryl Streep) to come down and take over caring for her father. Lee, a free spirit who has not visited her family in years, at first refuses, but finally relents and comes down with her sons Hank Lacker (Leonardo DiCaprio) who has spent some time in a mental institution for setting fire to their house and Charlie (Hal Scardino). At first, Lee tries to place Marvin in a nursing home, but the family begins to gel. As Bessie’s health worsens, Lee begins to realize that she will have to become the main caregiver. Notable for Keaton’s performance as a woman on the brink, fearing for her family, her father’s well-being, and her own life. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Hume Cronyn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Gwen Verdon, and Dan Hedaya. Written by Scott McPherson. Directed by Jerry Zakis.

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Mrs. Soffel: In this prison drama based on a real-life story, Kate Soffel (Keaton) a frustrated prison warden’s wife and mother of four, becomes mysteriously ill. After recovering, she begins to visit the prisoners in order to read them Scripture. During one of her visits, she encounters convicted murderers Ed Biddle (Mel Gibson) and his brother Jack (Matthew Modine). Kate becomes enamored of Jack and is persuaded to help him and his brother Jack escape. She smuggles in saw blades and takes off with the brothers when they escape. Although the movie received less than sterling reviews, critics praised the performances of both Gibson and Keaton as a proper young matron who gives into erotic temptation. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson, Ed Herrmann, Matthew Modine, Trini Alvarado, and Jennifer Dundas. Written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Gillian Armstrong.

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Crimes of the Heart: In this Southern Gothic family drama, the three Magrath sisters, the impetuous Babe (Sissy Spacek), the narcissistic Meg (Jessica Lange), and the reclusive Lenny (Diane Keaton) come together after Babe shoots her abusive husband. As they reminisce and hash over old slights and resentments, and meet with various relatives, they try to reconcile and understand past failures with relationships and each other. Notable for the great ensemble acting of the three leads, specifically Spacek’s Oscar-winning performance as the wild and crazy Babe. Keaton’s performance highlights her singular—and winning—vulnerability to great effect. 

Starring: Diane Keaton, Sissy Spacek, Jessica Lange, Tess Harper, Sam Shepard, David Carpenter, and Hurd Hatfield. Written by Beth Henley. Directed by Bruce Beresford.

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Honorable Mentions

Sleeper

Love and Death

Play it Again, Sam

Something’s Gotta Give

Interiors