The honor of co-starring with Meryl Streep and delivering a performance that wipes the floor with the most honored actress of her generation belongs to Diane Keaton, who did just that in Marvin's Room(1996), one of many unforgettable dramatic roles from the actress celebrated for her comic gifts. At a Lincoln Center tribute to Keaton on Monday-night, Streep summed up Annie Hall's singular gifts: "She breaks men's hearts and mends women's." Apart from Katharine Hepburn, no other Hollywood actress has enjoyed a leading-lady career as long and varied as Keaton. Over four decades on screen, Keaton's impressive roles number Mrs. Michael Corleone, Ms. Annie Hall, the seeker of Mr. Goodbar, Louise Bryant (in Reds), founding member of The First Wives Club, The Mother of the Bride, and Erica Barry (of Something's Gotta Give). Though her eccentric timing and emphasis-on-the-wrong-syl-LAB-le delivery always made me laugh, I didn't take her seriously until Reds and Shoot the Moon (1981 and 1982) where her naked honesty made co-stars Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Albert Finney look like they had something to hide. Her stammering eloqence is stamped on every role she plays, every movie she directs (including the underrated Hanging Up and Unstrung Heroes) and every get-up she dons. She affects monochrome all the better for us to appreciate the blazing colors of her moods. She affects the attitude of a scatterbrain perhaps to distract us from her deep focus?
For an actress who's made 35 feature films in 37 years, she has an enviably high ratio of hits to misses. I have at least 20 favorite Keaton movies. My top ten? Manhattan, Marvin's Room, Mrs. Soffel , Baby Boom, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Annie Hall, Shoot the Moon, The Godfather, Part II, Something's Gotta Give and Reds.
What are yours? And why?
Comments (6)
Saw "Manhattan" for the first time in summer 1983 at the TLA. She made me want to move there. Loved her in "The Family Stone," too. Either one, she's so central to the films that they'd evaporate without her. It would just leave a freezeframe each of Mariel Hemingway and Sarah JP. Although Clare Great Danes was actually funny in "Stone."
Posted by Anonymous | April 13, 2007 9:52 AM
Posted on April 13, 2007 09:52
Annie Hall, Shoot the Moon, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Something's gotta give, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Sleeper, Manhattan, Love & Death, Mrs. Soffel, Reds, Marvin's Room, Baby Boom...oh well I should stop here. I just adore her, she is one of a kind.
Posted by Paula | April 13, 2007 11:46 AM
Posted on April 13, 2007 11:46
"Shoot the Moon," an excellent film on its own, is difficult to shake largely because of the palpable emotion and rawness that Keaton invested in it. For sheer, Doris Day-style fun, it'd opt for "Baby Boom." "Shoot the Moon" and "Baby Boom" - what a great, contrasting double bill they would make if only there were some resourceful rep programmers still around. And, yes, "Annie Hall," a truly iconic role and performance. I could listen to her sing "Seems Like Old Times" all day. Speaking of which, get this woman a film musical! I'd go with Keaton playing the Dorothy Collins role in a long-overdue film of Sondheim's "Follie." How about Keaton opposite Meryl Streep in the Alexis Smith part? Craig Zadan and Neal Meron, are you listening?
Posted by Joe | April 13, 2007 4:44 PM
Posted on April 13, 2007 16:44
Dear Carrie,
My favorite Diane Keaton performance is Reds. AT the time, I had never seen a film of hers where she portrayed such a strong, smart and courageous woman. Now that I think of it, and I'm not doing her justice, her character had a spine -- someone who didn't take anything from anybody!
Jon
Posted by Jon Caroulis | April 13, 2007 4:59 PM
Posted on April 13, 2007 16:59
Yes, great actress. Def made Something's Gotta Give a better movie then it might have been without her.
Posted by Earvolution | April 16, 2007 7:23 AM
Posted on April 16, 2007 07:23
Hi there. My favourite Diane Keaton movie is definitely "Something to Give". She's a great actress and manages to act the story out meaningfully as well - which is why her acting in "Something to Give" is so brilliant. She definitely connects well with her audience there - and so funny too. Good on you Diane!
Cheers,
Jenny
Posted by Jenny | August 29, 2007 3:56 AM
Posted on August 29, 2007 03:56