An Elegy to the Late Diane Keaton

By: Clare Buchanan

It’s been almost three months since Diane Keaton died. 

I don’t remember the first movie I saw with her that captivated me. Was it her role as the all-knowing, middle-class housewife to Steve Martin in “Father of the Bride”? Was it her guarded, maternal, yet youthful character in “Something’s Gotta Give”? Maybe it was her role as the witty, kickass divorcée in “The First Wives Club”, or perhaps her unshakable performance as the matriarch of a misshapen family in “The Family Stone”. 

I do, however, remember the last movie I saw of hers before she died. It was arguably her most famous role, the role that won her the Oscar, as the impenetrable and magnetic Annie Hall in Woody Allen’s 1977 film, “Annie Hall”.

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When I heard about the news on October 11, I remember sitting back heavily in my chair and feeling a wave of nostalgia and grief wash over me. I didn’t know her personally, obviously. But Diane Keaton left a mark on me, as she left a mark on many women, from early audiences in the 1970s, to now. She was a recurring constant in a lot of the films my mother, grandmother, and I would watch together. Her unforgettable performances laced with her distinguishable wit, charm, and neurotic tendencies have solidified themselves in my mind as the precursor to beloved, emotionally messy characters like Carrie Bradshaw, Bridget Jones, and Hannah Horvath. 

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We can’t talk about Diane without talking about her fashion sense. While she has been called, “the most covered up woman in all of Hollywood” by longtime friend Meryl Streep, nothing about Diane was repressed or modest. She was classic. She was timeless. Her outfits were almost always autumnal, a turtleneck with a massive hat and a big, funky belt, usually with a boxy trenchcoat. In the 1970s, she wore men’s trousers and men’s ties because that was just who Diane was. But nothing she ever did was because she thought she would gain recognition for doing so. Diane was an expert at thinking she was understated, while simultaneously being the most captivating person on screen. Her essence leaked into her characters, blurring the lines between art and real life. She existed only for herself, never to be perceived. She was a rare case for an actress, seeing as her body was a mystery to many, something she kept for herself, ironically wearing her ideas and opinions on her sleeve for the entire world to see. She spoke quickly and candidly- her entire being was an unedited transcript of pure genius. Perhaps my favorite thing about Diane Keaton was that she directed an episode of Twin Peak- because why wouldn’t she? 

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I read in Brian Phillip’s article for The Ringer, “Diane Keaton Was Effortlessly Original”, that even in her twenties, Diane was “spiritually middle-aged.” What a fantastic way to put it. Even in her 70s, Diane was middle aged, and I agree with Phillips that it was shocking to hear that Diane had died because in our minds, she was still that same woman caught in between her unstable youth and uncertain future. We could all see ourselves in her in this way.

Rest well, dear Diane.

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