Diane Keaton: A Life Searching for Heaven, On and Off Screen
Table of Contents
A candid 1987 interview revealed Diane Keaton’s childhood interest with religion stemmed from a desire “to go to heaven,” a longing that echoes throughout her iconic roles and multifaceted career. Keaton’s work consistently explores characters grappling with an ethereal yearning,a search for joy beyond the constraints of earthly existence,and a complex relationship with their own bodies and desires.
The Dreamer’s Pursuit of Joy
This pursuit of something more is a defining characteristic of Keaton’s characters. Like the terminally ill Bessie in “Marvin’s Room” (1996), they dream of a joy that transcends the fleeting nature of life. A poignant example within the film sees Bessie using a mirror to reflect sunlight onto her stroke-stricken father, a gesture of warmth and connection meant to lift his spirits. This act mirrors a similar tenderness found in Tennessee Williams’s “The Glass Menagerie,” where Laura meticulously polishes glass figurines, creating a fragile world of beauty and escape. Keaton’s performances often capture this delicate balance between hope and despair, longing and acceptance.
Emotional Landscapes: From “Shoot the Moon” to “The Godfather”
In Louis Malle’s “Shoot the Moon” (1982), she portrays Faith Dunlap, a woman undergoing a profound emotional unraveling as she confronts the dissolution of her marriage. The film powerfully depicts Faith’s emotional stripping down, beginning with the simple act of getting dressed. Later, a tentative connection with a workman named Frank unfolds, filled with unspoken anxieties and desires, culminating in a hesitant kiss that leaves the audience questioning the nature of their connection: “Will I be hurt? Is this love? Is it?”
Innocence and Complicity: Keaton’s Complex Roles
Keaton’s ability to portray nuanced characters extends to her role as Kay Adams in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” trilogy. In a world devoid of morality, where self-preservation reigns supreme, Kay represents a contrasting innocence. The text points out the visual symbolism of her ill-fitting wig in the first film,wich inadvertently enhanced her character’s awkwardness. Just as Keaton served as a counterpoint to Woody Allen’s persona, Kay embodies a “whiteness” in contrast to the Corleone family’s darkness. her ultimate act of rebellion – declaring she will not bring another son into that world – is a powerful statement rooted in her ethical convictions. Similarly, in “The Good Mother” (1988), Anna’s exploration of sensuality is shadowed by a pervasive sense of doubt and fear.
Beyond Acting: A Creative Renaissance
Keaton’s creativity extended beyond acting. She collaborated with curator Marvin Heiferman on art books utilizing movie stills and tabloid imagery, and also created her own photographic works. Her book, “Reservations,” showcased her fascination with unconventional furniture arrangements in hotel interiors.This artistic exploration, alongside her 1987 documentary “Heaven,” which delved into concepts of the afterlife, stemmed from a lifelong love of imagery and collage, inherited from her mother, Dorothy Hall.
Confronting the Past: Memoir and the Struggle with Bulimia
In 2011,Keaton published “Then Again,” the first of four memoirs,a deeply personal work interwoven with the story of her mother. The memoir provided a “scrim” through which Keaton could explore her own vulnerabilities, most notably her long-standing battle with bulimia. This struggle began during her time in “hair,” fueled by pressure to lose weight, and persisted for years until she sought psychoanalysis. The text highlights this chapter as a notably raw and honest account of addiction, revealing the “clouds that sometimes obscure the sun” within Keaton’s performances. A colleague,upon learning of her experiences,even suggested she tackle the role of Mary tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” a suggestion Keaton met with both excitement and apprehension,exclaiming,”that’s all I need! Are you out of your mind?”
