Diane died yesterday, October 11, suddenly, of an unknown illness aged 79. And you almost have to say, 'Diane Keaton is dead. Well - la di da, la di da.' *
Of course Anne Hall is the best way to celebrate her, as it's all about her - her real name is Diane Hall, her clothes were all her own choices, like her character, Keaton was very modest and apologetic like 'all smart people are' (Woody). And she has a knockout voice, which I'd forgotten we do hear uninterrupted in her divine take of 'Seems Like Old Times', which also ends the film (there's very little music throughout - the beginning and end credits are noticeably and abruptly silent - almost fitting when seen as a tribute). She won the Oscar (and BAFTA) for this - beating off stiff competition in Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl), Jane Fonda (Julia), Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft (both in The Turning Point).
The famous lobster scene was the first thing filmed by a new cinematographer, Gordon Willis. Woody loved the spontaneity of it and kept the one take in which Keaton makes him break up. Susan Morse is an assistant editor.
Woody mentions 1975 in the film - it wasn't actually released in the US until 1977, took until September to get here. I didn't see it in Reading until 3 March 1978.
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| Did I realise before that the lobster pictures she's taken are there? |
"Keaton is a stronger comic than me, she just has a more magnetic and funny screen personality.. When the camera hits her, that's what you want to see... I see it in other people's films - the film with Jack Nicholson and Amanda Peet, Something's Gotta Give, and The Family Stone; when she was in the film about the dying kid (Marvin's Room) She's just got something that works." He also thought she was great in Baby Boom. (Conversations with Woody Allen, Eric Lax.)
Which leads us nicely into Q's second choice, y'know, the one with the nice kitchen. There's not a lot to say here other than that Keaton and Nicholson spark off each other beautifully, naturally. Q thinks that Diane didn't act, she just was the character, and that's a hard thing to do.
(Though Frances McDormand quietly steals the film.)
As to the ending, well. We all know that film making is a commercial business - leave the audience with what they want. Here's my alternative ending. Harry leaves Erica and Julian - happy together - at Le Grand Colbert, walks off into the Parisian night. Then chances upon a young women - one of his 'types' - who needs help in getting back to her hotel, or somesuch. Harry does indeed help her - but instead of accompanying her back to the girl's residence, he gallantly sends her on her way... he's grown up.
Yeah? No? La-di da!
* I am of course referring to the famous headline in Le Monde when Billy Wilder died: 'Mort de Billy Wilder : personne n'est parfait'.
As to the presence of Steve Rotter as 'additional editor' he told us "Nancy Myers had hired someone else to edit this film [Joe Hutshing: JFK, Jerry Mcguire, Almost Famous] and then panicked and called me as insurance. I didn’t really like the other editor but he was quite accomplished and did an excellent job." Thank you! And added ".Diane never made a wrong move and was always up to whatever was given her."
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