Farewell, Diane Keaton

As a young film journalist, I encountered Diane Keaton only once, briefly, as she ran down a hallway in The Four Seasons — Beverly Hills, while multiple film junkets were going on in the hotel. I remember being startled as she passed me. She was wearing a bathrobe and had giant curlers in her hair. I cherish that memory. I seems like the perfect way to run into her.

The Godfather, and The Godfather, Part II; Sleeper; Love and Death; Annie Hall; Reds; Twin Peaks (episode director); Father of the Bride; Elephant (executive producer); Something's Gotta Give; The Family Stone; Finding Dory (voice of Jenny). Keaton was a singular screen presence: stylish, radiant, comic, joyful. Her performances, while seemingly effortless, drew our attention even in crowded scenes. She first got my attention in Sleeper (which I saw before I saw The Godfather), and she had a lot to do with why it immediately became one of my all-time favorite comedies, and has remained so (in spite of the necessary Woody Allen disclaimers).

I’m stunned and saddened, as are so many of the world’s film lovers, by her passing. May she rest in God’s grace and peace. Thank you, Ms. Keaton, for being a bright light in the world.

Read: "Diane Keaton was Nobody's Fool"