Diane Keaton’s 10 most important films

Diane Keaton who died on Saturday at 79one of the most legendary film actors. She played some of the most recognizable roles of the late 20th century and paved the way for future generations of women. Here is a list of Keaton's 10 most important films, presented in alphabetical order. We'll leave the rating to her loyal fans.

“Annie Hall”

Keaton's role in Woody Allen's 1977 romantic comedy was written specifically for her. Her portrayal of the sassy, ​​eccentric and charming leading lady defined Keaton as an actor for the rest of her career. Her signature bowler hat and ties became fashion staples, and fans still can't think of “Seems Like Old Times” without crying. The film, about the bittersweet nature of lost love, was a critical success, and Keaton won her only Oscar for her performance in it.

“Crimes of the Heart”

Keaton plays Lenny McGrath—the eldest of three sisters—in this 1986 dark comedy also starring Diane Lange and Sissy Spacek. The actresses are at the top of their game in the film, which sees three siblings reunite at their family home in Mississippi after Babe (Spacek) shoots and seriously wounds her abusive husband. Spacek won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for her work, but Keaton shines as the less ostentatious of the sisters—a demure, deathly lonely woman who believes her failure to launch is due to a shriveled ovary.

“The Godfather”, parts I and II.

Keaton plays Kay Adams Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's epic family trilogy. Michael Corleone's second wife and mother of his children, Kay is one of the few fully realized women in films. Many fans like Keaton's performance best in the second film because Kay is the only one who can stand up to Michael. When a ruthless mob boss tells her about the abortion she had, Kay snaps at him for his vicious nature and many lies, vowing to never bring another Corleone into the world.

“Looking for Mr. Goodbar”

This 1977 crime drama, written and directed by Richard Brooks, is perhaps Keaton's most tragic film. She plays a lonely schoolteacher named Teresa Dunn who, in her search for love, engages in increasingly risky behavior with strangers. The film also stars Richard Gere as the overbearing, abusive drug-addicted boyfriend in his first leading role. Keaton's grief and despair are palpable in this dark, gritty film, making it a defining and heartbreaking part of her work.

'Manhattan'

This 1979 Woody Allen film is now one of the most controversial directors due to its subject matter. Allen plays a 42-year-old comedy writer who dates a 17-year-old girl but ends up falling in love with his best friend's mistress. Keaton plays this lover, Mary Wilkie, and her portrayal of a witty, ironic journalist with a busy social schedule and strong opinions that she is never shy about expressing is one of her most rewarding roles.

“Marvin's Room”

In this 1996 family drama, Keaton stars alongside Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro and a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Keaton was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as Bessie Lee, a woman who spent years caring for her bedridden father when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She turns to her estranged sister Lee for help in finding a suitable candidate for a bone marrow transplant, an effort that brings the family under one roof again. The tender story of loss and redemption saw Keaton maintain a powerful presence throughout her decades-long career.

“Radio Days”

Written and directed by Woody Allen, this nostalgic, charming drama is set in Rockaway Beach during the 1930s and 40s, during the golden age of radio. Keaton is part of the vignette-filled ensemble cast of the film, and she appears in what is essentially a cameo role as a singer on New Year's Eve. Dressed in a long-sleeved white dress with her hair slicked back, she sings a beautiful version of Cole Porter's “It Would Be So Nice to Come Home,” proving that when you're a star of her caliber, you can shine no matter how small the role.

“Reds”

Warren Beatty co-wrote, produced and directed this historical drama about John Reed, a journalist chronicling the 1917 October Revolution in Russia. Keaton plays Louise Bryant, a married journalist and suffragette who leaves her husband and moves to Greenwich Village with Reed, where she becomes part of a strong group of artists and activists, including playwright Eugene O'Neill (Jack Nicholson). The 195-minute film received critical acclaim and was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Keaton received a second nomination for Best Actress, but ultimately did not win.

'Sleeping'

Keaton plays Luna Schlosser, a 22nd-century poet, in Woody Allen's madcap 1973 sci-fi comedy about a jazz musician named Miles Monroe who owns the health food store Happy Carrot before being cryogenically frozen for 200 years. Miles awakens in 2173 after being secretly revived by a group of rebels and then taken – disguised as a robot – to Luna's home. Hilarious bickering ensues when Luna discovers Miles' true identity, but she ultimately goes along with his cause. Keaton's fabulous silver outfits, her ability to deliver lines like “this is just great” with a straight face, and her heavy use of the “orgasmatron” made the role an instant classic.

“Something has to give”

Keaton was paired again with Jack Nicholson in this 2003 romantic comedy about a pair of mismatched professionals who fall in love in late middle age, despite their best efforts to do otherwise. The stars share an undeniable chemistry between two acting legends whose work at this point in their careers seems completely effortless. The film wasn't a critical home run, but Keaton fans consider it one of her best subsequent roles, and it led to her fourth and final Oscar nomination.