DIANE KEATON as Annie Hall in ANNIE HALL (1977)

DIANE KEATON

DIANE KEATON as Annie Hall in ANNIE HALL

Diane Keaton is ANNIE HALL (1977), which Allen wrote specifically for her (her real last name is Hall, and her nickname is Annie), and what an impact she made in modern cinema. In really examining what she accomplished - It’s historic and unprecedented. She won the Oscar and the British Academy Award for Best Actress and she started a fashion trend with her unisex clothes and was the poster girl for a lot of young males. Her mannerisms and awkward speech became almost a national craze. The question being asked, though, was, "Is she just a lightweight playing herself, or is there more depth to her personality?". Well we know from the her dramatic work and life – we know there’s great depth. Fitting all the criteria for a true anti-acting Signature Role - this is the one. There’s rarely a scene or frame that Diane is alone without Woody. Not sure if he’s wanting to share the experience or let you know that this is his find of the century.

Diane did the exact opposite what Goldie Hawn did with her career. Instead of playing into the hand she was dealt - Diane played hard Hard against it, with Allens help. Directly to INTERIORS and then MANHATTAN Different harder edged scripts then to the end of their relationship but not the end of their tight connection. Woody shows early cuts of all his films to Diana / Annie and no one else. A partnership of spiritual – lasting endurance.

This film raised the standard of the American Romantic Comedy and changed the way women could be seen on screen. They can really let it all hang out. She said That “Of course I recognized myself in the roles Woody wrote. I mean, in ANNIE HALL (1977) particularly. I was this sort of novice who had lots of feelings but didn't know how to express herself, and I see that in Annie. I think Woody used a kind of essential quality that he found in me at that time, and I'm glad he did because it worked really well in the movie." Ok she’s playing herself or a version of herself or what woody wanted or perceived, but it’s all her. Even that look. No Oscar nomination for costume design, because all that came from Diane. Woody told the designer to “leave her alone – she’s comfortable. I don’t want to bother her, let her wear the hats and goofy large tie”

The word I use when describing this role is “effortless” I tell actors all the time stop acting, ‘Just Be you – It’s you – coming from you – don’t hide how you would react. Just listen to the other person on stage and be you – start with you – Worry about character late’” We are watching Diane / Annie – this is her at that time.

Annie Hall is a comedy, yes, and there are moments in it as funny as anything Woody has done, but the movie represents a growth from her earlier films on Allen's part. From a filmmaker who would do anything for a laugh, whose primary mission seemed to be to get through the next five minutes, Allen has developed in Sleeper, Love and Death, and this film into a much more thoughtful and (is it possible?) more mature director.
Maybe that's why Annie Hall is called a "nervous romance": because Allen himself is a little nervous about this frankly nostalgic, romantic, and sentimental material. He throws in a few gags (like the hilarious walk-on by Marshall McLuhan) almost to reassure his old fans that all's well at the laugh works. But he wants to do a lot more this time than just keep us laughing. By looking into some of his own relationships, some of his own patterns, he wants to examine how a personality works. And so there are two Woody Allens here: Our old pal the original Woody, who's given to making asides directly into the camera, and a new Allen who creates Alvy Singer in his own image and then allows him to behave consistently, even sometimes at the cost of laughs. It's this new Woody who has the nervous romance, the complicated relationship with the would-be nightclub singer Annie Hall, played by Diane Keaton with an interesting mixture of maternal care, genuine love, and absolute craziness. She is everything that the film is – we know – inspired by her . She is Witty, neurotic, quick whited one liners – pop out of the scene funny – serious, bad driving – everything in the movie we know is Diane Keaton. Science says with ‘every action they should be an exact opposite reaction’ – with Diane Keaton she does it all by herself. She says something – She listens to her partner, Allen, and then herself saying what she has said, laughs self-effacing at the scene and herself saying it – She then plays it back again in her head in a self deprecating laugh – analysing her own self absorption / self consumption and silliness. Shakes it off “La- dee Da, la la” , very smart yet goofy again laughs at herself again – readjusting and we somehow follow along without a misstep. Fiery and alive every single moment.

“Diane starts apologizing when she wakes up, that’s just the way she is”, says Allen.

A genius modern female talent arrives to help women who don’t necessary have to act like man to have power. You can be exactly who you are – with all your craziness and wit and personal style and still be counted. A very reassuring feminist character. Who wouldn’t fall in love with that.

Brilliant filmmaker/actor meets brilliant actress - Diane Keaton.