Diane Keaton Chose Heaven

 

I was surprised by the news that actor Diane Keaton has died but then I'm regularly smacked in the chops when the familiar faces of my earlier self shuffle off this mortal coil. Keaton was 79, an age which is relatively young now that I'm a septuagenerian. 

When I think of Diane Keaton roles it's the Woody Allen comedies such as Annie Hall that come to mind, then other funny films to which her quirky talents were well suited. I had to be reminded that her rise to fame began with the Godfather films, decidedly unfunny roles. I recall her being good in Reds the historical drama with Warren Beatty as her co-star.  

There are two "religious" Keaton films I haven't seen, a documentary called Heaven (1987) and a comedy/drama, Sister Mary Explains it All (2001). Keaton was brought up first intensely then nominally religious in a combined Roman Catholic and Methodist household. She rejected the notion of Hell but was intrigued by the afterlife so she made a film about it. Somewhat perversely, Keaton figured she would be terrible as Sister Mary so she took it on. The reviews for Heaven were not kind but I searched it out online and lasted about five minutes before deciding that the critics had it right. Sister Mary was panned as well so she might have gone with her first instinct. 

I am intrigued by the love/hate relationship so many people have with religion. While lots of people reject the strictures and dogma of the religion of their upbringing they can't let go of spiritual meaning for this life and the next. I hadn't been aware that Keaton struggled with bulimia for decades, gorging herself on food only to force herself to throw it all up. She described herself as an addict who eventually addressed this mysterious form of destructive hunger. I suppose we all have our hungers, including the spiritual hunger that affects humanity for good and bad. 

It seems that everyone who worked with Diane Keaton loved her and she took a "I did it my way" approach to life that eventually brought her contentment.

Is Diane Keaton at the top of my list of favourite actors? I'm inclined to say no but when I look at the list of her films it is an impressive body of work. Here's hoping that she stepped from this life to the next and has her spiritual curiosity and hunger fulfilled.