The Divine Diane Feted At Lincoln Center

Tuesday, April 10-----The divine Diane, Keaton that is, was literally in the spotlight as the Film Society of Lincoln Center held its annual Gala Tribute Monday night, honoring Keaton's nearly forty year career. Celebrity presenters paying homage included frequent collaborator (and one-time partner) Woody Allen, Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Candice Bergen and Sarah Jessica Parker and a who's who of longtime friends in the audience including Jeff Daniels, Carol Kane and tennis great Billie Jean King.

The Tribute fell somewhere between a love-in and a celebrity roast. Woody Allen (who apparently ignored the invitation's dress code suggestion of formal or business attire) set the agenda, following a delicious montage of films clips of himself and Keaton and their eight films together. "Every film I did with Keaton, I always wrote all the good jokes and all the good stuff for me. When the picture came out, she was the funny one -- she got all the reviews. So, you know, it's infuriating. ... " Allen told the audience, to hilarious effect, that he tried to talk Keaton out of being honored so publicly. "What the hell do you want to be honored for?', Allen recounted to a big audience guffaw. I didn't really know what else to say about her, except that she is punctual, thrifty and has a wonderful handwriting."

It's hard to top the deadpan wit of Woody Allen, but serious actress (and equally serious jokester) Meryl Streep came close. She came onto the stage wearing a stunning black pants suit, with her hair pulled back into a wonderfully simple ponytail. "What is it about Diane?" she asked rhetorically. "Why does she own such a singular place in our culture? What makes her such an all-American girl, but still popular in France? What makes her more feminine than any of the sexpots half her age? Why can't I put together outfits like that? I mean, I try. There are many answers to these questions, but what is inescapable is her loveliness. She breaks men's hearts and mends women's."

Women's hearts that she has mended, and who publicly thanked her from the stage, included actress Lisa Kudrow (who Keaton had directed in the 2000 film HANGING UP) who stressed how much fun it was on the Keaton set, ending her remarks with a spot-on impersonation of the somewhat nasal Keaton talking voice; actress Candice Bergen, who spoke of her decades-long friendship with Keaton, who is known in Hollywood for her staunch loyalty; Sarah Jessica Parker (the Sex And The City gal herself) who praised Keaton as an acting trailblazer who influenced her generation of actors; and director Nancy Meyers, who brought late-career gloss to the Keaton career in the FATHER OF THE BRIDE films and the wonderful SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE (2005), co-starring Jack Nicholson, where Keaton, age 60, showed off all in a nude scene that showcased her courage and unflappability (why worry, DK, you look fabulous).

Martin Short, who played the fussy and effeminate wedding planner in both FATHER OF THE BRIDE films, was trademark hilarious in his banter. His best joke: “I did see Diane having dinner with Mel Gibson when they were filming MRS. SOFFEL and I leaned in to eavesdrop. I heard Diane say, “What are we going to do about all these Jews?” If that wasn't outrageous enough, how about presenter Steve Martin and his 7-minute banjo solo? Was this shtick or performance art? But Martin also struck some intimate and memorable chords. He had unearthed a program from a Santa Ana Community College production of Carousel in which Keaton performed the lead role, while he worked as a lowly stagehand. The two never knew each other until years later. Describing his on-screen marriage to Keaton in the two FATHER OF THE BRIDE films: "This is what it's like to be married to Diane Keaton. At 5 o'clock every morning, an hour of make-up and hair. And the good-morning kiss? It's six or seven times! Then we'll have an argument, but it won't be once or twice, but 27 times. From every angle! And it'll be the same exact argument over and over and over. And I'll tell you about the sex, and I hope it won't leave this room....the sex was entirely simulated."

Martin was given to honor to introduce La Keaton herself, who ambled onto the stage to thunderous applause, super stylish in a simple white blouse and long black skirt. She was clearly moved by the tribute and even came to tears when she sang a snippet from the song Seems Like Old Times, which she sang in her Oscar-winning role in ANNIE HALL three decades ago. She generously mentioned each speaker and also the staff of Film Society of Lincoln Center. Her speech was modest, measured and poetic, recalling her childhood ambitions to become an actress, particularly in film. "The beautiful part of acting in movies is that I don't have to do it in front of an audience," she said. "I can do it in secret, with a small family called the crew. In our world, our goal is to transform a moment in time with the hope that it will live on in the hearts and minds of people. Now, maybe that's grandiose, but isn't that some of what acting's about?"

"So I still feel like little Diane, who wanted to be a movie star. I'm still that sad-faced girl, all knotted up in tears running off the stage only to revisit the terror of performing over and over again and again. And I guess the reason is that sometimes after the terror, you do reach a reach a beautiful plateau; you do discover a moment that feels like it will live on forever." Nice stuff, DK. The love was pouring out at you from across a very crowded, very large room. And you returned it right back to us.

Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor (with contribution from C.A. "Deep Throat" Hutton)