Something's Gotta Give': The Diane Keaton Movie That Meant the Most to Her

Diane Keaton left behind a filmography spanning more than five decades, filled with wit, grace and characters who redefined what it meant to be a modern woman. From Annie Hall to The First Wives Club, she became a cultural touchstone for generations.

Yet when asked which role meant the most to her, Keaton did not choose her Oscar-winning turn as Annie Hall. Instead, she pointed to a different love story, one about ageing, vulnerability and unexpected romance: Something's Gotta Give.

The beloved actress, who passed away at 79, revealed in her 2011 memoir Then Again that the 2003 Nancy Meyers film held a special place in her heart.

Writing with typical candour, she admitted she never expected it to succeed. 'I thought it was destined to fail,' she said. 'But it became my favourite film.'

A Love Story That Hit Close to Home

Keaton's affection for Something's Gotta Give went far beyond box-office success, though the film earned more than $260 million (£203 million) worldwide. It was deeply personal.

The actress often said she related to Erica Barry, the middle-aged playwright who falls in love with Jack Nicholson's charming but commitment-shy bachelor, Harry Sanborn.

The story's mix of humour, heartbreak and self-discovery mirrored Keaton's own life, a woman who had found independence but never gave up on love. Her performance earned her a fourth Oscar nomination and reminded audiences that romance and reinvention do not end at 50.

In one memorable anecdote from her memoir, Keaton recalled the filming of a love scene with Nicholson, which she described as both hilarious and oddly tender.

Later, she revealed that Nicholson had quietly gifted her a share of his back-end earnings from the film's profits. 'A cheque with a lot of zeros arrived in the mail,' she wrote. It was an unexpected gesture that reflected the warmth and respect between two Hollywood icons.

The Perfect Partnership with Nancy Meyers

Keaton's creative chemistry with director Nancy Meyers had begun years earlier with Baby Boom (1987) and continued through the Father of the Bride films. But Something's Gotta Give captured something deeper: the delicate blend of comedy and melancholy that made Keaton unforgettable.

Meyers' writing gave her space to shine, neurotic yet charming, sophisticated yet disarmingly honest. It was, as many critics observed, the perfect Keaton role. The film's success cemented their collaboration as one of the most defining partnerships in modern romantic comedy.

'Nancy wrote women who were complicated and human,' Keaton once said. 'She gave me characters who could laugh, cry, and still be completely themselves.'

A Romantic Realist at Heart

Even late in her career, Keaton was drawn to stories that explored love in all its forms, messy, imperfect and real. Speaking to Vulture in 2020, she admitted that she still adored the Father of the Bride films, which she called 'touching and timeless'.

'Honestly, you can think it's sappy, but I love them,' she said. 'I just rewatched them, and they were just as good.' Her warmth for those roles reflected what audiences loved most about her: the ability to make sentiment feel sincere.

The Role That Reflected Her Life

For Keaton, Something's Gotta Give was more than a film; it was a mirror. Like Erica Barry, she had built a life defined by independence, creativity and a refusal to conform. Yet she never lost faith in the possibility of connection.

Her humour, her vulnerability and her quiet resilience resonated with millions of women who saw themselves in her characters, witty, flawed and fearless in the face of change.

In the end, it is fitting that the film she cherished most was one about rediscovering love and purpose later in life. Much like Erica Barry, Diane Keaton lived unapologetically, laughed easily and reminded the world that there is always room for another chapter.