MovieChat Forums > The First Wives Club (1996) Discussion > Poor old Diane Keaton

Poor old Diane Keaton

posted 18 years ago by HinaElena
27 replies | jump to latest

I feel so sorry for Ms Keaton. She had to sing beside two brilliant singers, obviously with no real training. Both Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn have fantastic voices; I would never be able to sing beside them without feeling incredibly inferior. Therefore, I have such respect for Diane Keaton, but I think it's lucky that she played such a meek character in this film, and was able to hide behind that character to justify her less-than-shining voice.

"Who's gonna move Wayne?" - Richard Simmons

[–] Titanic_Twin_3 18 years ago

Yeah I know what you mean! Diane hasnt got as good as voice like Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn, but I agree that its just as well she played the shy character, cos it covers up how poor she is lol. Not being nasty, I love Diane, she's a legend!! :)

"What We Do In Life, Echo's In Eternity~ Gladiator

[–] jwpeel-1 14 years ago

You know, I felt the same way in the movie Crimes Of the Heart when she was outclassed by Jessica Lange and Sissy Spacek. It was a case of two actresses adn Diane Keaton. And they way she stank up the screen in Godfather Part II with that integral scene with Al Pacino. A legend? Yeah, in her own MIND maybe.

[–] pamurchu 18 years ago

Diane sang fairly well in "Annie Hall."

"What we need here is more cowbell!"...Christopher Walken

[–] panoulis 18 years ago

Also "poor old" Diane Keaton has sung in another Woody Allen film. I think it was Radio Days. She has a soprano voice that is very fine and melodic. I also think she deliberately sung this way in the film, because it was right for the character.

[–] pamurchu 18 years ago

Right--her character in FWC was rather mousy and supposedly too "scared" to sing in front of an audience. I think "poor old Diane Keaton" can sing as well as Goldie Hawn, and no one can compete with Bette Midler!

"What we need here is more cowbell!"...Christopher Walken

[–] ErthlyAngel777 18 years ago

Diane doesn't sing too badly in "Because I Said So."

~*~Love is Pure, Love is Unconditional, Love is God because God is Love~*~

[–] TroubledWorld 18 years ago

In The Little Drummer Girl, Diane delivers a couple notes of "Downtown", Petula Clark's hit ... quite in tune.

Has Diane Keaton ever pretended to be a professional singer, in real life or as a character in a movie? I'm not a singer yet I sing or hum all the time.

[–] witchery8 17 years ago

Goldie wasn't good.

I'm quite a lovely person - apart from my terrible taste in pie.

[–] larpine 17 years ago

Really dumb tread here. Diane Keaton began her career as a singer. Woody Allen gave her the opportunity to play homage to her style of musical talent in "Radio Days", which she received great reviews for a one scene performance. In truth, she probably has more vocal training than Goldie, who was more of a dancer, prior to her transition to acting.

[–] DramaBoy12788 17 years ago

Diane Keaton was in the original Broadway cast of HAIR. She was a musical actress before she was discovered for film.

[–] HinaElena 15 years ago

I stand corrected! Clearly the way she sings here is a testament to her acting ability. I humbly retract my opening statement.

"I have something to say, and I'm gonna say it to you, and you, and you and your hump!"

[–] EmilylnWonderland 11 years ago

^This. I love it when people can admit they were wrong. I was just going to retort that I loved Diane Keaton in "Annie Hall" when she sang "Seems Like Old Times." She had a very soothing, melodic voice and she plays a nightclub singer.

Diane Keaton is by far my favorite actress in this film. :)

[–] Prom_Queen_Carrie 15 years ago

Diane started out singing in clubs. And she famously sang Seems Like Old Times beautifully in Annie Hall. I get the idea some kids today only know Miss Keaton from films like this or Because I Said So. I don't see how Goldie sang any better than Diane. She just had more confidence. Keaton was supposed to be timid.

"I'm f'ing busy-or vice versa"-Dorothy Parker

[–] Hello_Sweetie 15 years ago

Listen carefully to them singing together. Yes, in the beginning, they all have a brief line a capella and Diane does sing "mousy" (they're all still in character at this point), but when they are all singing... Goldie is the weak one. Nobody can hide The Divine Miss M's voice, so filter her out. The other 2 voices... the stronger one is actually Diane, not Goldie.

You can kind of tell, even w/ her mousy start. She's singing in tune, has a beautiful voice, but plays the part on par with her character-she isn't using proper breathing to carry her voice so it appears "weak". Once they get into the song, she drops character and sings correctly.

ETA~ Check out the soundtrack's version sometime :) *You can tell it's the Soundtrack vs the movie cut because the beginning is changed to (Goldie) Pretty Good! (Bette) I'm impressed!*

[–] MaggietheCatIsAlive 15 years ago

Diane Keaton is a trained and wonderful singer, actually. If she didn't sound "shining" it was because her character was supposed to be a bit unsure of herself.

--The day I hold too tightly to my opinion is the day I stop learning. May that day never come.

[–] Barb67 14 years ago

Idiots.

Bette and Diane were the ones who actually sang on this film. Goldie had a voice double.

[–] 14 years ago

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