‘Something’s Gotta Give’: What’s so special about this Diane Keaton movie currently streaming?

Diane Keaton ruled Hollywood for several decades since her breakthrough in the 1970s. With trailblazing titles such as Annie Hall, Reds, The First Wives Club, and Book Club just a smattering from the towering actress’ oeuvre spanning more than 40 years, one among them came to mean something special to the performer and her audience alike.

Here’s a nostalgic look back on the somber occasion of Diane Keaton’s unexpectedly sudden demise:

‘Something’s Gotta Give’

This 2003 romantic comedy paired Diane Keaton opposite Jack Nicholson, while Keanu Reeves, Frances McDormand, Amanda Peet, and more came together as the film’s supporting cast.

A story about romance in the twilight years, the plot is described by IMDb as, “A swinger on the cusp of being a senior citizen with a taste for young women falls in love with an accomplished woman closer to his age.”

Something’s gotta be special

The exceptional thing about the Nancy Meyers penned and directed romance is that while Diane Keaton initially thought that the film would fail, it went on to become her favourite among her work.

Sharing the anecdote in her memoir, Then Again, she termed Something’s Gotta Give “my favourite film”.

Per The Guardian, “She recalls particularly the happy memory of a love scene played with Jack Nicholson at the age of 57, and the surprise two years after the movie opened ‘when a cheque with a lot of zeros arrived in the mail for my back-end percentage’.”

A jarring occurrence for her, as she did not have any such deal in her contract, Diane discovered from her agent that her co-star had forwarded “a piece of his own percentage of the movie’s gross.”

The film also remains memorable as being part of the niche which allowed actors in their senior years, particularly women, to lead romances — a practice carried on by the likes of Meryl Streep in films like It’s Complicated (2009) and Hope Springs (2012).

Furthermore, Diane Keaton even received a best actress nomination at the Academy Awards for her work in the film — a slightly defunct practice, which used to see the Academy recognising non-dramatic performances. While it perhaps may even be a sheer testament to the late veteran’s star power.

Streaming

Something’s Gotta Give, starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, is available to stream on Netflix and Apple TV+. 

The title is also available to rent on Amazon Video and Fandango at Home.