There’s a reason the last image of The Godfather is not a murder, a betrayal, or a baptism — it’s a door closing. On one side of it stands Michael Corleone, now the unassailable Don. On the other stands Kay Adams, silent, disbelieving, shut out from the world she thought she understood. That door is not just a piece of wood. It’s the film’s entire philosophy, slamming shut on innocence, morality, and love. And it’s Diane Keaton who gives that moment its soul. Francis Ford Coppola’s decision to cast her as Kay was one of the most counterintuitive and inspired moves in cinematic history. In a story about men who build empires out of blood, he chose an actress known for her eccentricity, vulnerability, and unpredictability to play the one character who doesn’t belong. And in doing so, h

See Full Page