JF....hi!!
Not to be a nitpicking nag, but............
That is sort of a myth about it being improv...Yes it is the usual belief that John Cassavetes' movies were improvised, but in reality, it is not the case. I have numerous scripts of his movies which were copywrited prior to the filming of his flicks, and they generally stay true to course. He wrote his scripts by dictating them to his assistant. He would sit there and ramble on, as she hurriedly scribbled down his words. I believe this method of writing will bring about such a wonderful impromptu and improvisational feel. But believe me...his movies were never improvised....not in the final cut, anyway.
And I agree, Peter's performance was wonderful....and he should have been nominated. That one scene where Gena is really freakin out and he starts going crazy too, and yells at his mother...unbelievable..and so raw. And the spaghetti breakfast scene where he is talking about seeing alot of babies around lately!!! I love that scene!!!

Oh, my mistake. I thought I saw a segment in the Constant Forge documentary where Peter Falk talked about how they did improv occasionally. Like how Cassavetes would just sit in a room sometimes and not say anything; he would expect the actors to do the scene naturally based on their instincts. I didn't mean the entire film was improvised, I'm sure there was a script in place, but when you watch certain scenes in his films theres a very spontaneous feeling and he seems to let the actors really go for it. He's really an actor's director.

JF you are right in a way. The bit about him having the actors in a room and having them improvise without saying a word himself. Definitely true. But he wasn't filming at the time. He would let them have at it and then construct the scene's script from there. So in essence I suppose you could say that his movies were basically based in improv. And I am sure that parts of his movies had the actors saying some lines that weren't in the actual script.
I know you know this, but I find it so funny how Peter was so frustrated with the lack of direction he got from John. Benny Gazzara tells a story of how Peter was so flustered during the filming of Husbands, and he asks John what he wants him to do. JC comes back with this long convoluted thing of what he wants him to do...and Peter is so freakin confused......and he asks Gazzara what he thinks JC wants...and Gazzara says..."he just wants you to sit down" I love it!!
That Constant Forge documentary is just terrific! It is so long, but it could of went on for another 6 hours as far as I am concerned!