A Constant Forge

The Life and Art of John Cassavetes

A long look at John Cassavetes's films, life (1929-1989), and exploration of how people love. The documentary is composed of Cassavetes's words spoken by an off-screen narrator, clips from his films, photos and clips of him on and off the set, and family, friends, and colleagues talking about his films and what it was like to work with him. The movie explores his focus on emotion, the way he drew out actors, his collaborative process, his energy and joie de vivre, his serious purposes, and the meaning and lasting impact of his work: how adults behave, interact, and seek love rather than how a plot works out.