Overlay: Improvised scenes in Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	0	0	9

How were these counts calculated?

Counts based on original analysis categories (not yet classified).

Errors = Critical Errors + Imprecisions

Missing = Critical Omissions + Notable Gaps

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Eyes Wide Shut (1999), are there any scenes that were improvised by the actors, and if so, which ones?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

While Stanley Kubrick is often remembered as a rigid perfectionist, his process for Eyes Wide Shut (1999) actually involved a significant amount of collaboration and improvisation, particularly during the lengthy rehearsal periods.

Below are the specific scenes where actors improvised or contributed key unscripted elements:

1. The Opening Scene (Alice Undressing)

In the very first shot of the film, Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman) is seen from behind dropping her black dress to the floor. This entire sequence was essentially improvised by Kidman in terms of movement and wardrobe.

The Detail: Kidman brought several of her own dresses from her personal closet to show Kubrick. She demonstrated how she would naturally undress, and Kubrick liked the specific way she let the dress fall. This action was not detailed in the original script but was developed on set through their collaboration.

2. The Bedroom "Monologue" / Marijuana Scene

The scene where Bill and Alice smoke a joint and Alice confesses her fantasy about a naval officer is perhaps the most famous example of improvisation in the film.

The Detail: Kidman and Cruise spent six to eight weeks rehearsing this scene at Kubrick's home before ever stepping onto a set. According to Kidman, the beginning of the scene was entirely improvised through these rehearsals.
Ad-libs: During the filming of the long monologue, Kidman "ad-libbed" various lines and reactions. Kubrick would watch her, take notes on the phrases he liked, and then rewrite the scene or tell her to "keep that moment." The scene's final 13-to-14-minute duration was "constructed as they went along" rather than being performed verbatim from a pre-set script.

3. The Hotel Clerk Scene (Alan Cumming)

Alan Cumming plays the flirtatious hotel desk clerk who tells Bill that Nick Nightingale has been taken away by "big guys."

The Detail: During one take, Cumming improvised a suggestive hand gesture (widening his hands as if measuring size) when describing the "big men."
The Result: Kubrick found the gesture hilarious and perfect for the character's eccentric, flirtatious tone. In a subsequent take where Cumming forgot to do it, Kubrick stopped the scene and asked, "Why are you not doing the thing with your hands?" It became a permanent part of the performance.

4. General Performance and Tone (Todd Field & Sydney Pollack)

While the dialogue for the more "plot-heavy" scenes (like the final pool table confrontation with Victor Ziegler) was meticulously written, the actions and tone were often discovered in the moment.

Todd Field (Nick Nightingale): Field noted that Kubrick's method was to create an environment and then wait to see "what was going to happen." He would let the actors experiment until he saw a specific gesture or tone he liked, at which point he would "lock it in" and have them repeat it for dozens of takes.
Sydney Pollack (Victor Ziegler): Pollack observed that Kubrick valued "interesting" over "real." If an actor did something spontaneous that added a layer of mystery or subtext, Kubrick would abandon the original plan to pursue that new direction.

Summary Table of Improvised Elements

Scene	Actor	Nature of Improvisation
Opening Shot	Nicole Kidman	Wardrobe choice and the specific physical action of undressing.
Bedroom Confession	Kidman & Cruise	The dialogue flow and "stoned" behavior; much of the monologue's specific phrasing.
Hotel Desk	Alan Cumming	The suggestive "measuring" hand gesture while talking about the "big guys."
Billiard Room	Sydney Pollack	Specific tonal shifts and physical blocking developed over 7 weeks of rehearsal.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] Kubrick's process on this film is widely documented as involving extensive rehearsal and collaboration, distinct from his reputation for rigid pre-planning.

[2] Kidman has confirmed in interviews that the opening shot's action and wardrobe were her contribution.

[3] Kidman stated: 'That was my dress from my closet. This is how I take off the dress, Stanley...'

[4] Kidman told the LA Times: 'For that scene, we improvised the beginning of it through the rehearsals.'

[5] Kidman described the scene as being 'constructed as we went along' during the lengthy rehearsal period.

[6] Alan Cumming recounted this specific improvisation in interviews, noting he added the gesture to be 'big'.

[7] Cumming confirmed Kubrick's reaction: 'Why are you not doing the thing with your hands?'

[8] Todd Field has described Kubrick's method as 'writing' through rehearsal, where the scene would change hour to hour.

[9] Pollack is quoted saying 'Real is good, interesting is better' regarding Kubrick's direction.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

No oversights detected.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Did Rade Serbedzija improvise any scenes in Eyes Wide Shut?

#02 How long was the rehearsal period for Eyes Wide Shut?

#03 What specific dress did Nicole Kidman wear in the opening of Eyes Wide Shut?

#S SOURCES

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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While Stanley Kubrick is often remembered as a rigid perfectionist, his process for Eyes Wide Shut (1999) actually involved a significant amount of collaboration and improvisation, particularly during the lengthy rehearsal periods. Below are the specific scenes where actors improvised or contributed key unscripted elements: ### 1. The Opening Scene (Alice Undressing) In the very first shot of the film, Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman) is seen from behind dropping her black dress to the floor. This entire sequence was essentially improvised by Kidman in terms of movement and wardrobe. * **The Detail:** Kidman brought several of her own dresses from her personal closet to show Kubrick. She demonstrated how she would naturally undress, and Kubrick liked the specific way she let the dress fall. This action was not detailed in the original script but was developed on set through their collaboration. ### 2. The Bedroom "Monologue" / Marijuana Scene The scene where Bill and Alice smoke a joint and Alice confesses her fantasy about a naval officer is perhaps the most famous example of improvisation in the film. * **The Detail:** Kidman and Cruise spent six to eight weeks rehearsing this scene at Kubrick's home before ever stepping onto a set. According to Kidman, the **beginning of the scene** was entirely improvised through these rehearsals. * **Ad-libs:** During the filming of the long monologue, Kidman "ad-libbed" various lines and reactions. Kubrick would watch her, take notes on the phrases he liked, and then rewrite the scene or tell her to "keep that moment." The scene's final 13-to-14-minute duration was "constructed as they went along" rather than being performed verbatim from a pre-set script. ### 3. The Hotel Clerk Scene (Alan Cumming) Alan Cumming plays the flirtatious hotel desk clerk who tells Bill that Nick Nightingale has been taken away by "big guys." * **The Detail:** During one take, Cumming improvised a **suggestive hand gesture** (widening his hands as if measuring size) when describing the "big men." * **The Result:** Kubrick found the gesture hilarious and perfect for the character's eccentric, flirtatious tone. In a subsequent take where Cumming forgot to do it, Kubrick stopped the scene and asked, "Why are you not doing the thing with your hands?" It became a permanent part of the performance. ### 4. General Performance and Tone (Todd Field & Sydney Pollack) While the dialogue for the more "plot-heavy" scenes (like the final pool table confrontation with Victor Ziegler) was meticulously written, the actions and tone were often discovered in the moment. * **Todd Field (Nick Nightingale):** Field noted that Kubrick's method was to create an environment and then wait to see "what was going to happen." He would let the actors experiment until he saw a specific gesture or tone he liked, at which point he would "lock it in" and have them repeat it for dozens of takes. * **Sydney Pollack (Victor Ziegler):** Pollack observed that Kubrick valued "interesting" over "real." If an actor did something spontaneous that added a layer of mystery or subtext, Kubrick would abandon the original plan to pursue that new direction. ### Summary Table of Improvised Elements | Scene | Actor | Nature of Improvisation | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Opening Shot** | Nicole Kidman | Wardrobe choice and the specific physical action of undressing. | | **Bedroom Confession** | Kidman & Cruise | The dialogue flow and "stoned" behavior; much of the monologue's specific phrasing. | | **Hotel Desk** | Alan Cumming | The suggestive "measuring" hand gesture while talking about the "big guys." | | **Billiard Room** | Sydney Pollack | Specific tonal shifts and physical blocking developed over 7 weeks of rehearsal. |

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

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Yes, several scenes in Eyes Wide Shut involved improvisation, most notably the opening shot where Nicole Kidman improvised the action of dropping her dress (which was her own), the bedroom marijuana scene which was developed through weeks of rehearsal and improvisation by Kidman and Cruise, and the hotel clerk scene where Alan Cumming improvised a suggestive hand gesture that Kubrick insisted be kept.

OVERLAY REPORT