‘City Lights’: Charlie Chaplin Set a Record by Filming an Iconic Scene 342 Times
Jake Gyllenhaal was irritated by David Fincher’s constant retakes in ‘Zodiac’, while David Prowse notoriously made fun of Kubrick’s numerous takes in ‘A Clockwork Orange’. Obsessive perfectionism is a well-known trait of both directors. But in his 1931 movie ‘City Lights’, Charlie Chaplin reportedly filmed one sequence an incredible 342 times, taking dedication to new heights.
In the movie City Lights’, Chaplin’s beloved Little Tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl who thinks he’s a rich man. He becomes friends with an inebriated millionaire in the meantime, which exacerbates the comedy pandemonium. Despite being a romantic comedy, the film’s production was extremely difficult. At that point, synchronized sound was becoming commonplace, which meant that silent movies were coming to an end. Chaplin was under tremendous pressure to make ‘City Lights’ flawless because it was his last completely silent picture.
Image Courtesy: Variety
The story’s main attraction, the meet-cute between the Tramp and the florist, was meticulously filmed hundreds of times. Chaplin found it challenging to evaluate sequences while balancing performing and directing as he was unable to rapidly check takes without digital replay. Actress Virginia Cherrill suffered during the drawn-out process of numerous retakes due to this requirement for accuracy. David Robinson’s ‘Chaplin, His Life and Art’ claims that Cherrill, a novice actress, was at odds with Chaplin’s exacting techniques. At one point, Chaplin even fired her, but he later hired her again because it was impossible to re-film her sequences.
Even though Chaplin was a demanding perfectionist, the final product was worthy of being considered one of the greatest films ever made. Even now, almost a century later, ‘City Lights’ is still regarded as one of the best movies, according to Sight & Sound. Even while Chaplin’s dedication was taxing on the actors and crew, it created a lasting legacy and guaranteed ‘City Lights’ status as a classic comedy and romance film that never fails to enthral viewers.
–Farheen Ali
