10 Great Films That Lost Money On Ambitious Sets

In the annals of film criticism, Jacques Tati and failure are hardly to be found as a pair. In terms of cost versus profit, however, the magnum opus Playtime was not exactly a cash cow.

The film cost over £13 million to make, around £4 million more than its high-production contemporary 2001: A Space Odyssey. It bankrupted Tati, and even forced him to sell his rights to his previous films. The movie took over three years to make, with the elaborate set consisting of apartments, storefronts, and office buildings, roads, an airport, and scale, but still massive skyscrapers. The little city, dubbed Tativille, even had its own little power plant to keep its lights on.

The opportunity to construct the entire set meant of course total control of mis en scène, which in the hands of a master meant magical results, and a film that is nearly silent and relies on humor built into its alienating, modern spaces.

Playtime is a great example of an artist willing to make great sacrifices to produce his vision. Though the film didn't make enough money to cover its costs, Tati observed that the set was after all the star of the film, and cost about the same as Elizabeth Taylor.