10 Movie Scenes That Took The Most Amount Of Takes Ever

by Jack Pooley

1. The Tramp Meets The Flower Girl...342 Times - City Lights

Charlie Chaplin City Lights
United Artists

Though this single scene from the 1931 rom-com City Lights didn't require Charlie Chaplin to ingest a lifetime supply of liquorice, it did see the silent film star force his female lead Virginia Cherrill to suffer through an historic number of takes.

Cherrill played the blind flower girl in the film, and Chaplin reportedly wasn't particularly fond of her acting abilities, so when it came to shooting the early scene where The Tramp meets the flower girl, Chaplin had her shoot the three-minute scene a mind-boggling 342 times.

Given how it's hardly one of the film's most memorable or iconic scenes, it's tough to argue that Chaplin's obsessive, arguably abusive commitment to getting the scene "right" was really worth it at all.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.