Despite "A Day's Pleasure" taking six months to release, the production was surprisingly efficient compared to Chaplin's previous short, June 1919's "Sunnyside." The comedian hadn't released a movie since October 1918's Shoulder Arms." Throughout "Sunnyside's" filming, Chaplin took several days off at a time for what he called mental breaks. He bounced around ideas with friends and played out several skits that he felt could fit his plot of his character employed under a mean boss at a hotel. The production took 151 days for the 30-minute short. Chaplin claimed in his autobiography the making of the film was "like pulling teeth."
But knowing his marriage to Mildred, 12 years younger than him, was a disaster soon after he married the 16-year older, and that divorce proceedings were imminent, Chaplin had his sights on his most ambitious project yet. Inspired by Jackie Coogan, he formulated what would become his first feature film, 'The Kid.'
Review of Sunnyside
