Abstract: Films having widths of up to one meter or more can be coated at high coating speeds of up to 400 meters per minute or more with coating compositions having viscosities reaching up to 400 centipoises or more by arranging first and second guide rollers, a coating roller and rotating smoothing rod such that the path of travel of the film during the coating procedure is a substantially circular path whose diameter is preferably about one meter. During the coating procedure, the tension of the film by the first and second guide rollers is regulated independently of the speed at which the film travels. The apparatus and process have applicability to a wide range of films and coating compositions.