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3.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 3.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Cobb Goes Fishing remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
You should watch this if you have a few minutes and want to see what 'content' looked like 100 years ago. It is perfect for people who like historical curiosities or just want to see two famous guys from the past acting like regular humans. If you need a plot or any kind of stakes, you will probably hate it. It’s not The Silent Battle where things actually happen.
It’s just Irvin S. Cobb and Grantland Rice. Cobb was a big deal writer back then, a real heavy-set guy with a lot of personality. Grantland Rice was the legendary sportswriter who basically invented how we talk about athletes. Here, they are just two guys in a boat.
The boat looks way too small for Cobb. Every time he moves, I honestly thought the whole thing was going to capsize. It’s that nervous energy you get when you see a big guy in a tiny rowboat. He doesn't seem worried, though.
There is this one shot where Cobb is trying to handle his fishing rod and a cigar at the same time. It’s incredibly clumsy. He looks like he’s more interested in the cigar than the fish. I respect that energy a lot.
The water looks strangely white on the old film stock. It makes the whole lake look like a big sheet of glass. It’s much more peaceful than the snowy drama in When Snow Flies. There is no wind, just these two dudes sitting there.
Grantland Rice actually looks like he knows how to fish. He has this serious focus in his eyes. Cobb, on the other hand, looks like he’s waiting for someone to bring him a sandwich. He keeps looking at the camera like he’s about to tell a joke we can’t hear.
I noticed a bucket in the middle of the boat. It just sits there for most of the film. I spent about three minutes wondering if there was actually anything in the bucket. They never really show the inside of it clearly.
The editing is pretty rough. It just cuts from them sitting to them suddenly having a fish. Or sometimes they don't have a fish. It’s not trying to tell a story about a 'big catch.' It’s more of a vibe check from 1925.
It reminds me of those modern YouTube videos where nothing happens but you watch anyway. It’s very low pressure. You don't have to think about the 'human condition' or anything heavy. It’s just fishing.
If you’ve seen The Yellow Dog, you know how these old shorts can feel a bit random. This one is even more random. It feels like the cameraman was just bored and followed them out to the lake.
There’s a moment where Cobb adjusts his hat that felt very real. It wasn't a 'movie' moment. It was just a guy whose hat was slipping. I like those little bits that weren't supposed to be 'acting.'
The trees in the background are totally still. It makes the whole world feel like a painting. Compared to the intensity of The Shooting of Dan McGrew, this is practically a nap. But a good nap.
I wonder if they caught anything they actually kept. Probably not. They look like they are just there to escape their wives or their editors for an afternoon. Grantland Rice keeps pointing at things off-screen. We never see what he’s pointing at.
It’s a bit weird seeing these 'giants' of journalism just fumbling with bait. It makes them feel smaller, but in a nice way. Like you could have sat on the dock and shouted at them and they would’ve waved back.
The film ends abruptly. No credits, no big finale. They just... stop fishing. It’s very honest in that way. Most fishing trips end exactly like that, with a bit of a shrug.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it better than watching a loud commercial? Yes. It has a strange charm that is hard to explain unless you just sit through it. It’s definitely more relaxing than Kastus Kalinovskiy.
Check it out if you want to see Cobb's magnificent mustache in high contrast. It’s probably the best part of the whole ten minutes. Well, that and the tiny boat almost sinking.
IMDb —
1920
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