Discontented Cowboys (1920) - A messy, dusty silent short.

If you have twenty minutes and don't mind a lot of dust on your screen, Discontented Cowboys is a fine way to kill time. It is perfect for people who like watching middle-aged men look completely lost in the desert. If you hate silent slapstick where the jokes are telegraphed five minutes before they happen, you should probably stay away. 🌵

George Sidney and Charles Murray are doing their usual bit here. They look like they are having a contest to see who can look more out of place in a pair of chaps. There is this one scene where Sidney tries to get on a horse and it is just... sad. He kind of flops around like a fish that’s been out of the water too long.

I noticed one of the background cowboys has a hat that is way too big for his head. It keeps slipping down over his eyes while he is trying to look tough. It was honestly the funniest thing in the movie and I am 90% sure it wasn't supposed to be funny.

The writing by Ralph Ceder and James Mulhauser feels like it was scribbled on a napkin during a very short lunch. Not that you need a deep script for a movie about guys falling over. It is mostly just an excuse for Roger Gray to yell at everyone while looking grumpy.

I've seen stuff like Oh, What a Kick! which has a bit more energy than this. This one feels like everyone was a little bit tired from the heat. The camera stays very still, almost like the cameraman was afraid to move and kick up more dust.

There is a bit with a rope that goes on for way too long. You know exactly what is going to happen—someone is going to get tangled and fall. But they take their sweet time getting to the actual fall. The silence of the film actually makes the timing feel even slower than it really is.

Wait, I have to mention the mustache on Monte Collins. It looks like a fuzzy caterpillar died on his upper lip. I could not stop staring at it during the few close-ups we got. It’s very distracting. 🐛

It is not as weird or creative as something like The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays. It has that early cinema charm where you can tell they were just figuring out what makes a crowd laugh. Mostly, they decided that people falling down is always a win.

If you have seen Oiling Uncle, you already know the vibe here. Low stakes, high physical effort, and a whole lot of squinting at the sun. ☀️

One shot lingers on a cow for about ten seconds for no reason. The cow looks extremely bored. Honestly, I felt a deep connection with that cow at that moment.

The ranch itself looks like a vacant lot with a fence. I wonder where they actually filmed this. It was probably just in the dirt lot behind the studio. The lighting is that harsh, midday sun that makes everyone look like they are melting into their vests.

There’s a scene in a kitchen—or what they want us to think is a kitchen. The stove looks like a cardboard box painted black. One of the actors bumps into it and the whole thing wobbles like it’s about to blow away. I love seeing those little mistakes in these old films because it reminds you they were just winging it.

If you're looking for something more artistic like The Violinist of Florence, this isn't it. This is just bread and butter comedy. It is the kind of thing you would see at a nickelodeon for a few cents and then forget about by dinner.

The ending is very abrupt. It just stops. No big wrap-up or lesson learned. Just a title card and then blackness. It’s like the actors just walked off the set and went home to take a bath. 🛁

I think the horse was actually the best actor in the whole thing. It had a very expressive face. Much better than Charles Murray’s constant pouting.

I also noticed the film quality is super grainy, which actually helps the atmosphere. It makes everything feel even more dusty and dry. You can almost feel the grit in your own eyes while watching Sidney struggle with his lasso.

Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not. Is it worth a look if you are a silent film nerd? Sure. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It’s just some guys in the dirt. 🤠