The Worst Fishing Scene in Cinematic History, Part II

The Worst Fishing Scene in Cinematic History, Part II

When I posted "The Worst Fishing Scene in Cinematic History" last week, I got some naysaying votes to my choice as Roger Moore as the worst on-screen angler ever. One of these was from Claude McMorris, who argued that Elvis' movie Follow That Dream had the worst fishing scene in cinematic history. I had to find out myself, so I went and got a copy of the movie, and well…the results are below!


The film is set in Florida during the 1950s, where we open with a lovely stock shot of a leaping tarpon -- the king of all herrings.


And we're off. That's Elvis fighting a 50 pound tarpon…with a cane pole? WTF? Really? A CANE POLE? Oh, Elvis. You can't catch a tarpon on a cane pole!


Well, that's a cane pole all right. But how can a tarpon make a run…jump…uh…Elvis!


Stock footage alert! The tarpon appears beaten. Will Elvis defy all the odds and land one of the most powerful fish in the coastal seas on a cane pole (with no reel or drag)?


Plot twist! Enter wealthy angler, who declares he spends $65 a day and never sees a fish this big. He offers Elvis $20 just to fight the fish. Elvis, being aw shucks Elvis, accepts.


Wealthy angler is having a blast -- fishing a big tarpon on a CANE POLE. With a "diaper pin" for a hook, as Elvis helpfully notes. Repeatedly.


The tarpon leaps!


And the wealthy angler inexplicably drops the cane pole and falls down. Scratch that. The tarpon throws the "diaper pin" and the angler "falls down." That is some acting right there.


Elvis inspects the "diaper pin." Yep. That was the culprit, all right!


Plot twist! Enter Grandpa Joe from Willie Wonka, inexplicably arriving with a toilet. The lovely Anne Helm has an idea -- if wealthy anglers will pay $65 a day to go fishing, why not open a bait shop? She takes the $20 the angler gave Elvis and buys herself some fishing tackle.


Oh, let's take a closer look at the tackle counter, shall we? On the right we have a Dayton Bait Co. display card, a Boone Lures jig card next to it, and a host of Shakespeare and Bronson reels on the counter.


Flash forward a couple of days -- Elvis is helping a couple of anglers (including the same wealthy angler who got the idea started in the first place) land fish with brand spanking new gear. Check out the baitcasting rig and spinning rig!


Anne Helm is taking orders for snacks as she walks down a pier full of anglers.


And into her new tackle business! Just like that. Elvis, a "diaper pin," and a cane pole is magically turned into financial salvation! Cue the music!

So there you have it. Our second entry in the "Worst Fishing Scene in Cinematic History." I'm currently taking suggestions for follow ups, I have two others that I will follow up on in the coming weeks. By the way, Rick Osterholt noted the place where they were fishing was the Yankeetown bridge area of Florida…

Check out the clip of Elvis fishing here:



You can buy a copy of Follow That Dream by Clicking Here. It's a fun if silly movie, like many of Elvis' flicks.



-- Dr. Todd