Stuff I Like: "Tarpon" The Movie

Director Guy de la Valdene's “Tarpon” is by far the best movie ever made about saltwater fly fishing. It was shot in Key West in 1973 and captures the town on film as is existed back then the same way that Jimmy Buffett did on his albums of that era. And if the movie’s instrumental soundtrack sounds familiar, that’s Buffett’s work there, too.

“Tarpon” follows a handful of guides and anglers, including author Tom McGuane, chasing these giant fish off Key West well before the rest of the world discovered the sport. It’s fascinating to see how much things have evolved since those days of thick fiberglass rods and flats boats with wood trim. And the sheer numbers of tarpon that these guys practically had to themselves is jaw-dropping. The slow-motion footage here has never been topped.

While the fishing scenes are stunning, my favorite thing about the movie is that it serves as a time capsule for a Key West that no longer exists. The island was my home for over a decade but I arrived too late to see it like this. Duval Street of the early 70’s was a place were you could sit in an open air bar and shoot the breeze for hours at night with your fishing buddies, hammering out the plan of attack for the next morning over cheap long necks while the hippy in the corner sang songs about Nashville. That Key West is so far gone these days that I almost get choked up when I see it in its natural state here in this movie.

The real payoff when you watch “Tarpon” for the first time is its perfect portrayal of fly fishing as a sport for conservationists. In one single scene it drives that message home better than anything that’s ever been written or filmed. I won’t give it away, but when that scene comes, without any narration, you’ll be stunned at the subtle brilliance of it all. It’s the movies entire focus and foundation delivered in one quiet moment.

After it was filmed, “Tarpon” went into limbo. It was shown a few times on TV and then went into Valdene’s vault. Somehow, a primitive video tape was made and started getting passed around by guides and fishermen. Over the last three decades “Tarpon” gained a cult following in the Keys and we used to play a grainy, pirated copy all day long in the fly shop where I occasionally worked. We were pretty sad the day the VCR finally ate the worn out tape. When I heard last March that a remastered version would be released on DVD, I was thrilled. Seeing it for the first time in its original state makes Guy’s achievement even more brilliant than I ever realized.

If you’re a tarpon fisherman, or want to be, owning this movie is a must. This is the “Citizen Kane” of fishing documentaries. If you’re a Jimmy Buffett fan then you’ll also need a copy. Jimmy’s instrumental soundtrack with the early Coral Reefers gives the movie a perfect atmosphere of the Key West that he knew in the 70‘s. If you just appreciate good filmmaking, then pick up a copy, too. Watching it never gets old and you can’t wear out a DVD.