Me
Musical Nephews (1942) |
Yes,
Popeye's nephews are annoying, but at least in this cartoon, they're SUPPOSED
TO BE!! Popeye tries to put them to bed when they'd rather stay up all
night playing instruments. A battle of wills ensues familiar to any parent
whose children have had slumber parties. An imaginative closing scene.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Seein'
Red White 'N' Blue (1943) |
Bluto
tries to dodge the draft but sees the error of his ways. He and Popeye
team up, eat spinach, and lick a nest of spies. (For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Too
Weak To Work (1943) |
Bluto
pretends to be sick (the slacker!) rather than work at getting our ships
ready for the war. Popeye, disguised as a nurse(!), shows him the error
of his ways. |
| Ration
For The Duration (1943) |
Popeye
fights the beanstalk giant, who is hoarding supplies that are needed for
the war effort. I love the Victory Garden that sprouts at the end of the
episode. |
| Cartoons
Ain't Human (1943) |
An
animated cartoon character writes and draws his own animated cartoon. When
Popeye premieres his film for Olive and his nephews, the result is hilarious. |
| We're
On Our Way To Rio (1944) |
Spinach
gives Popeye the power to dance the samba and win a South American Olive
Oyl's heart.
 |
| Pop-Pie
Ala Mode (1945) |
You'll
never see this film, due to its unfortunate use of derogatory racial stereotypes,
which is too bad because it is as disturbing and as engrossing as any episode
of X-Files or Millennium. A tribe of cannibals tries to eat Popeye. |
| Tops
In The Big Top (1945) |
Bluto
frames Popeye as an alcoholic who is wrecking the circus.
After
Olive rejects the Sailor Man,
Bluto
moves in as her new partner. I like cartoons where Bluto uses some smarts
and tricks Popeye and Olive more than cartoons where he just punches Popeye
aside and grabs her. It shows how insidiously evil he really is. (For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Shape
Ahoy (1945) |
Olive
Oyl washes ashore on Popeye and Bluto's island where the two "pals" promptly
forgot they've sworn off women and compete to win her. Alas, she only has
eyes for - Frank Sinatra!! Funny stuff.
 |
| Klondike
Casanova (1946) |
Fur
trader Bluto falls for saloon singer Olive Oyl,
much
to Popeye's chagrin.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Rocket
To Mars (1946) |
Imaginative,
humorous, and even scary sci-fi cartoon with Popeye on the red planet,
battling aliens who want to take over Earth. |
| The
Fistic Mystic (1947) |
Olive
swoons over a swami who uses magic to try to get Popeye out of the way.
 |
| The
Island Fling (1947) |
Another
cartoon with racial stereotypes, but aside from that, a good spoof of island
romance fantasies as a girl-happy Robinson Crusoe decides castaway Olive
is just the full course meal he needs. Popeye cheerfully overcomes ever
increasing obstacles designed to get rid of him.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Abusement
Park (1947) |
Bluto
tries to steal Olive away from Popeye at an amusement park. I hope the
park's owners had a lot of insurance!!
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Popeye
And The Pirates (1947) |
Olive
thinks pirates are exciting and romantic and, wouldn't you know it, a ship
flying the Jolly Roger appears and its captain is more than anxious to
add her to his spoils. Then Popeye shows up as a femme fatale!!!???!!!
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| The
Royal Four Flusher (1947) |
The
plot of this cartoon is classic Famous Studios. In fact, it's what most
people think the majority of their cartoons were like. Bluto charms Olive,
dispatches
Popeye,
gets
Olive alone in his penthouse,
traps
her in a straight jacket (?!?!?!),
and
moves in for a kiss. Olive screams, Popeye eats his spinach, and Bluto
is history.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Safari
So Good (1947) |
"Me,
Tarzan. You, Olive Oyl." That about sums it up. Popeye trounces herds of
wild animals in ways that would give PETA nightmares, but they are funny.
 |
| All's
Fair At The Fair (1947) |
A
hot air balloonist wants to take Olive for a ride. Luckily for Popeye,
there's a spinach canning exhibit at the fair, just as there undoubtedly
are at the county fairs you've attended.
 |
| Olive
Oyl For President (1948) |
A
look inside Olive Oyl's mind as she sings a catchy song about what she'd
do if elected.
A top-notch
musical cartoon. Maybe Elizabeth Dole could pick up some pointers.
 |
| Pre-Hysterical
Man (1948) |
Olive
falls into a valley that time forgot
and
is rescued by a caveman who wants her as his mate.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Popeye
Meets Hercules (1948) |
The
ancient Greek gods look on as Hercules makes a play for the smitten Olive
and
Popeye attempts to win her back by besting the mythological figure in feats
of strength. Popeye actually prays in this cartoon (albeit to the
goddess of spinach)!!!
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| A
Wolf In Sheik's Clothing (1948) |
In
the Middle East (where it is so hot that Popeye's shadow uses an umbrella
to shade itself),
Olive
fantasizes about being romanced by a sheik.
Unfortunately
for Popeye, she meets one who is extremely willing to oblige.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Snow
Place Like Home (1948) |
A
tornado whisks Popeye and Olive up off a beach
and
deposits them in the Arctic Circle
where
a hot-blooded French trading post keeper saves Olive from freezing to death
and proceeds to try to warm things up with her even more.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Symphony
In Spinach (1948) |
Maestro
Bluto uses music to woo Olive when he and Popeye compete for a job in her
band.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Lumberjack
and Jill (1949) |
Olive
Oyl arrives as the new cook at Popeye and Bluto's logging camp
and
Bluto wastes no time in trying to get his "partner" out of the way.
 |
| A
Balmy Swami (1949) |
A
stage magician entrances Olive
and
when Popeye interferes with the trick, the sleepwalking Ms. Oyl strolls
into danger at a nearby construction site.
 |
| Silly
Hillbilly(1949) |
Traveling
salesman Popeye brings all sorts of "new fangled, modern convenience gadgets"
to hillbillies Bluto and Olive Oyl.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Gym
Jam (1950) |
Bluto
disguises himself as a woman to join a class at Popeye's gym and get close
to Olive.
Popeye
had better get his one remaining eye examined - Fast!!!! The only
way he could fall for this trick is if he was going blind.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Beach
Peach (1950) |
A lifeguard
notices Olive in her bikini,
and
Popeye's suddenly in deep trouble.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Jitterbug
Jive (1950) |
Old-fashioned
Popeye annoys Olive,
who
wants her party to be a swinging affair, and hep cat Bluto arrives, who
wants to smooch with his hostess.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.)
|
| Quick
On The Vigor (1950) |
At
a fair/amusement park, Olive throws Popeye over for Bluto the strongman.
But
when Bluto wants "a little kiss" at the top of the ferris wheel, suddenly
it's, "Help, Popeye, Help!"
Olive
is not exactly known for her fidelity. (For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Farmer
And The Belle (1950) |
Popeye
and Bluto compete for a job on Olive Oyl's farm.
Popeye
wins,
but
Bluto is a poor loser (imagine that!).
 |
| Vacation
With Play (1950) |
At a
summer resort, Popeye tries to keep Olive Oyl and the athletics instructor
from getting physical with each other.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Alpine
For You (1951) |
Popeye
and Olive go mountain climbing
but
guide Bluto wants to steer Olive to a place where they can be alone.
 |
| Tots
Of Fun (1952) |
Popeye's
nephews cause havoc while "helping" their uncle build a house. They
synchronize their antics to music on their record player. |
| Taxi
Turvy (1954) |
Popeye
and Bluto compete, not for Olive's heart, but for her business as they
portray rival cab drivers. Bluto finally wises up and snatches the
spinach away from Popeye as he's about to eat it. (Don't worry.
It all turns out okay.) |
| Private
Eye Popeye (1954) |
Popeye
pursues a jewel thief around the world in a cartoon very reminiscent of
Tex Avery's Droopy films.
 |
| Beaus
Will Be Beaus - (1955) |
Bluto
repeatedly tricks Popeye into breaking his promise to Olive at the beach.
It looks
as if Bluto has finally won Olive
- until
Popeye plays a trick of his own.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Mister
And Mistletoe (1955) |
Bluto
pretends to be Santa Claus in order to spend Christmas Eve snuggling with
Olive Oyl.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Cops
Is Tops (1956) |
Popeye's
afraid that policewoman Olive is in over her head, so he sneaks along on
her beat.
Both
characters have their eyes opened to the assets of the other.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Insect
To Injury (1956) |
A
swarm of termites tries to munch down on Popeye's house, leading to a battle
of wits worthy of Warner Brother's classic Looney Tunes.
 |
| Parlez-Vous
Woo (1956) |
Bluto
disguises himself as Olive's favorite TV star.
The
Famous Studios' revamp of Olive Oyl's looks reaches its zenith in this
cartoon.
(For
a further review of this cartoon, click on the name.) |
| Spree
Lunch (1957) |
Popeye
and Bluto are rival diner owners competing for Wimpy's business.
Wimpy, of course, milks the situation for all it's worth and winds up with
all the free food he can handle. |
