The boys "take turns" (not willingly) necking with Olive in the Tunnel Of Love, with each displaced suitor in turn swimming behind the boat.  Then in a mix-up, Olive ends up in the water while Popeye and Bluto, with their eyes closed, snuggle each other.

Olive has a wild ride being dragged along in back of the car on the roller coaster track.  She takes out an industrial smoke stack and captures a string of circus elephants.  And then she has to endure the guys literally fighting on top of her!

The final pose at the Photo Booth involves the elephants, Popeye, Olive, Bluto, and a mermaid mannequin.

One of the cartoons where Bluto, or another of Popeye's rivals, actually saves Olive's life at one point in the cartoon.  Of course, here, it was his fault she was in trouble to begin with, and he went on to cruelly put her in danger again.

This isn't really an oddity, but the scene where the unconscious Popeye sails away with the fake blonde while Bluto tells Olive that Popeye threw her over made a big impression on me when I was young.  I feared for The Sailorman, and remembered the scene clearly down through the decades.

Bluto can put up a fight even after Popeye eats the spinach in this cartoon, at least for awhile.

Bluto chins himself by standing on the floor, reaching up, and bending the bar down to his chin with his little finger.

Poor Olive gets treated as a punching bag and a basketball.  She can keep herself suspended in the air while doing exercises, though.

The whole concept of Popeye falling for Bluto as a woman is pretty laughable in  itself.

The only cartoon I can remember where Bluto dresses up like a woman to get what he wants.  Popeye does it in a couple of toons.

This is one of the few Famous Studios' cartoons in which Olive rejects Bluto from the word "Go."  And Bluto is pretty crude in his attempt to woo her, retrogressing to his Fleischerish bullying, "Hi, Babe, give me a kiss," self.  Maybe not surprising, as this is a remake of the Fleishcher's Vim, Vigor, and Vitaliky.

More than one fan has said that Bluto seemed attractive in drag.  I'm sorry, but I just can't see it!

Everybody scatters when Dangerous Dan comes in, but he unexpectedly breaks out in song instead of tearing up the joint.  He's also covered with snow as he enters, making him look like a polar bear.

The above-mentioned Popeye's turning green with envy and grinding a chair to sawdust while congratulating himself on his self-control made quite an impression on me when I was young.

Olive tries to escape Dan's amorous advances by suddenly "remembering" she has a Mah Jong appointment.

The seal rewards himself after getting the frozen Popeye out of the hole in the ice by balancing him on his nose.

A huge icicle drops down Popeye's back.  He shakes like a maraca to a Latin beat and turns it into ice cubes which fall out of his pant leg.

The bears take a moment to sing a radio commercial (parodying one for Pepsi Cola popular at the time) for McBluto's furs before resuming their fearsome growling and posturing.  I remember the singing bears clearly from my childhood, too.

Of course, McBluto blows it by grabbing Olive and having his teeth flash this command, "Start sizzling Sister."  Many fans feel that, in her own way and timing, she was already doing a good job of doing just that!

Fans have wondered if the censors were out of town when this cartoon was made, or if the creators were thumbing their noses at them or trying to push the envelope.  Aside from whatever visual puns and double-entendres may or may not be present in the infamous soda scene, Olive spends a portion of this cartoon tied up in a sack, kidnapped by Dan.  As she struggles, some think the bag takes on provocative shapes.  I'll leave it up to you to decide.

The Pepsi commercial parody will probably go completely over the heads of today's viewers.

Dan McBluto's name seems to come from a famous humorous poem about the Klondike, "The Cremation Of Dan McGee." (I think that's the name of it.  If you know otherwise, please email me!)

I liked the way the nephews skimped on washing up before bedtime.

The nephews find that they can make music out of bed springs, book pages, toy boats, balloons, and more items around their bedroom.

Popeye plays quite a cat-and-mouse game with the little guys, trying to catch them in the act of playing their song.  He even pops up in a dresser drawer and under a floor board.

Popeye believes the biblical command to pray for one's enemies.  Here he approves when the nephews ask God to bless Bluto.

This film is an early Famous Studios' black-and-white offering.  Beware of colorized versions!

Anachronisms abound, such as the "Fresh Frosh," the musician's union, Zeus lighting up a cigar, and Hercules making an entrance as a boxer/pro wrestler.

The crowd develops a literal yellow streak when challenged by Hercules.  This scene made a big impression on me when I was a kid.

Hercules, holding elephants by their tails, pulls the skins right off of them and Popeye uses the lions as a basketball.

The announcer with the huge voice is really a midget speaking into a massive megaphone.  Olive uses the device to call for Popeye.

Hercules gives Olive literal goosebumps as he kisses her hand.  And this cartoon has some classic Bluto/Hercules lines:
"Ah, my little goddess, come with me to the coliseum!"
"Ill save ya - for meself!"

Olive seems even more fickle than usual in the toon, switching her affections from Popeye to Hercules and back again at the drop of a hat.

There's a really weird scene with Popeye disappearing from a Hercules' trap and reappearing inside Herc's clothing!  Then Popeye torments the big fellow by going back inside the outfit and popping up again. 

Hercules uses the "bowling alley muscles" to impress the crowd, just as the lifeguard will do in the later film Beach Peach.  And, as in the later film, Vacation With Play, more girls other than Olive are interested in Popeye's rival.  The idea of a guy giving Olive goosebumps was revisited in the very next Popeye cartoon to be released, A Wolf In Sheik's Clothing.

Olive may have swooned over Hercules, but it's Popeye who gets all her kisses.  She kisses him at the beginning of the film, blows him one that comes to life and plants itself on him later on, and gives him two long ones in the final scene.

Olive gets trapped in a tuba.

After Popeye tries to "send" Olive with his music, Bluto makes a pun on the word "send" and mails Popeye away.

This is one trap that I vividly remembered from childhood for some reason.  And I have lived near cities that had old office and apartment buildings and have seen mail chutes.  Every time I happened to spot one, I thought of this cartoon.

Bluto is in a spiffy business suit in this cartoon while Popeye wears his traditional sailor's garb.  Maybe Popeye needs to read an article on how to dress for job interviews.

The spinach sample that Popeye finds in the mailbox is addressed to Famous Studios.

Olive's change of heart in this episode is disconcerting and seems irrational.  After all, she and Bluto have been gone on each other the whole cartoon, have snuggled and flirted, and come within the width of a sheet of paper of kissing.  Yet after Popeye has been dispatched (with Olive's approval) and the two lovebirds are billing and cooing at the piano, she utterly rejects Bluto when he wants a kiss and slaps him after he plants one on her bare shoulder.  I know some women who feel that Olive probably realized she didn't trust Bluto or even herself without Popeye being around as a third party.  That very well could be, but for years I thought that the creators just suddenly woke up and realized that she was supposed to end up with Popeye at the end, so they made her inexplicably angry at Bluto.

Having Olive's hair get mussed up during her struggle was a nice realistic touch.  I've often wondered how she comes through all she does without becoming disheveled.  Of course, I also wonder how Sheena finds make-up in the jungle and why she applies it to cavort with the animals or stalk villains.

The animation is very strange and limited as Popeye works Bluto over using the trombone.

Popeye disguises a huge weight as a beautiful secretary so that when Bluto holds her, his sham  infirmities will be exposed.

Popeye and Bluto fall beneath the pavement, only to be kicked back up topside by a devil who is himself kicked back below by an angel.

The only thing Adolf Hitler can say is, "B.O." (echoing, I believe, a radio commercial or a radio comedian popular at that time).

To help Bluto spell his name on his enlistment papers, the jailed spies sing a parody of the Jello commercial.

The spies sing the famous five notes of the Jello radio commercial.

Popeye eats his spinach and then feeds Bluto some as well and together they defeat the spies.  Earlier, Bluto's delight at having Popeye off his back turns to anger when he realizes the spies are defeating Popeye.  Saying, "They can't do that to the Navy," he wades into the fight.

The spies themselves are portrayed using unfortunate, unflattering racial caricatures.

Not really an oddity, just a piece of info, but this film is in black and white and most of the Famous Studios' library is in color.

Bluto misunderstands the merchandise and uses a mixer for a razor, cuckoo clocks for a shooting gallery, a radiator for an accordian, and a corset for a hammock.

Popeye gives Olive a beauty treatment (ex. He uses a box with holes cut in it and paintbrush to polish Olive's toenails.).

Bluto uses a vacuum cleaner to suck up literally everything, including Olive.  When Popeye opens the bag, stuff flies everywhere and Olive winds up with a chandelier as part of her hairstyle.

The hillbillies are snoring away until Bluto rallies them and go right back to sleeping after Popeye defeats them.

> Olive's literal "nylon parachute."

> The welcome mat on the dinosaur's tongue.

> The caveman himself, living in the valley with his Flintstone-like cave apartment, his superior artistic skills, and his knowledge of baseball.

> The double entendre as Popeye hopes Olive isn't over-exposed.

> Olive going through the wall of the caveman's cave after his bed folds up on her.

>  The danger music is really effective in this one as it evokes a primitive feeling.

>  When Popeye is snatched by the dinosaur, the music conveys the horror.
 

> This is another cartoon where sympathy is built up for Popeye's antagonist.  He lives all alone carving pictures of beautiful women in stone.  (He could have a career as an illustrator if he left the valley!)  He gives his heart to them and then is brought crashingly back down to earth when he realizes they aren't real.  Suddenly, as if in answer to his unspoken prayer, Olive shows up.  He saves her life while Popeye still hasn't' realized that Olive was in danger - or even that she was missing!  (What WAS the sailor, er, I mean archeologist, doing all that time?)  The caveman and Olive Oyl are totally smitten with each other and she's willing to be his mate and go back to his place and then - Popeye shows up to take her away!  The caveman was robbed!

> I don't mean to intrude on their privacy, or be indelicate, but the open mouth kissing that the caveman and Olive do was a type that was forbidden in the movies during the 40s!  I guess animated characters could get away with it, or else the censors were caught napping! 

> The caveman only has one line in the whole cartoon at the end when he says in an Ed Wynnish sort of voice, "Women is the cwaziest people!"
 

> The little Harpo Marx-like pirate.

> Davy Jones in his locker.

> The fish saving Popeye.

> Olive being showered with jewels.

> The "Help, Popeye!" message being contained in the air bubbles.

> Popeye turns Pierre into a top and uses him to defeat the crew.

> The Sailorman does the typical cartoon character escape thing when he has to walk the plank.

>  Variations of "Sixteen Men On A Dead Man's Chest" are used to heighten suspense.

> Part of the cartoon has been edited long ago for television.  There is an obvious cut as Popeye is shedding his disguise before Pierre reappears.  While fans and animation historians have speculated on what the missing frames contain (ex. Popeye showed too much petticoat, Popeye accidentally throws what he was using as a bust into Pierre's mouth), nobody seems to know for sure. 

> In some cartoons, Popeye can hold his own with the bad guy for awhile without eating any spinach.  Not so here.  Popeye's blows have no effect on Pierre whatsoever. 

>  In an interesting switch, Olive gets rejected by Pierre when he spots drag queen Popeye (like I said, Pierre REALLY needs glasses!).  In fact, Olive only rejects Pierre after he has thrown her over.  Before that, it seems as if he could do anything to her, or to Popeye in front of her, that he wanted.  She never protests when he's turning Popeye into the clapper of a giant bell or making him walk the plank.  Maybe she was just too caught up in the fantasy and romance to notice? 

>  The pirate ship appears out of thin air as if in answer to Olive's wish.

>  This is an observation, not really an oddity, but notice that Olive is perfectly willing to marry Bluto.  Those that refer to her as Popeye's girl haven't seen a lot of the Famous Studios cartoons.  And notice that Bluto wants to marry her.  Again, those that picture him as just a guy on the make are forgetting cartoons like this one.

The tattoos coming to life on the lifeguard's chest and blasting Popeye across the beach and then sinking at the end of the film.

Olive taking out the lighthouse when she water skis.

Popeye's method of "artificial perspiration".

Olive gushes over the fact that her "hero" the lifeguard saved her life.

The lifeguard and Olive flirt at the pool as he shows off his dive.

The very long stocking the last nephew hangs up.

Popeye coming up through the vent and coming between Bluto and Olive as they are about to kiss.

The nephews recognizing Uncle Popeye "Santa".

Bluto and Olive snuggling alone on the couch as he gently and romantically begins reciting "The Night Before Christmas".

The two decorating the tree while flirting with Bluto's arm around Olive.  The following exchange takes place:

Bluto: Ah, my Dear, 'tis a pity Christmas comes but once a year.

Olive: (sexy laugh) Drop by any time at all, Santa!

What are Popeye's nephews doing living with Olive, anyway? 

Popeye seems like a real chump in this cartoon, not only falling for the disguise, but also for every one of Bluto's attempts to get him out of the way.

Due to Jack Mercer's limited schedule while in the armed forces, Mae Questel voiced Popeye in this cartoon!!

The film uses the unfortunate racial stereotypes common in that era to depict the natives of the island, Friday included. As a result, the print now shown on TV is heavily edited, with all traces of those characters gone. Only the very last part of Friday's song remains on the soundtrack. As a result the story jumps around a little and a roller coaster-like bamboo and wood track and a Gilligan's Island-type car seemingly appear from nowhere.

Also, you can't really tell where Popeye and Olive are in the last scene, but your eyes will be riveted on Olive as you incredulously ask, "This is Olive Oyl?!?!", so it won't matter. 

It's interesting that the creators took a heroic protagonist from literature, Robinson Crusoe, and gave the part to Bluto, turning the character into a villain.

More than one viewer has been shocked at the way the cartoon turns out. The Count had really won Olive Oyl, until he tricks her with the coat and traps her in the straight jacket. Why does he do this? There was no reason to. He was only a candlelight dinner away from necking with Olive anyway, but, no, he has to rush things along and push Olive harder than anyone should on a first date. Of course, the creators had to do something to make sure Olive ended up back with Popeye. And women have assured me that they know guys just like the Count. The whole idea of Olive in a straight jacket as the wolf advances on her alone in his penthouse is kind of creepy, though, and sounds like it was taken from the sexual harassment trials of today. Too bad all victims don't have a Popeye who will run to their aid.

This is sort of a pre-Women's Lib feminist tale, although, since it was written in the 50s, Popeye does have to save Olive at the end.

The defeat of the giant bird is from the Fleischer two-reeler, Popeye The Sailor Meets Sinbad The Sailor;

Olive charmed by music is from The Fistic Mystic;

Olive getting goosebumps is from the cartoon immediately released before this one, Popeye Meets Hercules.  I guess 1948 was a good year for guys giving Olive goosebumps!

The sheik misses his first perfect opportunity to kiss Olive on the lips.  Go to the Top Ten Reasons Why Bluto Is An Idiot page to get my reaction to that.

 
- The radio voice sneezing at the North Pole.

- The fact that the Northern Lights are really just Pierre's neon sign.

- Pierre giving out fans and ice cream cones to Eskimos as a "fair price" for their furs.

- Popeye getting the bear's coat and, later, the bear getting Pierre's coat.

- The seal falling for Popeye.

- The penguin with "Miami Or Bust" flashing on his belly.

A form of hot-blooded, French lover Pierre first appeared in 1947's Popeye And The Pirates.  He reappears in a fan fiction story I wrote, "The French Connection," on the Olive Oyl Fan Fiction page.

Olive struts around in a fur coat just like in The Royal Four-Flusher released a year earlier.  (Thanks to The Professor for this one.)