Cops Is Always Right

Cops Is Always Right (1938)

*** (out of 4)

Minor but entertaining Popeye short has him on his way to see Olive when he runs into a police officer who gives him a ticket. Throughout the rest of the film he keeps running into the same cop and getting more tickets.

COPS IS ALWAYS RIGHT is a minor Popeye film that has a couple good moments but there's no question that it's far from a classic. The highlight of the film actually happens with the first encounter with the cop as Popeye annoys him even more by the strange way he gets into his car. This joke is repeated throughout the film but never works as well as that first time. There really aren't enough laughs to make this one more memorable but as usual the animation is great.

Popeye runs into a traffic cop on the way to Olive Oyl. Once there, he's honking his horn and gets another ticket for the noise. Olive Oyl wants to change all the furniture around and Popeye has an unique solution. Meanwhile, Popeye gets another ticket for parking in front of the fire hydrant. Olive Oyl keeps giving him jobs while he keeps getting interrupted by the same cop who keeps giving him tickets.

Basically, Popeye keeps going back and forth. It's not terribly funny. It's a bit repetitive. I do like the ending, but that's about it. Well, changing the room is a little good. Getting trapped under the piano is all Olive's fault. Popeye doesn't even get to his spinach.

Along with a clever plot about an inept Popeye vs an overbearing cop, Fleischer animation brilliance is seen throughout this short. To many, the highlight is a unique, overhead scene where Popeye switches two rooms worth of furniture without batting his one good eye.

Clever gags abound, beginning with bumbling Popeye knocking over a grouchy cop and getting his first of several tickets. The car itself, with locks on every door and "duel horns," is a hoot. Popeye's inability to balance spring cleaning and law abiding is another. The only mild negative is Olive's voice, because Margie Hines was never a sufficient replacement for Mae Questal. This is balanced somewhat by Jack Mercer's cleverness and an inventive soundtrack, which is unlike that of any other Popeye short. Not to be missed!

Popeye drives over to Olive Oyl's apartment. He's going to help her with her spring cleaning. But along the way he attracts the ire of a traffic cop, and continues to annoy the policeman throughout.

The first Popeye cartoon to come out of the Fleischers' new Miami studio has a new arrangement of the opening theme and Margie Hines voicing Olive. Otherwise, it's business as usual in what had become the Fleischers' leading franchise. Koko and Fitz were gone with the silent era; the Screen songs would not last out the year; and Betty Boop had been fading since the enforcement of the Production Code. Bu Popeye was still going strong, and this one has the usual number of extra gags packed into its length.

Many gems came fron Dave Fleischer and Fleischer Studios. Ones that amused and charmed, though over-cuteness did come through in some efforts and the stories were always pretty thin, with appealing characters, outstanding music and visuals that were inventive and with innovative animation techniques.

Will admit to having always enjoyed many of the Popeye cartoons a good deal and like Popeye very much, Fleischer's efforts were always well animated and scored with lots of entertainment value and great chemistry between the characters. That can be seen here in 'Cops is Always Right', but other Popeye cartoons do it better. 'Cops is Always Right' is enjoyable solid fun with so much done right, albeit it's not one of the best Popeye cartoons, something missing. Didn't mind the absence of Bluto at all and feel that with the premise it was the right decision to not have him.

The story is an interesting and beautifully paced one, never being dull, if slightly formulaic, not uncommon with the Popeye cartoons). 'Cops is Always Right' is more humorous than hilarious, and doesn't have the wildness of other Popeye cartoons (by Popeye standards this is relatively subdued). The gags though are well-timed and funny, the mumblings and asides even funnier helped quite a bit by Jack Mercer's voice work, though laughs could have been more, with the running gag not being repetitive or running its course too soon, potential dangers. The highlight is agreed the contents being wrapped into the rug part, it is very clever and a great example of visual ingenuity.

Popeye is always amusing and likeable, with all the abuse he gets one can't help feeling sorry for him here. Olive Oyl is fine enough, but the character would have fared better if voiced by Mae Questel, whose voice work fitted much better and was more endearing. The character interplay is good and really liked the cop character.

Furthermore, the animation in 'Cops is Always Right' is great (have actually never had a problem with the animation in the Fleischer Popeye cartoons, it became more uneven though in the late Famous Studios ones). Beautifully drawn and with enough visual detail to not make it cluttered or static and lively if not always smooth movement, particularly good are the cityscapes and the imaginative overhead shots. The music is also outstanding, lots of merry energy and lush orchestration, adding a lot to the action and making the impact even better without being too cartoonish.

Direction by Fleischer is always accomplished and his distinctive style is as ever distinctive. Jack Mercer is spot on as Popeye, his mumblings and asides impecably delivered and timed as well as very funny.

In conclusion, solid cartoon if missing the extra something. 8/10 Bethany Cox