Possum Pearl

Possum Pearl, who had been introduced the previous year in the Popeye cartoon HILL-BILLING & CROONING returns to hunt down a man, including a robber who falls into her clutches in this mediocre Paramount Noveltoon.

Hillbillies were still popular in the comics, thanks to Al Capp's comic strip, "Li'l Abner'. However the lack of variety in the scripting of the gags combines with the growing problem of shrinking budgets to render this one merely watchable. The animation is still topnotch, but the character design and backgrounding have been simplified. In the hands of a director with a well-written story, this might be an asset; certainly the folks at UPA knew how to bring a different visual view to their well-written stories. Famous, however, depended on its gags and with a shortage of things to look at between, this cartoon is no more than competent.

This was a Famous Studios Noveltoon that I just discovered on YouTube. The title character is a heavyset woman desperate for a man to cuddle to. She seems to be a version of Sadie Hawkins-a character made up by Al Capp for the "Li'l Abner" comic strip who had to chase a man to get married to one. So, yes, any man she comes after wants to run away from her! One who almost gets stuck is a robber named Slippery Sam when he hides in her cabin. I'll just now say that I found plenty funny in this one especially the reactions of a doll guy in her wedding cake and that of a bird in a cage when she sings songs like "I'm in the Mood for Love" or "Lover"! The story was by Popeye voice artist Jack Mercer (who does all the male voices here) and hillbilly comic Judy Canova was Possum Pearl. So that's a recommendation for this cartoon.

My introduction to the very short lived character of Possum Pearl was actually through 'Hill Billing and Cooing', a great cartoon and one of the better late Popeye cartoons (that is saying a lot by the way). Have said many times about loving animation, and have done since toddler-hood, of all decades and styles. Or at least there has always been the effort the effort to at least appreciate all decades and styles of animation. Including the more obscure and not as high budget animations.

'Possum Pearl' for me is not a great cartoon, or even a particularly good one. It is certainly not terrible, or even bad, there are certainly far worse cartoons out there. As well as much better. It is interesting to see how a supporting character in a previously seen Popeye cartoon would fare as a lead and Famous Studios did do quite a lot of good and more cartoons when it was active, including when past prime (and they were past prime certainly when 'Possum Pearl' came about). 'Possum Pearl' is watchable, but there is nothing special here.

There are good things. There are some nice vibrant colours in the animation and some fluid movement. The best aspect of 'Possum Pearl' is the music, which is fantastic. Not unexpected though, as even when Famous Studios were past prime the music was always consistently good, and there is the usual merry energy and lush orchestration that enhances the action.

Did think there were a few amusing moments, especially with the reactions of the bird. Pearl is quite fun and proves that she can be as good a lead as as in support. The voice acting is solid.

However, the low budget does show in some rushed looking drawing and backgrounding that lacks detail and doesn't look complete enough. The gags are too few and most that are present are too tired and needed more energy to work.

Furthermore, the story is very flimsy and has nothing surprising or lively. It just feels very bland and thin.

In conclusion, watchable but more for a one time watch than repeat viewings. 5/10.