I Eats My Spinach

I Eats My Spinach (1933)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Popeye takes Olive Oyl to the rodeo where he gets into a competition with Bluto and a wild bull. This fourth short is a tad bit of a step down but it's still a lot of fun with numerous laughs including one scene where Popeye and Bluto both try and fight a bull, which gets out of control.

Seasin's Greetinks! (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Popeye takes Olive Oyl ice skating and sure enough Bluto shows up to start trouble. The highlight of this short is when Popeye turns Bluto in ice and then ice cubes but some of the humor doesn't work including most of the ice skating scenes.

Popeye takes Olive Oyl to the Rodeo. There she cheers wildly for Bluto, who's performing. Popeye jumps down and does him one better. Eventually they fight when Bluto kidnaps Olive.

Even though many of the early Popeye cartoons use exactly the same, dull plot that would be used for the next two dozen years, I enjoy them immensely. One reason is the immense number of gags that director Dave Fleischer insisted on cramming into every short, not just the big gags, but the little ones, like the street signs that proclaim Popeye is walking down "Foist Street". Another is the shabby, patched-together world these characters live in, recreated from Segar's THIMBLE THEATER comic strip, whence these characters arose.

Apparently this was the fourth of the Popeye episodes. It starts out with the Sailor Man singing his signature song as he walks through one dangerous situation after another. He is on his way to pick up Olive Oyl for a date. They are going to the Rodeo where Bluto is the headliner. Olive is initially taken with the big lunk until Popeye begins to outdo him in every event from trick riding to bull wrestling. Of course, instead of bettering his adversary, Bluto grabs Olive and runs off with her, forcing Popeye to react. Quite well done.

You can tell this is another early Popeye (the fourth one ever) with the ultra-macho and strong (almost Superman) powers of our hero, and Olive putting up with anything just to be with her sailor man. Here, after Popeye's introductory song which he sings while walking down the street past a lot of tough guys, good and bad, Popeye calls on Olive. He does so by throwing a boulder through her top-story window! He shimmies down the water drain into a barrel but doesn't seem bothered by that. When he asks if she wants to go the rodeo, she says OK, and off they go.

The rodeo proves to be the showdown we have seen for so many Popeye cartoons: Popeye vs. Bluto. In this story, Bluto is part of the rodeo, billed as "The Great Bluto." Olive reaches in her blouse (this was pre-Hays Code days) and gets her money out and pays for both of them. Wow, too bad Popeye didn't have Olive under his thumb like this in later years.

However, this is the first instance (of many to come) where Olive turns fickle and is enamored by some feat the beastly Bluto performs. "Ohh, what man," she cools after Bluto gives a great exhibition of horse riding.

Popeye's jealousy kicks in and the real fun starts as each guy tries to outdo the other to impress Olive. Of course, Bluto kidnaps Olive to set the customary finale.

There are some funny sights in here, such as a big bull turning the tables on Bluto, tying him up and then taking bows from the fans! The end is clever, too, with the "meat market."

Dave Fleischer was responsible for many gems. Ones that were amusing and charming, 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.

While maybe not quite classic Popeye, 'I Eats My Spinach' is still extremely well done and never less than very funny, its best parts being hilarious. Have 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 Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto. 'I Eats My Spinach' has everything that makes the Popeye series so appealing in its prime era and does nothing to waste the three main characters or make them less interesting.

The story is an interesting and beautifully paced one, never being dull, if formulaic (not uncommon with the Popeye cartoons, but if you are familiar with the typical formula there aren't many surprises story-wise). The humour and gags make it even more entertaining, it's all lots of fun and makes the most of the rodeo setting as well as capturing the excitement and fun of the rodeo.

All three characters are great, though Olive Oyl is a bit underused and her material not as great as Popeye and Bluto's. Those two are spot on and their chemistry drives 'I Eats My Spinach' and has so much energy. Popeye is always amusing and likeable but for me Bluto is here the funnier and more interesting character.

Furthermore, the animation is beautifully drawn and with enough visual detail to not make it cluttered or static and lively and smooth movement. 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. Fleischer's direction is always accomplished and his style is all over it.

Voice acting is dynamic and of very good quality on the most part, William Costello and especially William Pennell give Popeye and Bluto so much life.

Altogether, very well done. 8/10 Bethany Cox