Mathurin toréador

One of the first of the Fleischer Popeyes, the laidback charm of the series shines through, especially when Popeye and Olive go to (well, actually sneak into) the rodeo. A bullfight seems a standard cartoon convention, but only Popeye would think of changing places with the bull to upstage Bluto. Good fun.

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.

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.

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.

Popeye is undisturbed by anything as he walks to visit Olive Oyl. He invites her to go to the rodeo. Bluto is performing there and Olive Oyl is impressed. Popeye gets jealous and sets out to outdo Bluto. A bull gets involved.

It's an early Popeye cartoon. Fleischer is still doing the inkwell thing. It's the fourth cartoon short featuring Popeye. The animation style is rudimentary. They are still experimenting with the drawings. It's almost charming in its own way. I don't know when they stop doing the inkwell. It needs to be soon. It's very basic. It does have Wimpy in this one and that's great.