Let's Celebrake

This Popeye, set on New Year's Eve, doesn't feature a brawl over Olive, or over anything else, for that matter. Popeye. a good-natured sort, decides it's not right that Olive's grandma be left at home while they go out, so he invites her along. Bluto escorts Olive and they both find it amusing that Popeye asked out grandma. Popeye is the soul of courtesy to grandma. A perfect example of the type of small kindnesses the world can never have enough of, then or now.

Wimpy puts in a cameo (with a different voice) and the ending is quite funny. Listen for some of Jack Mercer's asides. This is a wonderful cartoon altogether different in mood and tone from the standard Popeye shorts, appropriately so, for the New Year's Eve setting. I wish all who read this a happy and healthy year. This short is well worth seeking out. Most recommended.

Let's Celebrake (1938)

*** (out of 4)

It's a snowy New Year's Eve as Popeye and Bluto show up to Olive Oyl's house to take her out. The three are about to leave when Popeye feels bad leaving her elderly grandmother home alone so he brings her along. Even though she can hardly move or hear Popeye enters them in the dancing contest.

This Popeye short doesn't have any violence and it's actually pretty laid back when you compare it to just about every other short in the series. There's a big dance sequence at the end, which is mildly charming but I'd be lying to say it was anything too special. What makes this short so great is the fact that the animation itself is so wonderful. I've said this throughout watching all of these shorts but the Popeye series had some of the greatest animation from this era. This is especially true in regards to the attention to details. Just take a look at the overall view of the dance floor and see how much detail is there to enjoy.

It is New Year's Eve. Popeye and Bluto ride a sleigh to Olive Oyl's home. They are greeted by her grandma. The boys are taking Olive Oyl out, but Popeye can't stand leaving grandma home alone. He brings grandma along to the club. The place is jumping and Wimpy is the MC.

This Popeye cartoon has no actual violence. It does have some strenuous dancing. I like a lot of this. I love the idea of the grandma. I wonder about the design of grandma. It is a standard weakling old lady. Maybe if she's taller like Olive Oyl or something. I just want a more distinctive design. That would make this more memorable.

Dave Fleischer and Fleischer Studios did a lot of cartoons that are good to great, the best of them gems. Over-cuteness did creep in at times, but there was always a lot of amusement and charm and they were always incredibly well made (some of the techniques used being innovative) and scored with nice easy to like characters if one doesn't mind the lack of depth.

Their Popeye cartoons are/were pretty much all good to brilliant, haven't seen a bad one. Do like most of the Famous Studios Popeye cartoons too and the best of their Popeye cartoons were among the better cartoons in their overall output, but Fleischer's are funnier, have more imagination and are better made, never once having the issue of hasty time constraints and lower budgets that the later Famous Studios cartoons did. Fleischer's Popeye cartoons were always well animated, even better scored and had a lot of entertainment value and wit as well as great chemistry and characterisation of the characters.

Enough of all that, lets talk about 'Let's Celebrake'. 'Let's Celebrake' is one of my favourites from this particular period of the Fleischer output. Everything that is so good about the Popeye series at its best is here and there is next to nothing to criticise, other than Olive having little to do and the story occasionally could have done with more surprises.

Popeye however is very likeable and amusing, while Bluto is even funnier. Their chemistry, as ever, drives the cartoon so it was essential for it to work, and it sparkles. Wimpy makes a fun short appearance while Grandma nearly steals the show once she is fed the spinach. The voice acting is adept as always, with Jack Mercer relishing Popeye's asides in particular.

In 'Let's Celebrake', the non-stop gags are beautifully timed and never less than very funny and a riot at its best. The dance setting, particularly the sight of Popeye and Grandma spinning around the floor, is used to full advantage and imaginatively so. The story is slight and occasionally formulaic, but so full of energy and filled to the brim with heart and warmth that it doesn't matter.

As to be expected, the animation is excellent, beautifully drawn, lively, smooth and meticulously detailed, never too elaborate or cluttered neither too static or simplistic. Every bit as good, and even better perhaps, is the music, with its lush orchestrated, merry energy and character, it adds to every expression, gesture and action and at its best it enhances the impact. Fleischer's direction is as accomplished as ever.

Overall, truly great and as said one of my favourite Popeye cartoons from this relatively late Fleischer studios period. 9/10 Bethany Cox

It's New Year's Eve. Popeye and Bluto show up amiably, ready to take Olive Oyl out to celebrate. But Popeye won't leave Miss Oyl's arthritic old grandmother alone on the evening, so they take her along to a night club.

Wimpy and even Gus show up here, so it's a general celebration for Thimble Theater fans. More than that, it's nice to see Bluto and the Popster competing amiably, along with a happier use for spinach than beating up people.

There's some nice, understating use of the Fleischer's rotating layout, the usual plethora of gags that director Dave Fleischer insisted on, and a sincere tone of peace on earth in this cartoon.