We Aim to Please

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, though it is close, 'We Aim to Please' is still very good and very funny, using the diner setting cleverly. 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. 'We Aim to Please' 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), though with a lot of variety and creative moments. The humour and gags make it even more entertaining with very amusing to hilarious gags that cleverly utilises the diner, and the cartoon is hardly devoid of them.

All three characters are great, though Olive Oyl's material is not as great as Popeye and Bluto's, though she is used very nicely. Those two are spot on and their chemistry drives 'We Aim to Please' and has so much energy. Popeye is always amusing and likeable but for me Bluto is here the funnier and more interesting character. Stealing the cartoon though is Wimpy, always a very entertaining character who should have been in more cartoons and this is one of his funniest appearances with the best line (mentioned already).

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. Mae Questel fits and voice Olive Oyl well, much better than Bonnie Poe. The same can be said for William Costello, though there is a preference for Jack Mercer.

All in all, nearly a classic but not quite. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Popeye and Olive Oyl open a restaurant. Unfortunately, their first customer is Bluto, who eats a bunch of food and then stiffs them on the bill. This leads to the usual fisticuffs with Popeye getting pummeled until you know what. Not too much suspense here.

This starts out like a Betty Boop cartoon, meaning with a song. Popeye and Olive have opened a diner and they are seen outside of it on opening day, singing and dancing "We Aim To Please."

After that, we see Wimpy and Bluto standing on the other side of the street, observing. "Watch me obtain a hamburger without the necessary fee," says Wimpy. He goes inside and says, "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." That line went on to be used by him for the next 30 years. It became his trademark, along with the hamburger-eating, of course.

There's not much of a story to this, but it was very entertaining. We only see two customers, but they are Customers From Hell, mainly Bluto. Wimpy won't pay, of course, but Bluto's aim is to demolish the place! He does everything he can to disrupt the the diner and act like some moronic vandal, just for the sake of being a no-good you-know-what.

If you have this cartoon on DVD, freeze-frame she shot where Popeye shows the menu and read it - it's pretty corny and funny.

We Aim to Please (1934)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Popeye and Olive Oyl open a new diner but things get a little rough when Bluto walks in and refuses to pay. This short contains all the greatness that the series had to offer in that it's fast, hilarious and action packed. There are countless laughs to be found here with the biggest coming from a trick Popeye plays a Bluto, which involves a napkins around his eyes. The action scenes are also very well done with some great fights and a hilarious ending. Wimpy is once again featured here and I believe this was the first short where he asked for a hamburger only to pay next Tuesday.

Make no mistake-although officially Popeye's cartoon, one J. Wellington Wimpy is the star here. Wimpy is (or should be) the icon for the American approach to consumerism-"I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." Wimpy never worries about that far off Tuesday, when his hamburgers will come home to roost (no doubt with indigestion not far behind), he just wants his hamburger today and hang Tuesday. Wimpy reminds me a lot of W. C. Fields' persona-he too was always concerned with current results, regardless of future consequences. Both also have just a touch of larceny in their heart. Wimpy is my favorite character in the series and his appearances were always too brief and too rare for my taste. Much better sidekick than the rather annoying Shorty ever was or could be. Here's to you, Wimpy, wherever you are. May all your days be Wednesdays. Well worth seeking out. Most Recommended.