Can You Take It

Popeye is following Olive Oyl down the street. When she turns into the entrance of the hospital annex of the Bruiser Boys Club, saying it's where she works, Popeye decides he wants to join. But the initiation is rougher than he anticipates.

There were a lot of short comedies during the silent and early sound eras in which someone wished to join a fraternity, sorority, or fraternal order, only to find an utterly bizarre initiation; it was often combined with a fright comedy theme. This one is simply brutal, as filled with cartoon violence as any.

It was the sort of cartoon that clueless moralists later decried as encouraging violence. Show Bluto attacking Popeye with a fire axe would convince small children they could do the same without any harm being done. That was a lie, of course. When my brother and I fought, it was specifically to harm each other.

Can You Take It (1934)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Popeye is taking Olive Oyl to work when he notices that she's working at a club for tough guys. The club is being ran by Bluto but when Popeye tries to join they work him over but not for long. This is one of the better films in the series as it contains non-stop violence and some very funny scenes as well. The highlight of the film is during the opening interview when Popeye and Bluto try to out do one another with strong hand shakes. Another classic moment is when the two battle with cigars. There's an obstacle course that Popeye has to go through, which also adds some great laughs. The animation is once again very strong with nice direction throughout.

Popeye, to save face, joins a club where people are brutalized to see if they can "take it." It is filled with stocky he-men and they take turns beating each other up. Popeye engages. There are several nice sight gags. Ultimately, he needs to get some assistance from an old friend.

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.

'Can You Take It' is one of the best Popeye cartoons to me. It is 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. 'Can You Take It' 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). The humour and gags make it even more entertaining, 'Can You Take It' is non-stop fast-paced wildness and laughter, avoiding the trap of repetition.

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 'Can You Take It' 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. Sammy Timberg's 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 is a good fit for Olive Oyl, the voice that most sticks in my mind for the character and who voiced her the best, but William Costello and especially William Pennell are even better and give Popeye and Bluto so much life.

Overall, excellent and one of the best Popeye cartoons. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Popeye escorts his girl, Olive, to her new job at the hospital--which is adjacent to the Bruiser Boys Club. Popeye is curious what the place is and it turns out the club is for he-men--though considering all the stupid things they do to the initiates, I think they're all a bunch of idiots and sadists! They beat the crap out of them--and it's even worse when Popeye is blindfolded and sent into a house of horrors--with spinning circular saws and the like! Eventually, this even gets the best of Popeye--who ends up in the hospital next door. But, not wanting Bluto and his pals to win, he uses his spinach and cleans house.

This is an enjoyable but insane installment of Popeye. It's even more violent and senseless than usual. But it's also entertaining as well. Strange but well made and fascinating.