Problem Pappy

Problem Pappy (1941)

*** (out of 4)

Highly entertaining short has Popeye going into Pappy's room to check on him and realizing that he's not there. Popeye goes out looking for him and finds in on top of a skyscrapper doing stunts for money.

Obviously people were enjoying seeing Pappy as his character was making a lot more appearances during this period of the animated series. It's not hard to see why since he was pretty much an older version of Popeye and it was fun getting to see the two of them fight. The battles here are actually pretty funny and especially because of how ruthless they are towards one another. They really don't care if the other dies and we get some very funny fight scenes and stunts where the characters are put into danger. If you're a fan of the series then you'll certainly enjoy this one.

Popeye finds that Pappy wasn't home last night. Instead, he's on his new job, flagpole sitting and juggling. Popeye's efforts to get the old man down are not very successful. Will spinach turn the trick?

Any franchise will accumulate new characters as a matter of course, and they are needed to keep it fresh. Poopdeck Pappy was a good one for Popeye, as it offered a source of problems without the inevitable fight with Bluto.

How does Pappy leave a note if he's not home? Popeye finds him juggling on top of a flag pole on the roof of a skyscraper. It makes no sense that Popeye tries to walk a rope from another building unless Pappy blocks the roof access. Instead of eating a banana, Pappy should spend the time barricading the access. Popeye would need his spinach to break through the barricade. Otherwise, it's a good simple Popeye cartoon with Pappy.

Problem Pappy, (which showed a question mark with the title and copyright date MCMXLI[1941]), was very fittingly titled. It showed just how cantankerous Popeye's 99-year-old father was, as did several other Fleischer produced and directed cartoons of the 1940-41 period. At half past noon time, Popeye, loving son as he was, knocked on Pappy's bedroom door to find a note: "I wuzzent in last night. Pappy". Popeye made a frantic search, found the salty old sailor sitting and juggling on a flagpole atop a skyscraper! Popeye sternly warned him to come down "..before I sends for a hospital to come and get you!" (By that, he meant committing Pappy to a mental hospital, which, in the 1940's, could be done more easily than today.) Pappy refused, so Popeye said "If you ain't coming DOWN, I'M COMING UP! Pappy still refused, and greased the flagpole. Only an electrical storm, accompanied by score from Rossini's William Tell Overture, led Pappy to come down, with a lightning bolt opening spinach can for Popeye, who swung with his father on lightning bolts to safety. Popeye tucked the cantankerous old man in bed, and brought milk but found Pappy sleeping on a flagpole! An excellent example of how cantankerous Poopdeck Pappy was.

After making such a big impression in his previous appearances, it made sense to have Popeye's father Pappy return once again. It is always interesting when Popeye is partnered with characters other than Olive and Bluto and quite a lot of the cartoons that don't have them are still quite good. That is of course on how good the other character is as a character and their chemistry with Popeye, and to me Pappy was one of the best and funniest.

'Problem Pappy' to me was a great cartoon and on the same level as the great 'Poopdeck Pappy'. One of the best 1941 Popeye cartoons, and not just one of the best Popeye cartoons of the early 40s but also easily one of the best for the studio in what was not a good period for them Proof that there were still some glimmers of light in a generally murky, but quite dark, tunnel for Fleischer Studios in the early 40s. But at least the Popeye series was still watchable, even if the series had far better years overall.

Not really all that much to criticise really. It is quite slight and plot-wise it's nothing earth shattering.

However, these are minor quibbles, especially as everything else works and is done brilliantly. The animation is neatly and expressively drawn (especially with Pappy in the second half) and still very much like the work that goes into the backgrounds. The music, appropriately like its own character, is as beautifully orchestrated and characterful as ever.

There is a very high number of gags, and they are every bit as sharp, as funny (at best hilarious) and witty as the ones in 'Poopdeck Pappy'. Especially in the second half, where 'Problem Pappy' is brimful with energy and wit. 'Problem Pappy' is even wilder in the pacing than the previous Popeye and Pappy cartoons, and with less of the gentler tone, and is particularly lively in the climactic moments.

While Popeye is as ever amusing and likeable and his frustration is not hard to relate to, Pappy steals the show and is an absolute joy. They interact so beautifully together too, even more so than with most of the cartoons with Popeye and Olive and Popeye, Olive and Bluto from the early 40s. Jack Mercer is again in a one man show and is typically exuberant, not many people did asides and mumblings as well as he in his day.

Overall, great. 9/10.