Females Is Fickle

While Popeye is knitting a new anchor chain, Olive Oyl shows up with her new pet goldfish. It does tricks, like jumping into the ocean. Olive goads Popeye into save it, despite the various threats down below.

There are some pluses to this Fleischer cartoon, like the lack of Bluto, and I still recall the couplet with which Popeye ends the cartoon. The minuses, however, include some reused gags, and something wonky about the animation that makes Popeye. Look a bit two-dimensional against the background. The Fleischers were proud of their ability to increase the sense of depth in their cartoon, using one of Max's inventions, a cyclorama for background. Did they fail to bring it down to Florida when they moved the studio? Still, there are plenty of gags, making this a typically good example of the Fleischer cartoons.

This is a "fish tale," not a romance story involving Olive's fickleness to Popeye. "Fickle," in this case, must mean just changing her mind as does with a little goldfish in this entertaining cartoon.

The is a short (five minutes) but very wild ride as Olive's new pet goldfish "Gertrude" jumps overboard, and Popeye has to rescue her (after Olive calls him a coward for not wanting to do it. You could blame him; the goldfish spat in Popeye's eye. He's a wise little sucker.) The bulk of the cartoon, then, is Popeye's chase in the ocean after this little fish. He meets all kinds of creatures, including a giant jellyfish, which swallows our Sailor Man.

I won't say everything that is in here. Suffice to say it's very fast-moving and the artwork is good, too. Sight gags are numerous, both above and below water, and most of them are pretty clever. If you're a Popeye fan, you'll enjoy this.....particularly the ending!

Females is Frickle (1940)

*** (out of 4)

Popeye and Olive Oyl are out at sea when she accidentally drops her pet fish into the water. She forces Popeye to go after it and soon enough he's battling various sea creatures.

FEMALES IS FRICKLE is certainly a title that probably wouldn't go over too well today but for the most part this here is another entertaining short for the series. There are several good moments to be found here and as usual there's some great animation. The highlight is pretty much everything underwater as we get some terrific fight sequences as Popeye tries to save this fish. This includes some very funny bits towards the end when Popeye turns various sea life into various products.

Olive shows up on Popeye's boat with a goldfish. When it falls in the ocean, Popeye is expected to rescue it. This leads to all kinds of problems. The thing leads him on a chase that won't end. When all is said and done, Olive really overreaches and the result is quite appropriate. Usually, Popeye must expend his spinach to battle Bluto or some huge bad guy. Here, it is to catch a little fish.

Olve Oyl brings her new goldfish on Popeye's boat. The fish does tricks and annoys Popeye. When it falls overboard, Popeye refuses to dive in until Olive calls him a coward. Popeye is forced to chase the fish into some tough situations. In this one, Popeye is not a good boyfriend even if Olive is a high maintenance girlfriend. It's a bit off-putting when the central romance has issues. Otherwise, the comedy is generally fun.