Popeye - Braccio di ferro

POPEYE was Robin Williams' first starring role in a feature film, and he inhabits the character perfectly. This movie, more than any other that I can remember, is the best example of a live action cartoon, in the best sense of the term. Watching it was like a cartoon come to life. It was truly wonderful and extremely funny to watch characters behaving as if they were in one, from their movement to the way they spoke. And none exemplify this better than Robin Williams in the title role, who channels his unbridled comic talent into a completely dedicated performance which is equally hilarious and touching. The story is fairly simple, though. Popeye rows into the town of Sweethaven looking for his 'Pap.' While there, he (and the audience) find out about how messed up that town really is. They have an absurd amount of taxes, and everyone is kept in fear of a mysterious Commodore and Captain Bluto, who run the town. He also meets Olive Oyl, played (at times screechingly) by Shelley Duvall (who also fits her role perfectly). This film is also a musical, and there several catchy numbers which have the capacity to stick in your head if you aren't careful. If I have any complaints, it's that Shelley Duvall isn't as good a singer as she is an actress, but nothing she does really ruins the picture. The biggest flaw in the film is direction the narrative takes about two thirds of the way through. I also thought that Bluto wasn't really given his due as a character. Still, for Robin Williams fans this will be essential viewing. It's a wacky, manic experience that demands to be seen.

I remember my Dad taking me to watch this film as a Christmas treet. This film was made here in Malta and we are very proud of it, the set still stands today as a tourist attraction in Anchor bay. i remember loving this film. Robbin Williams was only known for the series of "Mork and Mindy', he still had a very long way to go but you can see that he was more than a promising star in the entertainment business. I learnt that at the time he was having serious troubles with cocaine and a cheating wife. This film was really cool and should they re-attempt it(not that Popeye is so much in vogue this days....although he should be) I can't imagine anyone but Robin Williams himself for the part.

I didn't see Popeye the movie for the first time until it came out on video. But I remember how my dad told me he saw it in the movie theater. He told me afterwards "Popeye hads its moments, sos I, halfway throughs the movie, I wents out to me car to gets me cigarettes, hads me a puffs or two, then wents back inside to wartch the rest of me movie, geh geh geh geh geh." A couple of years later, we rented Popeye on video and I saw it, and I'd seen it several times since. Its not too bad. Robin Williams is fairly convincing as Pop-eye. Paul Smith as Bluto, looking large and menacing like his cartoon version. Paul Dooley isn't too bad as Wimpy. And Ray Waltson as Poopdeck pappy. And Shelly Devaul as Olive fits her role pretty good. She does sort of seem like Olive Ole come to life, with the looks and mannerisms. However, the late Zasu Pitts who starred in several different 1930s films such as "Meet the baron" and "Dames" would've been an even better Olive with her looks and the very Olive Ole like way she went "oh my" in her films. I read somewhere that they took some of Zasu's mannerisms and appearance when creating Olive's character when the Popeye cartoon was first made. I always watched Popeye as a kid growing up even before seeing this movie. I liked the neat special effects, too such as steam really coming from Bluto's ears when he got mad, just like the cartoon. They also had Popeye's (Robin's) forearms really bulging out and him doing the squint with his eye just the right way, and his pipe. They made the seaport town Sweethaven look quite convincing. It always had an English seaside town feel. Anyways, this movie overall had some good, funny, and interesting moments. A few other moments were a little less below par. And I personally don't think the songs in the film were that good, or necessary. Popeye the cartoon was not a musical. Overall though, this is always a pretty good film for a mom or dad to watch with their kids.

Note; I wrote this review about a year and a half ago, and no one has clicked on either 'useful' or 'not useful' yet. Can someone reading this please click on one? I won't be offended either way on which you click on, I'm just curious on what others may think of this review. Thanks

When I first saw Popeye around the early 80's(Im 26 now), I was hooked. I found the whole production to be amusing. It seems that I'm one of the few that enjoyed the soundtrack to the movie(I recently picked it up on LP). The songs fit the mood and had some good humor to them. Musically performed well also. I thought the set(Sweethaven), was very comical yet useable,liveable and the "no sense of time" previously mentioned just brings it out more. I'd visit it if I were ever to travel near Malta. Shelley and Robin are the perfect pair to bring their characters life. Of course can't leave out Swee'Pea. The whole cast rounds out the picture well. I guess I could get in depth and go on but I just wanted to quickly sum up my thoughts. Believe it or not--there are some big fans of this flick. I recommend this movie for anyone with a quirky sense of humor and fun. I wish this movie would be released on DVD. Behind the scenes extras would be neat.

This movie marked the debut of Williams, in a role suited to his skills at the time as an actor. He looks the part and has fun with the silliness, making the title character likable. Shelley Duvall matches his ability to make her role as Olive Oil likable and she gets some well-deserved laughs in some scenes. It's just good, clean fun.