The Two-Alarm Fire

Popeye and Bluto are rival firefighters. Bluto is Company C and Popeye is next door at Company D. A fire erupts at the home of Olive Oyl and both are called. They are pulling their engines. Soon, they are fighting each other more than the fire.

It's the standard Popeye trio, but they aren't sailors in this one. There is a bit of fun with fire. The fires could be more like characters. I like the little fire pulling the alarm. This needs more of that. I like the duck shoot. The house is old school and that's interesting. All in all, this is very good and simple. With a few upgrades, this would be even better.

Popeye and Bluto are members of two rival fire companies. Actually,t hey each are the total membership of the firefighting groups. When Olive Oyl's house catches on fire, they seem more intent on fighting each other than the fire.

Interestingly -- well, interestingly to me -- this is actually something that used to happen, at least in New York City, where the Fleischers were based. Particularly in the poorer districts of the city, the local gangs maintained fire-fighting companies, and fires were as good an excuse to fight as anything.

Although the constant barrage of gags, big and little, seems to have eased off by the time this went out, the ones that do show up are pips.

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, 'The Two-Alarm Fire' is still very good and very funny. 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. 'The Two-Alarm Fire' 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 flames taking on human behaviours, 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 'The Two-Alarm Fire' 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. Whether it's the little things or the clever animation for the flames. 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 on the most part, William Costello and especially William Pennell give Popeye and Bluto so much life. Mae Questel fits and voice Olive Oyl well, much better than Bonnie Poe.

All in all, very enjoyable if not quite classic Popeye. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Two-Alarm Fire, The (1934)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Olive Oyl's house catches on fire so rival firemen Popeye and Bluto race to the scene to try and save her. This here is one of the lesser shorts I've seen in the series as there aren't too many laughs to be had. I found most of the jokes to be rather weak and overall the film didn't feature the strongest writing. The animation was quite good however and this includes one scene where Olive runs from window to window to get help only to have the fire following her each step of the way. Popeye and Bluto do their usual fighting but nothing here comes off very fresh.

For some strange reason, I've noticed that in a lot of these 1930s cartoons - Popeye's and others - flames from fire come alive. The flames take on a human personality and do human things. In here, one of the flames from a burning house sidles even over to the fire alarm box to send for the firefighters! In other scene, flames from one window reach out and shake hands with a flame coming out of another window.

Of course, it's Olive house on fire and, of course, Popeye and Bluto are the competing fireman are both ready to be the heroes. Those two have already been shown belting each other back at the company: Bluto, of Fire Co. "C" and Popeye, head of "D" company.

I really enjoy the artwork on these '30s Popeye cartoons, how our main characters are drawn with the exaggerated features, and I also love how they draw buildings. Olive's huge house in the cartoon looks super.

I also advise those who have this as part of the Popeye The Sailor Volume One 1933-1938 DVD to put on the English subtitles, otherwise you'll miss a lot of what Popeye says, since he mumbles a lot. In here, it's doubly important because Bluto mumbles like Popeye as they taunt each en route to trying to put out the big fire at Olive's house. Some of the dialog is funny. Most of it, however, is nothing of the laugh-out-loud variety and nothing noteworthy, except what idiots these two guys are - more concerned about beating up the other guy than saving the house!

It's little things in this cartoon that produce smiles, such as how they guys get water out of their hoses, how the ladder becomes alive, etc.