Let's Get Movin'

"Hey, hey! Cha cha cha," sings Olive Oyl (that's the chorus) as she sweeps up her clothes in a vacuum cleaner. Man, this woman was a slob. But she's happy because she's moving and she's hired a "big strong man" to help get stuff out of the fifth floor apartment of this broken-down building.

Popeye comes by to help her move and she just laughs him off: "You? You help me move? I hired a strong man, you nutsy."

Popeye is offended. Wouldn't you? Especially after all the feats of strength he's done prior to this cartoon. Well, something they start from scratch and you can guess who Olive has hired as her "strong man."

Bluto looks bigger than ever. He can barely fit through the door. Olive is impressed. "I am CA-RAZY about strong men" she coos. Popeye is sitting in a chair nearby almost getting sick to his stomach at this display. "That truck horse couldn't move a check," he mumbles to himself.

As expected, the rest of the cartoon is another contest between Popeye and Bluto, this time to see who is the better furniture mover. These guys do some amazing feats of strength and dexterity. (It seems to me I have seen another Popeye cartoon with the same "moving" theme.)

Anyway, it's more good stuff guaranteed to give you some smiles. I saw it as part of the recently-released Popeye Volume One DVD set, featuring his first theatrical cartoons from the mid '30s. They are restored and look fantastic.

Let's Get Movin' (1936)

*** (out of 4)

Olive is moving out of her apartment so Popeye shows up to help her but she turns him away saying she needs a real strong man to do the job. In walks Bluto and before long him and Popeye are going back and forth on who is the strongest.

Fans of the series will enjoy this fast-paced short, which once again has some of the best animation that you're going to see from a film of this era. Once again the animation is extremely impressive and especially all the details in it. Another big reason for the success is the non-stop fighting between Popeye and Bluto as they try to show which one is the strongest. There are several funny gags but the highlight is a scene where Popeye tosses a piano out the window and then races down several stairs in order to catch it.

That's the song that Olive Oyl sings to herself as she packs up to move apartments. Popeye comes over to help her, but she has already hired a moving man, big, muscular Bluto. Popeye thinks he's quite capable, and so gets into a competition with Bluto over who can carry the bigger load down five flights of stairs.

Popeye had adapted to the Production Code better than the Fleischers' previous star, Betty Boop, since it was much better to see aggressive men beat each other to pulp than to see a woman's leg. Besides the now-inevitable fight, you got an original song and a long series of cartoon gags.

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.

'Let's Get Movin' is classic Popeye the Sailor. It is still 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. 'Let's Get Movin' 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, 'Let's Get Movin' makes something stressful like moving days fun to watch and interesting, 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 'Let's Get Movin' 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. 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, 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 Jack Mercer and Gus Wickie are even better and give Popeye and Bluto so much life.

Overall, terrific. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Olive Oyl is excited to be moving out of her fifth floor walk-up apartment. Popeye offers to help her move, but she is immediately laughing at him. She had hired moving man Bluto and is going crazy for the strong man. Popeye is not happy with the newcomer and tries to show his strength.

While it may not have the seas, this does have the classic Popeye trio. It is the standard Popeye and Bluto battling over Olive Oyl. There are plenty of props and movement. I really like Popeye throwing the furniture out the window. I wouldn't mind Popeye doing a bit more failing before he pops over the spinach.