The Dance Contest

Dance contests were pretty big back in the old days, especially during the Depression. People, desperate for money, would do about anything to get a cash prize The worst, of course, were the grueling "marathon dances," but many times the contests just involved regular dances and judging what couple looked best. Fred Astaire featured some of these type of contests in his movies.

The chief judge here, Wimpy, has a unique way of eliminating couples. He pulls a switch and the floor gives way in that section, making the people disappear with an "ohhh," a thud and a bang! This guy was a brutal judge.

Anyway, Popeye is no Astaire, but Bluto is pretty slick (with his hair, too.) He grabs Olive and waltz's her pretty good around the floor. He's actually impressive as a hoofer. A dejected Popeye claims, "I guess I have no sex appeal." He forlornly walks back to his table and eats a bowl of spinach. Well, that spinach goes right to his feet - and, look out!

This was different in that I wouldn't picture these two macho guys competing as dancers, but it made for another entertaining cartoon and I'm sure audiences who were familiar with all dances back then, loved it. Both the guys - and Olive, who was almost like Ginger Rogers with her moves - were steppin' out! Good fun all-around.

Popeye and Olive vie for a dance trophy. They do some neat tango movies. Jealously, Bluto steps in and messes things up. He is quite the dancer though he does that violent French stuff where the man throws the woman around. Popeye moves in, but soon Olive is gone and Popeye is dancing with Bluto. Quite funny, actually.

I can rarely rate any Popeye cartoon very high, mostly because most Popeye installments are pretty much the same. In each, Popeye takes spinach in order to beat the crap out of evil Bluto. Fortunately, while this is trye in "The Dance Contest", there's a bit more to it...hence my score of 7.

When the story begins, Popeye and Olive are entered in a dance contest...something VERY popular in the 1920s and 30s but which has gone out of fashion since. As judge Wimpy eliminates couple after couple, it looks like Popeye is doomed to be next, as he cannot dance and keeps stomping on poor Olive's feet.

Soon the suave Bluto arrives and Olive (who is an idiot and has forgotten about the dozens of previous times she was assaulted by him) joins him in the contest. Feeling dejected, Popeye takes his spinach and it makes him an instant Fred Astaire! But, as you'd expect, it soon turns into a butt whipping of Bluto when he gets fresh with Olive.

Although the general formula of the Popeye cartoons is here, the setting and effects of the spinach make it a bit more interesting. Plus, you never can fault the Fleischer Brothers' animation...which is always top-notch despite only being in black & white.

Dance Contest, The (1934)

*** (out of 4)

Popeye and Olive Oyl are at a dance contest but the poor sailor can't dance so Bluto cuts in. This here is another enjoyable short from the series and manages some nice laughs as well as some good fighting scenes. The highlight here is without question the sequence where Popeye beats Bluto to a pulp but he does it here with the step of a dance. Wimpy is also on hand as the judge and of course eating his hamburgers. There are several funny sequences including the way Wimpy gets rid of the bad dancers.

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 Dance Contest' is still very good and very funny, using the dance setting very cleverly. 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 Dance Contest' 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 dancing, 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 Dance Contest' and has so much energy. Popeye is always amusing and likeable but for me Bluto is here the funnier and more interesting character. Wimpy also plays an entertaining role in the cartoon.

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 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