Absolutely Fantastic

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Despite a brief (semi-nude!) appearance by Betty Boop as an exotic dancer at a fair, this cartoon by the Fleischer brothers introduced us to the popular figures of Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto – who would naturally take off in a long-running series of their own and basically eclipsed the career of the studio's afore-mentioned star attraction! It is interesting to note, at this juncture, that the essence – with respect to characterization, gag type and plot structure (not to mention, the equally iconic theme tune!) – was there from the outset. That said, while I admit to having sat through many of these during my childhood, much like the live-action stuff of The Three Stooges which yours truly sampled again a few years back (let alone their strictly kiddie-oriented animated fare!), I seem to have irrevocably outgrown this particular brand of comedy and now approach it with an inevitable measured step

I had always wonder when Popeye started his animated career, until I've watched this cartoon online. I found out that this short was intended as a test cartoon to see if Popeye could work as an animated character, he was originally a character from a comic strip by a guy named E.C. Segar. This short combines my two favorite Fleischer characters coming together - Betty Boop and Popeye the Sailor. Even though Betty's appearance is more of a cameo then an full-time character in the short.The one thing that bother me about is cartoon, is Olive's voice, I didn't really like it. I really prefer Mae Questel's take on Olive, but I got to bear with what they got. My favorite scene is when Betty & Popeye do the hula on stage.

Usually in old cartoons in which a cartoon character as a debut do not have the character on for very long, or they do not make a big thing of the character's personality. Here, unusually, Popeye and Olive Oyl, in their first episode, seem to already be very developed characters (almost definitely because of the comics). It was my first official time to watch a Popeye cartoon. I quite enjoyed it, but Popeye and Olive Oyl are not yet my favourite cartoon characters.Things I enjoyed about this episode were the great introduction of Popeye "the sailor-man" and his gal, Olive Oyl. I also liked the quick appearance of Betty Boop, the old style of the cartoon which was around in those days (in Fleisher, Warner Brothers and Disney cartoons), the basic plot-line and the fact that spinach works quicker for Popeye than drugs do on normal people. Go spinach! :-) Basically, in "Popeye the Sailor", we are introduced to Popeye as a strong sailor, on a boat, who likes his spinach. Then we meet Olive Oyl, in a quay, waiting for her love (Popeye) to arrive off the boat. While she is waiting a number of sailors eye her (as she is attractive to them). She punches them and they move away, except for one huge sailor who is not hurt by her kicks. Just then, Popeye comes along and takes her to the funfair, where the horrible sailor follows them...I am not sure whether this was aimed for children at the time, not all cartoons were, but if it was it is not exactly suitable for kids in this day and age. This is because the horrible sailor tries to seduce Olive Oyl a little and yet does truly horrible things to her. It does not seem so bad partly because it is in a cartoon.I recommend this to people who are interested in Popeye, to people who like old cartoons and to people who like cartoons with quite a lot of singing (yes, sorry, I forgot to mention this). Enjoy "Popeye the Sailor"! :-) 7 and a half out of ten.

Spoilers herein.Popeye's first cartoon after he matured on the comics page. I believe the Fleischer cartoons may be the best of the era. Where other pioneers were working with characters abstracted especially for the screen, the Fleischers gave life to `real' characters. Betty Boop until 1934 - when regulatory prudes stripped her of her magic - was an amazing invention: sexy, somewhat dumb. But the important thing was the flapper persona.By 33, the Fleischers bought the rights to Popeye and this is the first appearance on screen. His dumb but endearing masculinity is a perfect match for Betty's similar femininity. She only appears in a cameo here, except the voice of Olive is very similar (and done by the same person). Betty was retired in 39, to be replaced by the unplucky, unsexy Olive.The world of film stereotypes would never be the same. The death of the Clara Bow type begins with this short.Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.