Popeye
1980
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy / Musical / Romance

Popeye
1980
Action / Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy / Musical / Romance
Plot summary
Popeye is a super-strong, spinach-scarfing sailor man who's searching for his father. During a storm that wrecks his ship, Popeye washes ashore and winds up rooming at the Oyl household, where he meets Olive. Before he can win her heart, he must first contend with Olive's fiancé, Bluto.
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Fun, light, good-natured. A good vehicle for Williams' debut.
Robin Williams IS Popeye in his first feature film starring role
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.