Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937)

Popeye the Sailor, accompanied by Olive Oyl and Wimpy, is dispatched to stop the dreaded bandit Abu Hassan and his force of forty thieves.

Director:

Dave Fleischer

Stars:

Lou Fleischer, Jack Mercer, Mae Questel

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Lou Fleischer	...	Wimpy (voice) (uncredited)
Jack Mercer	...	Popeye (voice) (uncredited)
Mae Questel	...	Olive Oyl (voice) (uncredited)
Gus Wickie	...	Abu Hassan (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

Upon hearing of the evil deeds of the bandit Abu Hassan, Popeye, accompanied by Olive Oyl and J. Wellington Wimpy, flies to Arabia. Olive is kidnapped by Abu Hassan, who forces her to do the laundry for his Forty Thieves. Popeye sneaks into their hideout to rescue her, but finds himself outnumbered forty-one to one.

---

Plot Keywords:

popeye | sahara desert | camel | restaurant | traffic light | 

---

Genres:

Adventure | Animation | Comedy | Short

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kippari-Kalle tapaa Ali Baban

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fleischer Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

17 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The story is inspired by the story "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", but Ali Baba is only mentioned in the title and doesn't appear at all in the film. It could be argued, though, that Popeye takes Ali Baba's role in the tale.

---

Goofs

Abu Hassan is only a head or two taller than Popeye. Abu enters a cave with a door just tall enough to admit himself and his mount, but seconds later Popeye comes up to the same door which now seems to be ten times the height of a man.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[Abu Hassan and his forty thieves ride across the desert]
Abu Hassan: [singing] You better lock up your doors today / 'cause Abu Hassan is on his way / Go in hiding, when I go riding / Just me and the 40 thieves! / Your wives and children, and money too / I'll steal them from you before I'm through / I'm out gunning, so start running / From me and the forty thieves! Abu Hassan!
Thieves: Abu Hassan!
Abu Hassan: My game's the toughest / But I'm the roughest / and that's how I'm / Abu Hassan!
Thieves: Abu Hassan!
Abu Hassan: You've got to ...
[...]

---

Connections

Referenced in A Wolf in Sheik's Clothing (1948)

---

Soundtracks

"Abu Hassan"
Written by Sammy Timberg, Tot Seymour, Vee Lawnhurst & Samuel Lerner (as Sammy Lerner)
Performed by Gus Wickie

User Reviews

Another Popeye favorite.

In a vast Abrabian desert there's a group of thieves lead by Bruno(Ali Baba) and the 40 thieves. As they rob and steal everything in site. Popeye, Olive, and Wimpy run a coast guard post. When they got word to be on the watch for thieves. Which takes them on an air travel towards the Abrabian desert. After traveling for many days and nights, they finally made it to civilization which is one of the sites that Ali Baba has set his eyes on. And it's up to Popeye to fight and take down this aggressive thief.

Like "Popeye meets Sinbad" this one is worthy of being one of the best Popeye cartoons ever made.

It's original, it's humorous, and it has plenty of great moments with your spinach loving sailor.

Highly recommended to those who liked the Popeye meets Sinbad one.