Wimmin Is a Myskery (1940) User Reviews

Olive's Bad Dream Puts The Kabosh On Popeye's Wedding Plans

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 28 July 2008]

I think I've seen this basic storyline in another Popeye cartoon, but I'm not sure. Maybe it's used in other cartoons, as well. It involves Popeye asking Olive Oyl to marry him and Olive deciding to sleep on it, promising to answer Popeye's proposal in the morning. In the meantime, she has a dream, rather a nightmare, and the dream makes her decide not to do it!

Poor Popeye gets a rude awakening when, dressed in a tux and all, he arrives at Olive's door first thing in the morning.

Olive had dreamed that she and Popeye not only were married but had four kids. The kids are a terror, which is what sours Olive on getting married.

The best part of the kids' scenes were when they imitated their dad doing scat and when when downed some spinach to get back at their mom for a spanking. By the way, the young boys were named Pep Eye, Pup Eye, Pip Eye and Peep Eye. They were "a chip off the old blockhead," according to Mrs. Popeye.

Popeye finally pops the question....and Olive declines!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 4 January 2020]

When the short begins, something very unusual is happening....Popeye is FINALLY asking Olive Oyl to marry him. Instead of giving him an answer right away, she tells him she needs a night to think about it. During the interim, Olive has a dream in which she is now the mother of Popeye's demonic children.

This episode in the Popeye series is interesting because it's the first time you see Popeye's familiar nephews...though here they play Popeye's children in the dream sequence. The name of one of the children is different but other than that they are essentially the nephews....and brats like Popeye's nephews. These awful kids returned two years later for "Pip-eye, Pup-eye, Poop-eye an' Peep-eye".

Overall, an enjoyable and well animated Popeye cartoon. Neither brilliant nor a must-see but important for fans due to the kids.

Bad dreams

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 18 January 2021]

1940 was a much better year than expected for the Popeye series. Am saying this because in the early 40s Fleischer Studios went through a drastic decline, with a lot of average at best and even weak cartoons. On the most part though, for this period the Popeye cartoons were surprisingly good and the best quite impressive. While there wasn't really anything in 1940 on the same level as the best of the 30s efforts but it is a good example of the Popeye series being the best of the studio's theatrical series during its worst period.

'Wimmin is a Myskery' is another immensely enjoyable Popeye cartoon, and don't let the title put you off if you find it dubious. Is it one of Popeye's overall best? No, it's not quite on par with the best of the late-30s period where the series was ats best. To me though, 'Wimmin is a Myskery' is towards being one of the better cartoons of what was a pretty solid year for the series in the only halfway watchable theatrical series of when Fleischer Studios' quality declined.

Is 'Wimmin is a Myskery' a flawless cartoon? No, and there are very few if any Popeye cartoons that fit under that distinction. Did think that Popeye was a little too underused.

Have also always found it quite odd when somebody else other than Mae Questel voices Olive and never properly got used to it. Of the other voice actresses, Margie Hines is the better of the two, being closer to the girlish tone of Quetel's voice (Bonnie Poe for my tastes was too mature) but still doesn't fit the character design as seamlessly and Questel has always had more energy.

On the other hand, 'Wimmin is a Myskery' has so many great things. The animation is neatly and expressively drawn (especially in the dream) and still very much like the work that goes into the backgrounds. The music, appropriately like its own character, is as beautifully orchestrated and characterful as ever.

The story, while simple, is also not as predictable as other Popeye cartoons, was not expecting the ending and not many Popeye cartoons have a dream sequence like the one here. The gags are numerous and they are often very funny and timed beautifully. Pace wise, there is a lot of energy throughout. While Olive carries 'Wimmin is a Myskery' well, it's the kids (later to be Popeye's nephews in succeeding cartoons) that steal the show. They are amusing and are not annoying, the brattiness not overdone too much.

Summing up, very well done. 8/10

A Horrible Dream

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 4 January 2019]

We know from the beginning that Olive is dreaming. She is to give Popeye the answer to his proposal in the morning. But in the dream, the four nephews show up and it's a disaster. They pretty much destroy her house, attack her, play cruel tricks, and so on. It's non-stop action from the get go. It would be like having a pack of wolverines in your house. Needless to say, Olive has a tough decision to make.

Four Versus One

[Michael_Elliott · 9 February 2017]

Wimmin is a Myskery (1940)

*** (out of 4)

Olive is at home getting everything cleaned up and as soon as she finishes the last room she hears a loud bang. She rushes into the kitchen and sees that Popeye's four nephews have wrecked the place. From here it's a battle as the boys cause one issue after another.

WIMMIN IS A MYSKERY is an extremely fast short in the series as it pretty much features action from the first sequence to the very last. If you're a fan of the series then there's no question that you'll enjoy what's on display here as you will find that wonderful animation that you expect and you'll also get some good laughs. Popeye doesn't show up until the very end but there's plenty of fun action without him.

Probably more so than in most episodes in which she appears . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 8/10 · 8 October 2019]

. . . "Olive" uses WIMMIM IS A MYSKERY to prove how thoroughly hare-brained, demented, and cuckoo she actually is. WIMMIM IS A MYSKERY begins with "Popeye" making a terrible (and potentially fatal) mistake by offering the anorectic pretzel with whom he sometimes spends time a proposal of marriage. (Isn't familiarity supposed to breed contempt?!) Rather than jumping at what is doubtless her only chance to hitch her asteroid to a man with skills who's USUALLY in his right mind (unless he's around this witchy siren!), this too-thin broad (or over-planed board) demands an evening "to think it over." (It's as if someone asked a drowning person if they wanted a life ring, and the soggy loser asked "What color?") Olive then falls asleep, dreaming that she's birthing ROSEMARY'S BABY in quadruplet! WIMMIM IS A MYSKERY concludes with Olive rejecting Popeye's proposal the next morning. Talk about a narrow escape!