Popeye (1980)

The adventures of the famous sailor man and his friends in the seaside town of Sweethaven.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Jules Feiffer (screenplay), E.C. Segar (based on characters by)

Stars:

Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall, Ray Walston

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Popeye
Shelley Duvall	...	Olive Oyl
Ray Walston	...	Poopdeck Pappy
Paul Dooley	...	Wimpy
Paul L. Smith	...	Bluto
Richard Libertini	...	Geezil
Donald Moffat	...	The Taxman
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Cole Oyl
Roberta Maxwell	...	Nana Oyl
Donovan Scott	...	Castor Oyl
Allan F. Nicholls	...	Rough House (as Allan Nicholls)
Wesley Ivan Hurt	...	Swee'pea
Bill Irwin	...	Ham Gravy, the Old Boyfriend
Robert Fortier	...	Bill Barnacle, the Town Drunk
David McCharen	...	Harry Hotcash, the Gambler

Storyline

Buff sailor man Popeye arrives in an awkward seaside town called Sweethaven. There he meets Wimpy, a hamburger-loving man; Olive Oyl, the soon-to-be love of his life; and Bluto, a huge, mean pirate who is out to make Sweethaven pay for no good reason. Popeye also discovers his long-lost Pappy in the middle of it all, so with a band of his new friends, Popeye heads off to stop Bluto, and he's got the power of spinach, which Popeye detests, to bust Bluto right in the mush. Watch as Popeye mops the floor with punks in a burger joint, stops a greedy taxman, takes down a champion boxer, and even finds abandoned baby Swee'pea. He's strong to the finish 'cause he eats his spinach.

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Plot Keywords:

based on comic strip | sailor | spinach | abandoned baby | bully | 

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Taglines:

Chock-full of hearty laughs for the entire family!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many of the citizens of Sweethaven, especially those who had to do some physical gags, were recruited from European circuses.

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Goofs

During the song "I'm Mean" Bluto picks up large chair. Three people standing by a window disperse to avoid being hit by the chair when Bluto turns to throw it out the window. We see Bluto throw the chair, but when the camera cuts back to the window it is not the chair but a small barrel that goes through the window.

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Quotes

Popeye: [when Bluto sinks him during a fight] Goodnight, Irene!

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Crazy Credits

There is a statement in the closing credits: "Our gratitude to an international crew whose artistry helped to bring Sweethaven and the world of Popeye to life."

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Alternate Versions

NBC edited 8 minutes from this film for its 1984 network television premiere.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dana Carvey (1998)

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Soundtracks

I'm Popeye The Sailor Man
(1933)
Music and Lyrics by Samuel Lerner (as Sammy Lerner)
Performed by Robin Williams (uncredited) and Chorus
Music often played in the score

User Reviews

AN UNDERAPPRECIATED GEM

It is very nice to see a revival of interest in this quirky little film. The art direction of this film is simply amazing, and deserved to win an Oscar for being able to completely capture the homely innocence of the story's setting, in rich detail.

Many have derided the story as unfocused, but there is an epic sweep to the storyline, which requires an episodic approach. This film requires paying attention on multiple levels, and rewards viewers who do so, as few other epic films have.

There are some detractors who can't handle the fact that the film is part Musical, but this is definitely in keeping with original cartoons, which frequently featured music in their storylines. In any event, the half-dozen or so songs come at appropriate intervals, and in some cases are Broadway quality set-piece showstoppers, like the scene in the Rough House Diner, and Pappy's diskgruntlement about Kids!

I will leave it to others to comment on the all-round fine ensemble acting, but I would like to finish by saying, that this is truly a film where the whole is greater than its parts. From the rich tapestry of Elzie Segar's original imaginings, to the lush production values brought to this vision by Robert Altman and company, this is a film that fails on some levels but succeeds on many more.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Popeye

Filming Locations:

Malta

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,310,520, 14 December 1980

Gross USA:

$49,823,037

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$49,823,037

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Productions, Robert Evans Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Vistasonic

Color:

Color Black and White (prologue)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1