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:

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

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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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 December 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Popeye - Der Seemann mit dem harten Schlag

Filming Locations:

Anchor Bay, Malta

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$49,823,057

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$60,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Walt Disney Productions,Robert Evans Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Vistasonic

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During production, producer Robert Evans was arrested for trying to buy cocaine.

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Goofs

When Bluto climbs his ship to announce curfew, the battery pack for his mic is visibly attached to his back, underneath his long underwear.

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Quotes

Popeye: Are you all right there? This ain't bad, is it? It ain't the Ritz; but, at least you get a little womb service here. It ain't no polashcle mansion either, but, we got somethin'. The best I ever saw.

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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

A recent television version is altered in at least one way. Bluto's song "I'm Mean" is eliminated from the soundtrack as he trashes the Oyls' family home waiting for Olive Oyl.

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Connections

Featured in The Directors: The Films of Robert Altman (2001)

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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 Outstanding Film!

What's with all the bashing? I never get tired of watching this warm, visceral musical that pulls me in with its myriad textures, striking colors, and unpredictable pacing and dialogue which never seems contrived or scripted (and of course was often expertly improvised). It is the unfettered antithesis to all the shiny, over-produced media of our age. No pretty faces. No product placements. No feel of a commercialized film crafted to be anything other than a comedy musical adaptation of one of my favorite comic strips. It adapts the world of E.C. Daily's style, before King Features "cleaned it up" for animation. Disjointed, rambling...borderline insane, just like the comic! And the music is bonus all the way through. Quirky, playful, simple numbers that perfectly reflect the feel of the old comic. But then again, I liked Hudson Hawk and the Forbidden Zone, so you probably don't want to listen to me. I'm not holding my breath for a commentary-loaded SE DVD.