Spree Lunch (1957)

Popeye opens a diner; Bluto pulls one up right across the street. Wimpy comes along, and they compete for his business. The competition escalates, until finally they are throwing things at ... See full summary »

Director:

Seymour Kneitel

Writer:

Jack Mercer (story)

Stars:

Jackson Beck, Jack Mercer

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Jackson Beck	...	Bluto (voice) (uncredited)
Jack Mercer	...	Popeye (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

Popeye opens a diner; Bluto pulls one up right across the street. Wimpy comes along, and they compete for his business. The competition escalates, until finally they are throwing things at each other; Wimpy stands between them and snags a complete meal from the stream of objects passing overhead. Another spinach-free Popeye.

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Plot Keywords:

popeye | diner | bluto | indecision | ends with fight | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Short | Family

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1957 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kallen kuppila

Company Credits

Production Co:

Famous Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

6 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the last use of the "Bluto" name until The All-New Popeye Hour (1978). The comics and merchandise used "Sonny Boy" "Mr. Mean" and "Mean Man" for Bluto-like-characters until 1960 when the name Brutus was used for Popeye the Sailor (1960).

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Quotes

Bluto: [after Arriving across the street from Popeye's Diner setting up his own] Pretty nifty rig, eh Popeye?
Popeye: Bluto that's unetical.
Bluto: Listen runt, a little competition never hurt anybody.
Popeye: I says, you gotta move that chow wagon!
Bluto: And who's gonna make me?
Popeye: I am!
Bluto: Oh ya?
Wimpy: [Wimpy walks through them as they confront each other] Pardon me gentleman.
Bluto, Popeye: A CUSTOMER!

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Connections

References We Aim to Please (1934)

User Reviews

War of the diners

Really like to love a good deal of Popeye cartoons and like the character of Popeye. Love Bluto more and his chemistry with Popeye has always driven their cartoons. Will admit though to preferring the Popeye cartoons from the Dave Fleischer era, the cartoons tend to be funnier and there is more originality and more risk taking in some of them.

'Spree Lunch' is a late Popeye cartoon and made in Famous Studios' roughest and most variable period where budgets were much smaller in particularly the animation and deadlines and time constraints were shorter and tighter. All things considered, while there are infinitely better Popeye cartoons (especially during the Fleischer era) and there are signs of what made this period an inferior one for Famous Studios, 'Spree Lunch' is not a bad late Popeye cartoon at all, actually really very enjoyable and one of the better cartoons in Famous Studios' late output.

As to be expected, the story is standard and formulaic, if one has seen the cartoons with Popeye and Bluto fighting in the diner with Wimpy also featuring it's almost the same story as those minus Olive Oyl, in one of not particularly many cases of her not appearing.

Similarly the animation quality is uneven, never terrible but never fantastic. The colours are fine and there is smoothness and nice detail but there are many moments where the backgrounds are sparse and the drawing rough.

What is fantastic about 'Spree Lunch' is the music score, the best thing for me. It's beautifully orchestrated, rhythmically it's full of energy and there is so much character and atmosphere, it's also brilliant at adding to the action and enhancing it. The gags, ranging from very amusing to hilarious and creative for late Famous Studios/Popeye, are executed very well, especially that deliciously wild food fight, the interplay between the characters is lively and witty if in need of more variety at times and the pace is never dull.

The three main characters do a great job carrying the cartoon, Wimpy being the funniest and most interesting. The entertaining interplay between Popeye and Bluto really sparkles but Wimpy steals the show. Jack Mercer and Jackson Beck give great vocal characterisations, Beck in particular.

Concluding, very enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox