Cartoon a Day: I Yam What I Yam

I Yam What I Yam
1933
Directed by Dave Fleischer
Available on: Popeye The Sailor Vol. 1

Popeye's second screen appearance is quite different from his first. It actually strays from the Popeye vs. Bluto formula but is still a great cartoon. Bluto doesn't even appear in this one, but another famous character, Wimpy, makes his debut (though without any hamburgers).

As the short opens, Popeye, Olive and Wimpy are rowing across the sea through a storm. Actually, Olive is doing all the rowing, which makes for a very funny opening sequence. Popeye stands at the front of the boat like Washington crossing the Delaware, Wimpy sits back and eat fish pulled right from the water, meanwhile Olive is rowing like mad.

The action gets started after the trio have arrived on land and are attacked by a group of indians. The sequence where the indians close in on the cabin is a classic example of the Fleischer style. The indians actually morph into bushes and trees as they move in for the attack. It's certainly not politicly correct by today's standards, but a fun cartoon none the less.