Cartoon a Day: A Clean Shaven Man

A Clean Shaven Man
1936
Directed by Dave Fleischer
Available on: Popeye the Sailor 1933-1938

Several of the Popeye shorts feature some very simple but memorable little songs. Such is the case for "A Clean Shaven Man." As soon as I started watching this cartoon I was singing the title song in my head from having watched the short many many times as a child.

In this one, Popeye and Bluto head to Wimpy's barbershop to get a shave so they can impress Olive. However, Wimpy is out, so the two decide to take turns shaving the other. Of course, Popeye lives up to his end of the bargain, but Bluto makes the one-eyed sailor look worse than when he started.

This short comes several years into the Popeye series, so there is a lot more detail in the character and background designs. Olive Oyle is even starting to show some degree of curviness...it's not much, this is Olive Oyl after all, but it's definitely there.

The best moments come after Popeye has had his spinach. I love when he is beating up on Bluto in a classic fight cloud, all the while muttering along with the music of the film's soundtrack. The final gag is also great in which Olive ends up walking down the street on the arm of a long-bearded man. The man actually looks like he could be Mr. Geezil from the comic strips which Popeye is based on. A rare appearance from one of the the many other characters that appeared with Popeye in print.