A Clean Shaven Man

Somehow Popeye is continually trusting of Bluto. Here they are lusting after Olive Oyl where she is working at a restaurant. She sees their scruffy appearance and sings about clean-shaven men. They decide to go to the barber shop, but Wimpy isn't there so hey take turns shaving and trimming each other. But one of them gets the short end of the stick, and their efforts lead to interesting consequences.

Waitress Olive Oyl is singing "I want a clean shaven man" while working. Popeye and Bluto rush out to Wimpy's to get a shave, but Wimpy is out. Bluto has the idea to shave each other. Popeye shaves Bluto first and tries his best. Bluto has other plans for Popeye's shave.

I thought they would give Bluto a Hitler cut although this time is probably too soon for that. I don't know if the sign should say that Wimpy is out for a hamburger although I get the joke. The joke doesn't really work since it's probably more luxurious to get a shave from another barber. It's still good. This is good Popeye.

A Clean Shaven Man (1936)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Popeye and Bluto are in Olive Oyl's restaurant where she's singing that she wants "A Clean Shaven Man." Both men are rather rough looking so they rush to the barber who is out so they decide to shave each other.

A CLEAN SHAVEN MAN is another gem from this era of Popeye shorts. There's a certain graceful flow that really just grabs your attention and takes you through the little journey where there's plenty of fighting as well as some funny lines. The title song itself is rather catchy and it certainly makes for some fun as you know Bluto will double-cross Popeye. Fans of the series will certainly have a good time with this one.

Many gems were seen with Dave Fleischer. His cartoons often were amusing and charming, though over-cuteness did come through in some efforts and the stories were always pretty thin, with appealing characters, outstanding music and visuals that were inventive and with innovative animation techniques.

1936's 'A Clean Shaven Man' is one of my favourites of the Fleischer Popeye cartoons. Comedic situations in a barber shop in animation is not novel as such, but 'A Clean Shaven Man' still managed something creative and entertaining out of it. It is never less than very funny, its best parts being hilarious. Have always enjoyed many of the Popeye cartoons a good deal and like Popeye very much, Fleischer's efforts were always well animated and scored with lots of entertainment value and great chemistry between Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto. The Famous Studios cartoons were not as good, many are pleasant and entertaining enough but the overall quality was variable, especially the later efforts. 'A Clean Shaven Man' has everything that makes the Popeye series so appealing in its prime era and does nothing to waste the characters or make them less interesting.

The story is full of energy and is always coherent and interesting, never being dull. It's formulaic, with not an awful lot of surprises going on, but that was common in Popeye. The humour and gags are beautifully timed with not a misfire in the lot when it came to being funny, avoiding the trap of repetition. The action is suitably wild and didn't get too over the top, the chemistry between Popeye and Bluto driving 'A Clean Shaven Man' beautifully.

All the characters are great, though Olive Oyl's material not as great as Popeye and Bluto's (she is well used though and loved her singing). Those two are spot on and their chemistry drives 'A Clean Shaven Man' and has so much energy. Popeye is always amusing and likeable but for me Bluto is here the funnier and more interesting character.

Once again, the animation is beautifully drawn and with enough visual detail to not make it cluttered or static and lively and smooth movement. The music is also outstanding, lots of merry energy and lush orchestration, adding a lot to the action and making the impact even better without being too cartoonish. And yes that title song is very catchy with some very witty lyric writing. Fleischer's direction is always accomplished and his style is all over it.

In my mind, nobody voiced Olive Oyl better than Mae Questel, the most prolific voice actress for her and one can see why as she had the voice that fitted the character the most. Gus Wickie is both amusing and formidable as Bluto, but best of all is Jack Mercer's Popeye, not many people made asides and mumblings hilarious in the way Mercer did.

Overall, classic Popeye. 9/10

Mae Questel was a pretty good singer. The woman who voiced Olive Oyl for decades also did Betty Boop, so you know she can sing, even if you voice is a little strange and she has that big New York City accent.

Mae, er "Olive," sounds great in the opening of this cartoon where she's singing behind the counter of a diner while Popeye and Bluto sit there love-struck as she sings "I Want A Clean Shaven Man." The lyrics to this song are pretty funny, too. The lyrics to a lot of songs in the '30s were "cute" and "snappy," as they used to say.

Anyway, it's enough to inspire these two guys to race out of the dinner and race down to "Wimpy''s Barber Shop" to get clean shaven and go back and impressive Olive. The barber shop sight gags are fun to watch, as is the cartoon....and fun to hear.