Never Kick a Woman

Probably the greatest ever Popeye cartoon. An off-the-wall, vaguely erotic plot line, with an original tin pan alley song ("Learn the Art of Self Defense") that deserves to be revived by some post-modern art band. A color computerized version is alleged to exist. Does anyone out there know where one can get it (or even a regular taped version)? It's criminal that King Syndicate will not release most of the Max Fleischer Popeye films.

Never Kick A Woman (1936)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Popeye and Olive Oyl walk past a female gym and decide to go in there so that the sailor can give his woman a few tips. Once inside the female worker, a Mae West homage, begins to flirt with Popeye, which is a no no to Olive.

NEVER KICK A WOMAN has a rather catchy title and even starts off with a joke about the "weaker sex" that probably won't go over too well today. With that said, this here is certainly a very fast short that manages to have some great laughs as well as the non-stop action that you've come to expect from the series. Of course, the genders are reversed here because it's Olive who gets to have all the fun with the flirting woman. There are certainly a great number of laughs that work here and the ending is priceless as even Popeye gets a few lessons.

Popeye and Olive Oyl go into a sporting goods store, where he tries to teach her self defense with a pair of boxing gloves. While Olive is losing to the stationary equipment, the well-built lady sales clerk vamps Popeye with a Mae West voice until the women get into a fight.

This is one of my favorite Popeye cartoons, for its real message, Jack Mercer's singing the song that seemed to show up in all the Popeye cartoons in Popeye's voice, and the large number of gags as Olive loses to the equipment and to her romantic competition. Plus it's always good to see one of the cartoons in which a fight between Popeye and Bluto is the point.

IT is amazing looking back on this cartoon about Olive Oyl taking up boxing. It has taken many DECADES for the rest of society to catch up with this notion of women boxing.

Who would have thought that Olive Oyl was such a trailblazer.

Dave Fleischer was responsible for many gems. Ones that 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.

'Never Kick a Woman' is one of the best Popeye cartoons to me. It is extremely well done and 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 the characters. 'Never Kick a Woman' has everything that makes the Popeye series so appealing in its prime era and sees the characters on top form, didn't mind the absence of Bluto at all and feel that with the premise it was the right decision to not have him.

The story is an interesting and beautifully paced one, never being dull, if slightly formulaic (not uncommon with the Popeye cartoons). The humour and gags make it even more entertaining, 'Never Kick a Woman' is non-stop fast-paced wildness, boy is 'Never Kick a Woman' wild, and laughter, avoiding the trap of repetition.

All the characters are great, Olive Oyl is not underused and she charms and amuses. Those two are spot on and their chemistry drives 'Never Kick a Woman' and has so much energy. Popeye is always amusing and likeable and the woman is a great foil. Loved the role reversals here, which was refreshing, and a rare case of Olive not getting the upper hand, which set 'Never Kick a Woman' apart from other Popeye cartoons. The gym setting is used to great advantage, though it's the character interplay that is most memorable here.

Furthermore, 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. Fleischer's direction is always accomplished and his style is all over it.

Voice acting is dynamic and of very good quality, Mae Questel is a good fit for Olive Oyl, the voice that most sticks in my mind for the character and who voiced her the best. Jack Mercer is even better than William Costello.

Overall, great Popeye cartoon. 9/10 Bethany Cox