Hospitaliky

This short has Popeye and Bluto trying extremely hard to get admitted to a hospital. I try very hard to avoid them myself, so I fail to see the attraction. But the animation is good, the gags are funny and Popeye's mutterings and asides are a scream, as always. The funniest jokes are often those little muttered comments Jack Mercer would make. They're particularly good in this one. Well worth watching. Recommended.

Hospitaliky (1937)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Highly entertaining short has Popeye and Bluto following Nurse Olive Oyl into the hospital. The men pretend to be sick to try and get her attention but she chews them out explaining that the hospital is for injured people only. The two then set out to get really hurt so they can go to the hospital.

This here is certainly one of the best shorts in the series as there are a great number of laughs, some creative injury attempts and plenty of violence. Obviously one has to wonder why either man would put themselves into so much pain for Olive Oyl but whatever. As far as this short goes it's a great one with non-stop laughs and plenty of action. There's a great scene with Bluto trying to have a safe fall on his head as well as another where he and Popeye fight over who gets to get hit by a train.

Now THIS was different: Popeye and Bluto trying to get hurt, trying to be injured badly. Huh?

Well, it's what Olive tells them after the two get into an argument in front of a hospital. "You have to be hurt badly to get into a hospital," she tells them, so both guys go off in separate directions looking for ways to get pulverized and get sent to the hospital!

The scene earlier at the hospital front doors had some good moments of humor. "My high blood pressure is low, too," is one of the good lines Popeye gets off as he and Bluto both go into dramatics pretending to be sick. The only reason they are acting like this is that Olive just walked in, and she's a nurse. They want her attention. When Popeye outdoes Bluto is the theatrics, Bluto calls him a faker and the argument escalates until Olive comes out and tells them what I mentioned in the first paragraph.

What lengths both of these guys do to get injured provides some outstanding moments and some terrific graphics (sight gags). It reminded me a bit of a Dabney Coleman movie in the '80s called "Short Time," where he tried everything to kill himself and was never, thankfully, successful.

In a shocking ending, Popeye gives Bluto the spinach, instead of eating it himself, hoping that Bluto will beat the you-know-what out of him. It's unbelievable!!

This may be the best of an excellent collection of mid-to-late 1930s Popeye cartoon, one of many included in the recent DVD package featuring his theatrical cartoons from 1933-1938. Great stuff!

When both Bluto and Popeye want to get in the hospital to be near Olive Oyl, they proceed to try to cause damage to themselves. They try to explode themselves, let trains run over them, allow the other to beat them up. Whoever thought of this plot was very, very clever.

Fleischer Studios' cartoons more often than not amused and charmed and were always well made. Not without over-cuteness at times and stories were seldom a strong suit, but they were always made up for significantly in appealing characters, outstanding music and visuals that were inventive and with innovative animation techniques.

Of the 1937 Popeye cartoons, 'Hospitaliky' agreed is one of the best, among the best Fleischer cartoons and is one of the best Popeye cartoons overall. If there was a list for classic Popeye cartoons, 'Hospitaliky' undoubtedly would be on it. It has everything that makes the Popeye series so appealing in its prime era and Popeye, Olive Oyl and Bluto are all on top form. While the good animation, even better music scoring, entertainment value, spot on character writing and chemistry between the leads.

The chemistry between the three characters really shines in 'Hospitaliky', especially as ever between Popeye and Bluto. Their chemistry is pretty legendary and drives the Popeye cartoons when they are together, which they are a lot though there have been effective changes of pace. One can see why that is the case, the energy between the two sparkles. Popeye is immensely entertaining and likeable while Bluto is every bit his equal. Would have liked to have seen more of Olive though.

If reading the premise, one would naturally think this is absurd. Thinking how to make something funny out of going to great lengths to be admitted to hospital just for love, when hospitals are among many people's least favourite places. Including me with it over the past eight years being a familiar place for me, while having great respect for everybody in the medical profession. 'Hospitality' manages to do so, brilliantly with remarkably fresh execution and non-stop energy and entertainment value. The story is not too formulaic and boasts a clever ending. Lots of gags spot on in timing, with not a misfire in the lot. Particularly effective in the laughs department are the truly creative injury attempts of Popeye and Bluto and Popeye's asides and mumblings, what could have been irritating manages to be something of an art form.

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, especially from Jack Mercer. Though nobody voiced Olive better than her most frequent voice actress Mae Questel and Gus Wickie has the right amount of menace for Bluto.

Summarising, a great cartoon and one of the best from this period. 9/10