Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves (1937)

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Voices: Jack Mercer (Popeye), Mae Questel (Olive Oyl), Gus Wickie (Bluto as Abul Hassan).Director: DAVE FLEISCHER. Screenplay: Jack Mercer, Dan Gordon, Cal Howard, Tedd Pierce, Isidore Sparber. Adapted from a tale in The Arabian Nights. Popeye, Bluto and Olive Oyl based on characters created by Elzie Segar. Photographed in Color by Technicolor by Charles Schettler. Head animator: Willard Bowsky. Animators: George Germanetti, Orestes Calpini. Music: Sammy Timberg. Songs by Sammy Timberg, Sammy Lerner, Vee Lawnhurst, Tot Seymour. Producer: Max Fleischer. Copyright 26 November 1937 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. Presented by Adolph Zukor. U.S. release: 26 November 1937. 2 reels. 19 minutes. SYNOPSIS: When their plane crash-lands in the desert, Popeye, Wimpy and Olive Oyl tangle with Ali Baba and his band of cut-throats.COMMENT: Once again, as in Sindbad, Bluto not only makes the innings in this one but also gets to render another delightfully self-congratulatory song, this time joined by a rousing chorus of sold-out followers. True, Popeye does enjoy a few jests before tangling with the outlaw band and bowling them out with his usual spinach-induced strongarm stuff; but, aside from the satisfying closing shot in which the camera inventively tracks from right to left (instead of the customary left to right), it's the images of Bluto and his superfast-moving gang we remember rather than Popeye waiting for a desert traffic signal or energetically pumping water into a parched Wimpy and Olive Oyl.

"Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves" is a 17-minute cartoon from 1937, so this one will have its 80th anniversary next year. The title already gives away the hero and antagonist for this one. Yes, it is another Popeye cartoon and there are so so many out there. However, this one here is different compared to what they usually look like. It has color, runs for almost 20 minutes and takes place far far away from Popeye's home that is the usual location for these (usually 7-minute) cartoons. But this does not mean it is a good or at least decent watch. The animation admittedly has creative moments from Fleischer on some occasions, but it is never a film that is funny or interesting in terms of the action. It is basically a poor man's version of the earlier short film in which Popeye goes up against Sinbad the Sailor, also played by Bluto as always. But back to this one here. I have no idea why Olive and Wimpy were even include as they add absolutely nothing to this one really. It is all about Popeye and, to a lesser extent, Bluto. Maybe they tried to hide the fact that it is a relatively weak film story-wise with all the action they gave audiences and audiences back then may have accepted it. I however will not and that's why I give it a thumbs-down. One of the weaker Popeye cartoons and don't be fooled by the rating here on IMDb. It may have been a solid achievement at an essential 7 minutes. But at 10 more, it's a disappointment. Don't watch.

First of all, I've seen this cartoon twice and what a difference! The first look was on a generic DVD collection of cartoons and a was a cheap buy. This second look was on the "Popeye The Sailor Man 1933-1938 Volume One" DVD set" with a "restored" picture and it looks stunning. The colors are rich and bold, the contrast great and it almost like something made in recent years.The story pits "Abu Hassan" (Bluto) against Popeye, the Coast Guard man (along with Olive Oyl and Wimpy). The radio announces Hassan and his 40 thieves have just committed some crime so Popeye takes off in his flying ultra-modern-looking boat. (The radio then changes shape, reaches out and snatches Wimpy's hamburger from his mouth!)As cool as the plane-boat is, however, it conks out and crash lands in the desert. Our good guys look like Moses and Hebrews crossing the long desert. Only Popeye seems to be holding up and then figures out a clever way to get all three of them to a place where they can get food and water, and then go looking for the bandit. By now, he doesn't have much further to go. They are there in that Casablanca-like cityRather than going into all the details in this special, 17-minute Technicolor cartoon, suffice to say it was not only interesting but very clever (especially Popeye's butchering of words) and a real hoot to see in that "restored" cut of it. This cartoon features the normal Popeye humor and heroics, all packaged in one beautiful- looking animated short!

When this show was on I watched it every time I could! I thought that the characters were really funny and all had great personalities. The animation in My opinion was crisp, clean, and really clear. Not to mention beautiful! Most of the characters in this show are hilarious like the Looney Tunes characters that we all love. in My opinion these characters are the funnies and talented ever seen. In fact, The things that goes on in this series' cartoons are in My opinion nuts which that is what makes them hilarious! There are so many to like and laugh at and the silly things they do! If you like the original Looney Tunes then I strongly recommend that you watch this show!