Poopdeck Pappy does himself proud in his final Fleischer cartoon. The opening shot displays "Popeye's Air-Conditioned Airport - Airplanes is the Safest Things on Earth." The Fleischers zoom in on the second half of that sign, assuring us of its irony.
Pappy begs Popeye to be allowed off into the wild blue yonder, but Popeye will have none of it. Of course, once Pappy accidentally starts up a stray airplane, Popeye has little say in the matter.
Superb gags abound, both of the usual dizzying-heightened-perspective manner so beloved by the Fleischers, as well as some wild fish-out-of-water spot gags (love that subway shot). Farewell, Pappy -- you left the series at just the right time.
(Trivia: This was the first Fleischer cartoon to display opening credits different from the old ship-deck setting. The new credit style appeared to be a confident opening salvo from the newly-moved-to-Miami Fleischers; little did they know.)
My rating:
© 2009, Steve Bailey.
Click here to return to:
Our cartoon-list page
