Director: Dave Fleischer
Release Date: September 23, 1938
Stars: Popeye, Olive Oyl
Rating: ★★★★½
Review:
‘Mutiny Ain’t Nice’ is one of the rarer Popeye cartoons in which we watch our amiable sailor actually sailing.
The cartoon starts with Popeye preparing ship and saying goodbye to Olive, who, as a woman, cannot board ship because she will bring bad luck. Olive, however, lands on Popeye’s ship by accident, and as soon as she’s discovered by the crew, a mutiny starts. With help of spinach, Popeye rounds up his crew single-handed, chains them in one go and throws them into the hold.
Never mind the straight-forward story: ‘Mutiny Ain’t Nice’ is a fast and very enjoyable cartoon, greatly helped by Jack Mercer’s inspired ad-libbing and by beautiful background art.
Watch ‘Mutiny Ain’t Nice’ yourself and tell me what you think:
This Popeye film No. 64
To the previous Popeye film: Bulldozing the Bull
To the next Popeye film: Goonland
‘Mutiny Ain’t Nice’ is available on the DVD-set ‘Popeye the Sailor Volume Two’
Dr. Grob's Animation Review 
3 comments
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October 29, 2018 at 07:40
C.j. Gregory
oh man one of my favorites one for having olive’s original personality where she doesnt take kindly to insults and popeye calling out the ranks of his crew
February 3, 2018 at 03:24
Hans Christian Brando
One of Popeye’s best. Not only do we see the sailor actually at sea (which, unaccountably, was precious seldom for so very many cartoons), but Jack Mercer’s muttered asides are among his funniest. Olive gets her share of laughs too (one of Mae Questel’s last vocal jobs as Olive until 1944). Popeye even beats up his mutinous crew in order of rank: “First mate, second mate, third mate, deck hand, seaman, bosun, cabin boy!”
If only the Fleischers and their crew could have sustained this level of comedy for 75 minutes, they’d have had a blockbuster feature that would have rivaled Disney on their own terms. They wouldn’t have needed songs or even Technicolor. Oh, well.
February 3, 2018 at 16:20
Gijs Grob
Yeah, I wish the Fleischers and Paramount would have realized more that comedy was their strength, and not the imitation of Disney…