Director: Dave Fleischer
Release Date: December 29, 1938
Stars: Popeye, Olive Oyl
Rating: ★★★½
Review:
In ‘Cops Is Always Right’ Popeye gets fined several times: for riding against a policeman, for blowing a horn, for parking near a fire hydrant, for parking in front of a fire station.
Actually, he’s trying to help Olive with her spring cleaning, but he’s constantly hindered by the same police officer. The comedy of this cartoon is flawless. It’s well-timed and makes clever use of a string of running gags, beautifully intertwined into one logical story.
Unfortunately, the short’s finale is disappointing. When Popeye accidentally hits the cop with a flower pot he locks himself in, as he always respects the law. This unfunny and cloying, law-abiding end hampers the cartoon, which otherwise would have been one of Popeye’s best.
‘Cops Is Always Right’ is noteworthy for lacking spinach, and for its unique type of comedy, which in many ways has more in common with Laurel and Hardy than with other Popeye cartoons. The short also shows how goody-goody Popeye had become. Although the cop pictured is far from sympathetic, Popeye remains über-calm, and never even thinks of knocking him down. His superhuman strength is strictly reserved for the cleaning of Olive’s house.
‘Cops Is Always Right’ is the last Popeye cartoon to be staged in the distinct New York environment. In 1938 the Fleischer studio had moved to Miami Florida, opening their new studio in October. From now on, Popeye’s surroundings would be generally spacier and sunnier than ever before.
Watch ‘Cops Is Always Right’ yourself and tell me what you think:
This Popeye film No. 67
To the previous Popeye film: A Date to Skate
To the next Popeye film: Customers Wanted
‘Cops Is Always Right’ is available on the DVD-set ‘Popeye the Sailor Volume Two’
Dr. Grob's Animation Review 
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February 10, 2018 at 01:32
Frederick Wiegand
This is one of the funniest and most off-beat of the original Fleischer Popeye cartoons. I like Popeye’s methods for re-arranging furniture. It’s also interesting that Bluto is absent for once. How would it have been if Bluto had been the cop? Would have added a different dimension to the proceedings, for sure. As for the ending, I personally find it hilarious and spot-on, given the gags that build up to it. It’s ironic because Popeye is always such a good guy, on the side of justice. The only way a jail could ever hold Popeye is if he willingly locked himself up. He seems proud of himself for “doing the right thing”, even singing the last few notes of his theme song in jail.