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Popeye

PG Released Dec 12, 1980 1h 54m Kids & Family Comedy List
58% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 39% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Looking for the father (Ray Walston) who deserted him as a baby, a sailor named Popeye (Robin Williams) journeys to the port town of Sweethaven. Popeye befriends an assortment of eccentrics and falls in love with Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall), who already has a suitor, the bully Bluto (Paul L. Smith). Popeye also discovers an abandoned baby, Swee'Pea, whom he raises as his own. But when the spurned Bluto kidnaps Olive and the child, Popeye takes action, with the help of his magic spinach.
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Popeye

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Critics Consensus

Altman's take on the iconic cartoon is messy and wildly uneven, but its robust humor and manic charm are hard to resist.

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Critics Reviews

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Patrick Gibbs Daily Telegraph (UK) Despite the evidently affectionate reproductions, as it were, by Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall as Popeye and his girl, Olive Oyl, and some loyal support, I don't think this comes off at all; but then, I have no fond memory of the originals. Jun 17, 2022 Full Review Derek Malcolm Guardian Popeye may be uneven and at times wilful, like many Altman films. But it is still very much the enjoyable fable it should be. Jun 17, 2022 Full Review David Ansen Newsweek One succumbs to a state of glazed indifference. The fault is not in the performances by Williams and Duvall, but rather, I suspect, in Altman's refusal to allow any movie star to violate the one-dimensional texture he's created. Jun 17, 2022 Full Review John Brosnan Starburst Altman's naturalism and the unreal subject matter that makes Popeye so interesting and unusual... a genuinely original atmosphere. Jul 26, 2022 Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) Nobody could actively dislike Popeye, but that's scarcely the kind of apology anyone should be making for an Altman film. Jun 16, 2022 Full Review Peter Sobczynski The Spool [I]t turned out to be one of the most wonderfully bizarre family films of its time and holds up beautifully today. Dec 10, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Omar F Under appreciated gem. Popeye is a fantastic film! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/03/24 Full Review Bonnie B Totally charming and a must see for children of all ages, up to 100. Shelley Duvall and Robin Williams make a fantastic pair and bring to life these wonderful characters. Listening to their duets and the delightful lyrics is a sure escape from the sad depression of life on the planet these days. if you're a child at heart, don't miss it. The acting of all is superb. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Julian S Despite the musical numbers being god-awful and lazily written, they don't entirely sink this film. There's an odd charm and timeless quality to the whole bizarre tale that might make it more appealing to adults than to children. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/12/24 Full Review Brent A 10% rating ... Hard pass. This was not a very good film. You should definitely skip this one. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review John T. H these songs are still stuck in my head. never thought Popeye would make such a great Musical! and the Cast is 100% Perfect! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/12/24 Full Review Jacob B I'll be honest; I actually went to the Sweethaven set as a wee lad but, having little understanding of film production back then, had no idea that Popeye Village was from a movie and just assumed it was some mini-theme park dedicated to the iconic sailor man. And I've only just recently seen the live-action adaptation of Popeye. And when setting aside the set's popularity among tourists in Malta, is this film any good? Eh, it's okay. The actors do a good job bringing the characters to life, the songs are memorable and its basic concept as an origin story for Popeye works well enough. But the film is also somewhat slow-paced, the struggles to translate the slapstick humour in a live-action context results in the jokes being rather hit-or-miss and its laid-back tone results in a film whose plot goes all over the place. From Popeye trying to fit in, to being an adoptive parent. The whole "Search for Pappy" thing is mostly just an excuse to get him to Sweethaven. Let's face it, this is more if a "hangout" film which audiences in 1980 understandably might not have wanted for a Popeye film with real people. The opening scene doesn't help with regards to the confusion that this is supposedly an adaptation of the comic strip, not the cartoons. While not as good a first impression as it could've been for Robin Williams' first major starring role in a movie, as excellent a job as he does playing the titular character, this film is a harmless enough watch. It's certainly much better than half of the live-action adaptations of cartoons or comics done in a cartoony art style that would show up in the latter half of the '90s and especially the 2000's anyway. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/15/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

Popeye

Popeye: Official Clip - He Needs Me Popeye: Official Clip - He Needs Me 2:12 Popeye: Official Clip - I Yam What I Yam Popeye: Official Clip - I Yam What I Yam 2:01 Popeye: Official Clip - I'm Popeye the Sailor Man Popeye: Official Clip - I'm Popeye the Sailor Man 2:13 Popeye: Official Clip - He's Large Popeye: Official Clip - He's Large 2:11 Popeye: Official Clip - Bluto Blows! Popeye: Official Clip - Bluto Blows! 2:08 Popeye: Official Clip - Stay With Me Popeye: Official Clip - Stay With Me 2:12 Popeye: Official Clip - I'm Mean Popeye: Official Clip - I'm Mean 1:57 Popeye: Official Clip - Oxblood Oxheart Popeye: Official Clip - Oxblood Oxheart 2:13 View more videos
Big Top Pee-wee 36% 30% Big Top Pee-wee The Bad News Bears 97% 80% The Bad News Bears TRAILER for The Bad News Bears Flubber 24% 33% Flubber Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 76% 54% Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Pee-wee's Big Adventure 89% 79% Pee-wee's Big Adventure Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Looking for the father (Ray Walston) who deserted him as a baby, a sailor named Popeye (Robin Williams) journeys to the port town of Sweethaven. Popeye befriends an assortment of eccentrics and falls in love with Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall), who already has a suitor, the bully Bluto (Paul L. Smith). Popeye also discovers an abandoned baby, Swee'Pea, whom he raises as his own. But when the spurned Bluto kidnaps Olive and the child, Popeye takes action, with the help of his magic spinach.
Director
Robert Altman
Producer
Robert Evans
Screenwriter
Jules Feiffer
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 12, 1980, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 1, 2013
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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