Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Brilliant and touching

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Robin Williams's first starring role kinda fell flat in 1980 for a number of reasons. Fist, the Thimble theater cartoon by Segar went through several changes but had been pushed out of the mainstream viewing by such more cerebral cartoons like Peanuts, Doonesbury, Bloom County and then 5 years later, Calvin and Hobbes. As late as the 60s, these Popeye cartoons were seen only on kiddie shows and as such, were long out of the public view. Hence, the appeal of the strip was restricted to old duffers like me who grew up with Popeye in the 40s and 50s.Too bad, because this film reflects the talents of Altman and Feiffer, maintains a level of tristesse and timelessness that hearkens back to the old Segar cartoon strip. My only criticism of the acting was Robin Williams's difficulty in getting Popeye's squint done which Ray Walston did so beautifully.

Robert Altman's "Popeye" (1980) features Robin Williams in the titular role, Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, Ray Walston as Pappy and others as Bluto, Wimpy and so on. These actors are outstanding as these characters, particularly Williams and Duvall. Unfortunately, I found the story boring and the excellent seaside Malta set too confining and therefore increasingly dull. If Altman would have included a more compelling story it would've worked better for adults. As it is, its appeal is limited to small kids, hardcore Popeye fans and devotees of Williams.The reason 1994's The Flintstones" and even the 2000 sequel worked so well (for me anyway) was because they both had interesting and entertaining stories. "Popeye" is dull by comparison, although somewhat amusing. If my wife -- who loves the movie -- wasn't with me I would've never gotten through it.The film runs 114 minutes (too long).GRADE: C-

Every time I watch this movie, I'm reminded that Fate decides. And Fate decided here to morph the classic cartoon into a cute little stage version of itself, so benign, so dull, so non threatening and so lifeless as a movie that it manages to be fascinating. And this, mostly due to the fame of its director, I suppose, but to tell you the truth, its mostly because Shelly Duvall and Robin Williams hit the cartoon nails on the head, and gave inspired, ingeniously perfect interpretations of Popeye and Olive Oyl. They are the reasons that even while you're cringing through this strange dud of a film, you can't stop watching it until its over. Ray Walston as Popeye's father captured it too. Whatever it is. Study the Kubrikian opening, when Popeye the Sailor braves a raging storm at sea in a rowboat, in end of the world gloom and doom, only to have the scene lighten into a sunny piece of fluff when he lands in Sweet Haven. Study this, and you'll see that a spirit of childlike wonder touched Altman and literally forced him to go in an aggressively silly, lighthearted direction.The problem with this movie was that the well written music was so poorly arranged and orchestrated that it did little more than hold the movie hostage as stiff and stagey, which we dismiss as "quirky" thanks to the genius of Williams and Duvall. I could listen to them talk to each other all day long doing those voices. Remember what John Williams did for Stephen Spielberg in Hook? If that had happened here, we would be having a different conversation about this classically strange and curiously compelling movie. It maintains a powerful innocence, an almost tragic naivite, that could help explain why Fate decided to release these classic cartoon characters in humility, instead of grandeur. This movie is for the pure in heart. The innocent, naïve child in all of us.

So, watching this was kind of a weird flashback. I remember it from when I was a kid, but I also remember it leaving a bad taste that has taken 30+ years to get over. So tonight I gave it another try and... well, it is better than I remember, but I also understand now why I didn't like it then. First, the good - it actually does a pretty good job following the feel and tone of the original cartoons. If you don't know the characters or cartoon, don't complain about Shelly Duvall's singing, or the goofiness, or everything that was completely and directly related to the original Popeye. (Why would you even watch it? Sheesh.) As for the bad... It's long. Really, REALLY long. Not like "Desolation of Smaug" long, but it's just hard to take a concept that was always meant to be 5-10 min. and turn it into a full length feature film. (Sadly, Hollywood didn't learn this from "Popeye" and has tried everything from cartoons to board games since; Expect "Candy-Land The Movie" any time now.) The first hour is cute, and quaint, and you think about the cartoon and it's kind of fun. The second hour is... well, I can't say for sure. I fell asleep for part of it, and couldn't stop thinking about what else I should be doing the rest of the time. Then there is the "Haul Ass" final pseudo-song ending. OK, maybe Popeye's Pappy is saying "Haul Aft", but this is supposed to be a kids movie and it simply gets old and wasn't really funny the first time. So, I guess my suggestion is this - watch the first half hour or so, see some great performances, have a trip down memory lane and then let it go. It ends how the cartoons end - Popeye eats the spinach, Brutus looses, and toot-toot, all is well in the world. I just saved 60-90 minutes of your life. You will thank me someday.