POPEYE

US, 1980, 114 minutes, Colour.
Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall, Ray Walston, Paul Dooley, Paul L. Smith, Richard Libertini, Donald Moffat.
Directed by Robert Altman.

Popeye is in the current spate of 'humanised' comics that embody U.S. heroes who combat evil oppressing a hapless, helpless world. Ironic cartoonist Jules Feiffer has written this screenplay, capturing the verbal tones of the comic strip. Director Robert Altman creates an isolated world (a fairytale village built in sunlit Malta inhabited by expertly visualised and acted comic strip characters). Robin Williams is as good a Popeye as possible. Shelley Duvall is a believable cantankerous Olive Oyl. Ray Walston grates as Popeye's Pappy and highlights the drawback of the film: it is attractive, meticulously staged, but does not draw its audience in and seems to be straining heavily for its light touch.

This is an unusual film for Robert Altman, previously it was scheduled for Hal Ashby, Arthur Penn, Mike Nicholls with Dustin Hoffmann and Lily Tomlin. It reminds audiences of Altman's films about America, Brewster Mc Cloud, Nashville, Buffalo Bill and the Indians, The wedding. It also reminds us of the odd atmospheres and societies of the original M*A*S*H and Mc Cabe and Mrs. Miller. Prior to Popeye, Altman had made the commercially unsuccessful Quintet and Health.

1: An entertaining comedy? The importance of the comic strips in earlier decades? The cartoons popular in the '30s, '40s and '50s? (The quotation from the cartoon and Popeye's comment that he was in the wrong picture?) The animating of comic strips for the audience of the '80s?

2. The choice of Robert Altman to direct the film? His idiosyncratic film making, his interest in society and social issues, his sense of humour, his portrait of an isolated society, a hero? The Altman touch throughout the film? The work of Jules Feiffer on the screenplay and his career as a cartoonist? An authentic translation of the comic strip to film?

3. The technical production, expensive, the use of Maltese locations, the elaborate reconstruction of the village in Malta and its appearance, buildings, houses, streets and bridges, ships, the sea? The audience being immersed in the village and in the sea? The cartoon characters and their make up, costumes, antics? How did the film create the feel of an animated comic strip?

4. The modelling of the characters in appearance and manner on comic strips? The humanising, voice, behaviour, movements, imitating the comics? Special effects? The cleverness of the film?

5. The special effects, especially with Popeye and his fights? The choreography? The sailing and the final searching for the treasure, the fight with the octopus?

6. Making a musical of the film - the importance of the songs, tunes and lyrics, commentary on the characters and the issues? Their points of insertion? The importance of the opening with the song about Sweethaven and the irony about God blessing the town? Popeye arriving during this song? The introduction to the populace? The song 'Everything Is Food'? Popeye's song, 'I Yam What I Yam'. olive's songs about Bluto being large and about his needing her? The traditional 'Popeye the Sailor Man' song as grand finale? The incidental music?

7. The comic screenplay and structure of the film: Popeye emerging from the cosmic type storm, the nature of his quest, his being unwelcome in Sweethaven. Mrs. Oyl welcoming him, his reminiscences about his Pappy and his sense that he was present, the encounter with Bluto and his ruling Sweethaven, the Commodore and his absence but control? The fight in the cafe, Olive's party, her escape and the discovery of Swee' Pea. Swee' Pea's success in gambling, the kidnap, the boxing match, the encounter with the Commodore. the search for the treasure. the final fight and resolution? The development of a comic strip plot?

8. The film's comment on Sweethaven and its being an image of America? The opening song, God blessing the town? The introduction to the various characters and types, their hostility towards visitors, the taxman and his ever presence, the toughs in the cafe, Wimpy and his self-centred greediness, the Oyls and their welcome, the father talking about apologies, Olive and her cantankerousness, Castor and his good humour, the various characters at the Oyl household e.g. the undertaker, Bluto and his having the curfew for the town. kidnapping Swee' Pea, the rule of the Commodore? The cafe, the races, the whores, the food, the oppressed? The people united and rejoicing in liberation? American themes?

9. Robin Williams as Popeye - capturing his manner. appearance, voice? The humour of his pronunciation of words, humorous comments on behaviour? His arrival seemingly out of nowhere, the visual humour of his walking through the town? The nature of his quest with the absent photo frame? His muscles, pipe, squinty eye? His various antics? The various encounters with the taxi man? Friendship with Mrs Oyl? Olive and the discussion about her hat and its being ugly? His need for talking about his quest in the restaurant and his being upset by the laughter? The antics of the fight? The meal at the Oyls' household? Olive's party and his not being welcome? His helping her in her escape? Helping Castor Oyl win the boxing match? His love for Swee' Pea? Becoming close to Olive because of Swee' Pea? His protecting Swee' Pea, the visit to the races? His searching for the Commodore and the encounter with Bluto. the acknowledgement that the Commodore was his father? The background story of his losing his father? His rescuing Olive from the octopus, the final fight with Bluto? An American comic strip hero - humorous and tender. uniting the people and saving them? Sending the villain swimming away?

10. Shelley Duvall's appearance as Olive? The look, the dress, speaking manner? Cantankerous? Her comments about ugliness, her songs about Bluto, breaking off the engagement, escaping from her party, the finding of Swee' Pea, the gambling on the horses? Her wanting to rescue Swee' Pea? Her needing to be rescued from the funnel? Her songs? An ironic American heroine?

11. Bluto as the big villain - the curfew and his imposing of it. his arrival at the party and his breaking down the house. the kidnap of Swee' Pea. his relationship with the Commodore, trying to find the Commodore., trying to find the treasure., fighting with Popeye, swimming away at the end? The larger than life villain?

12. The Commodore and his control of the town? His arrival? The audience knowing that he was Popeye's father? His cantankerous attitude? The physical similarities and manner to Popeye? The story of his abandoning his son? The reliance on spinach - and the ironic forcing of Popeye to eat his spinach, especially in the fight with Bluto? The happy ending and the irony of what was contained in his treasure chest?

13. Wimpy as a comic figure, eating. kidnapping Swee' Pea, trying to remedy things at the end?

14. The taxman and the nature of his taxes? His come-uppance by sliding into the water?

15. The characters throughout the town - the toughs at the restaurant and their ridiculing of Popeye, the humour of the races, the whores?

16. The Oyl family, Mrs. Oyl and her kindliness, the apologetic father, the son and his trying to help his mother by winning the fight? Their being in at the end with the search for the treasure?

17. The comic highlights - choreography and timing e.g. Popeye's arrival, the moving of the piano or chest? The restaurant fight, Bluto and the breaking down of the house, the boxing sequence, the octopus and the fight in the water?

18. Funny comedy? Audiences involved with the characters and plot? An ironic glimpse of society?