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Popeye

Play trailer Poster for Popeye PG,  1980,  1h 54m,  Kids & Family/ Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 60% 43 Reviews Tomatometer 39% 50,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
60% 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.
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) Jun 17, 2022
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. Go to Full Review
Derek Malcolm Guardian Jun 17, 2022
Popeye may be uneven and at times wilful, like many Altman films. But it is still very much the enjoyable fable it should be. Go to Full Review
David Ansen Newsweek Jun 17, 2022
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. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Jul 15, 2025
3/5
…given the talent involved, Popeye is a true fiasco, a stupendous set of mercurial talents unable to connect with celebrated material….there’s brilliant sight gags, and some knowing humour, but the central casting, while looking good, simply doesn’t work… Go to Full Review
John Brosnan Starburst Jul 26, 2022
Altman's naturalism and the unreal subject matter that makes Popeye so interesting and unusual... a genuinely original atmosphere. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Harry R Apr 27, 2019 Creative and fun movie with some catchy music.
Feb 1, 2019 Great old time flick
Draco L Dec 28, 2018 Excellent movie way better than spaceballs.
Draco W Feb 26, 2018 The movie is quaint, charming and thin, just as the cartoon. You get a good live action version of the short cartoons, with a little story but not too much to force it into being a serious movie. The actors portray their parts, and the visuals represent the cartoon just as you'd expect them too when staying true to them. See more
Dec 28, 2017 Loved this movie since seeing it in the theatre as a child. Robin Williams is awesome, the songs really grow on you and he supporting cast is excellent. See more
Anakin S Oct 12, 2017 The characters look the part, the sets look it too and it even sounds like a living cartoon, but the lack of a discernible plot makes Popeye feel like a bit of a mess. Is Popeye's search for his father the driving force of this movie? If so, there is little actual time spent on the subject. It doesn't really ever feel like anything is being accomplished here. Scenes play out one after the other with very little indication as to where it can and/or will go next. One could even rearrange many of the scenes and there would be little, if any noticeable difference in progression. Also, for a musical, the music in this film is rather uneven. Occasionally, when it works, it's still rather dopey, which pretty much sums this movie up very well - Dopey. See more
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Popeye

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Popeye

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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
Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney 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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