Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

A Jolly Good Furlough (1943) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Popeye does his time during WWII and returns home where his nephews want to show him the special training they've been doing.A JOLLY GOOD FURLOUGH is yet another mildly entertaining entry from 1943. I say that because a lot of the shorts from this year weren't all that memorable. They were at least entertaining while you watched them but they weren't nearly good enough to where you'd revisit them very often. There are some funny moments here including the invisible paint that the kids created and the ending has a nice laugh as well. The animation is good as you'd expect but there's nothing overly great here.

This wartime Popeye cartoon begins with Popeye taking on a fort full of Japanese soldiers and single-handedly wiping them out! As a result of this and other great acts of heroism, Popeye is granted leave--and he goes home. However, Olive is too busy with the war effort and the boys (Peepeye, Pipeye, Poopeye and Pupeye) entertain him by showing off what they've learned about home defense, camouflage and the like. In the process they end up beating the snot out of Popeye--and so he rushes back to the war in order to get some peace and quiet.Overall, this is a good WWII propaganda film--clever and able to make some good points about the war effort at home. My only complaint is the oddly drawn messenger bird. It looks like it was made by another studio and is oddly animated. But, it's a minor quibble.

I've been watching propaganda movies recently. I don't think we appreciate the government influence on the industry, and its easiest to see here.In this case, the message seems to be that GIs can be relatively happy away compared to home.The story is that Popeye comes home to his girlfriend and family and finds them a hassle, so much so that he runs back to the front and shoots at the messenger that brings further leave. You can almost see the memo about what it was supposed to illustrate.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

This cartoon with Popeye the Sailor is another cartoon made when the United States were in a war with Japan. It is a racist cartoon, but you can not really judge it that way since it was made back then. Even today people make fun of people when they are in war with them.Popeye is fighting the war against the Japanese but he gets a furlough. When he gets home all he wants to do is rest a little but that seems impossible. First Olive hits him a couple of times with the car and then his nephews show him their own "Home Defense Program". They show him and also test it on him making sure he will not rest very much.The racist part is in the middle where the nephews ask Popeye whether he killed some Japanese people (Japs). The nephews impersonate the Japanese in a racist way, but I have to say it is also a very funny part. Other parts are pretty nice as well since Popeye is the biggest victim here. This time spinach can not save him. Entertaining enough.