(POSSIBLE SPOILER)I YAM WHAT I YAM was the first official Popeye cartoon released by Max Fleischer's animation studio. (Popeye's debut cartoon POPEYE THE SAILOR was officially released as a Betty Boop cartoon.) As one expects in a Fleischer cartoon, wild and inventive gags preponderate. One highlight: Popeye assaults a thunderbolt at sea, causing it to drown while yelling for help and thus ending a rainstorm.
As voiced by William Costello, Popeye is a tough, boisterous character no one in their right mind would mess around with. However, he lacks warmth and humor. Jack Mercer would provide these desirable qualities when he became the voice of Popeye. Mae Questel hasn't yet perfected her voice characterization of Olive Oyl. Here she speaks in a relatively subdued manner. Nevertheless, Questel conveys a quirky charm.
What hurts I YAM WHAT I YAM for contemporary audiences is its regressive attitude toward American Indians. Not only are they depicted as savage brutes, but Popeye cavalierly disposes of them. Also offensive is a gag where Popeye turns the Chief into Gandhi. This bit implies that American Indians and Asian Indians are indistinguishable from each other on account of their dark skin.
I YAM WHAT I YAM is truly a product of this time. For sociological scholars, it epitomizes white American attitudes toward darker skinned peoples. For cartoon scholars, it exemplifies Popeye's formative stage in animation.
As voiced by William Costello, Popeye is a tough, boisterous character no one in their right mind would mess around with. However, he lacks warmth and humor. Jack Mercer would provide these desirable qualities when he became the voice of Popeye. Mae Questel hasn't yet perfected her voice characterization of Olive Oyl. Here she speaks in a relatively subdued manner. Nevertheless, Questel conveys a quirky charm.
What hurts I YAM WHAT I YAM for contemporary audiences is its regressive attitude toward American Indians. Not only are they depicted as savage brutes, but Popeye cavalierly disposes of them. Also offensive is a gag where Popeye turns the Chief into Gandhi. This bit implies that American Indians and Asian Indians are indistinguishable from each other on account of their dark skin.
I YAM WHAT I YAM is truly a product of this time. For sociological scholars, it epitomizes white American attitudes toward darker skinned peoples. For cartoon scholars, it exemplifies Popeye's formative stage in animation.