Robin Williams’ Popeye: A Troubled Production Turned Hidden Gem

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The making of Robin Williams’ live-action Popeye movie was famously chaotic, but the final film is surprisingly good. Williams stars as the iconic sailor who comes to the town of Sweethaven looking for his father and ends up causing a lot of excitement – and trouble – for the people who live there.

You know, when Popeye came out in 1980, everyone seemed to hate it. Critics really weren’t kind! But honestly, over the years, I’ve noticed more people starting to appreciate it. Just recently, The Hollywood Reporter did a fantastic deep dive into the movie’s story, and they actually called it a hidden gem – even pointing out that filmmakers like Paul Thomas Anderson are fans. It’s cool to see a film’s reputation change like that.

When Robert Evans of Paramount lost the chance to make a movie based on the musical Annie to Columbia Pictures, he was eager to find another musical project. He reviewed the comic strips Paramount owned the rights to and chose Popeye the Sailor Man as the perfect subject for a new movie musical.

Popeye Had A Notoriously Troubled Production

For the film, Evans brought in Jules Feiffer to write the script. He initially wanted Dustin Hoffman to star, but ultimately cast Robin Williams as Popeye. He then asked well-known directors Hal Ashby and Louis Malle to direct, but they both declined. Finally, Evans approached Robert Altman, who was facing a period of professional difficulty, and Altman agreed to take on the project.

The movie Popeye was filmed in Malta, but because the island didn’t have much local wood, a huge amount had to be imported for building the elaborate Sweethaven set. Frequent rain also caused filming to run two months behind schedule. These delays led to disagreements among the filmmakers about the movie’s direction.

Anderson Cooper once asked Barry Diller, who led Paramount Pictures from 1974 to 1984, which film set he considered the most filled with cocaine use. According to Entertainment Weekly, Diller immediately responded with Popeye. He explained that the drug use was impossible to avoid on that set.

Back then, it was standard practice to send film canisters to and from movie sets for processing in Los Angeles. As Diller recounts, these same canisters were also used to smuggle cocaine to the set of Popeye. They would ship the daily footage to L.A., and then return the canisters filled with cocaine to Malta.

It’s interesting that Martin Scorsese would later connect Popeye’s love of spinach to Jordan Belfort’s cocaine use in The Wolf of Wall Street, considering that a story about spinach is what originally launched Popeye into movies. While it appears to be a lighthearted cartoon adventure, the film is surprisingly filled with the energy and chaos of a drug-induced hallucination.

After What Went Into Making It, It’s A Miracle That The Popeye Movie Is Coherent At All

Considering all the difficulties during the making of Popeye, it’s amazing the movie even works. The fact that it tells a clear and complete story is remarkable, and it’s also a surprisingly sweet and enjoyable film.

Robert Altman’s Hyperrealistic Style Doesn’t Quite Gel With A Cartoon Adaptation

Robert Altman is considered one of the most important filmmakers of all time, creating classics like MASH, Short Cuts, The Long Goodbye, and The Player. He was known for a very realistic style, using techniques like long shots and overlapping conversations to make his films feel spontaneous and true to life. This approach worked brilliantly in films like Nashville*, but doesn’t translate as well to more fantastical, cartoon-like stories.

Altman approached the Popeye movie in his signature style, using muted colors and realistic acting to make it feel surprisingly genuine. It’s remarkably similar to his film McCabe & Mrs. Miller – a story focused on two people in a bleak, struggling town – except this time it’s intended as a family-friendly Disney comedy.

Robin Williams & Shelley Duvall Are Utterly Charming As Popeye & Olive Oyl

The real strength of the movie Popeye lies in the performances of its stars. While the film’s visual style doesn’t quite fit the story, and the special effects are noticeably shaky during the octopus scene, Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall have incredible chemistry and are captivating as Popeye and Olive Oyl.

Robin Williams is known for his over-the-top comedic performances, making him a natural fit for the role of a hilariously clumsy sailor who’s full of energy. Robert Duvall provides a wonderful contrast, playing a more serious character who balances out Williams’ wild antics. They work brilliantly together and have fantastic chemistry on screen.

Despite a difficult production, Popeye is a genuinely enjoyable film. While Robert Altman’s directing style, similar to his work on Nashville, doesn’t quite fit the movie’s tone, the chemistry between Robin Williams and Robert Duvall, Harry Nilsson’s memorable songs, and the impressive sets ultimately save the day.

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2026-02-09 04:32