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7.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Never Kick a Woman remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have seven minutes to kill and a soft spot for 1930s animation, sure. It is not going to change your life, but it beats staring at a wall. If you hate slapstick or find the Popeye voice grating, stay far away. You will probably find the whole thing loud and a bit repetitive.
The premise is simple: Popeye thinks Olive needs to toughen up. He starts teaching her how to box, which involves a lot of exaggerated footwork and Olive looking confused. It feels like a precursor to the chaotic energy you see in The Racing Fool, where everything moves just a little too fast for comfort.
The highlight—or lowlight, depending on your mood—is the female boxer who shows up. She is built like a brick house and has zero interest in respecting boundaries. The way she flirts is just basically punching Popeye in the face repeatedly. It is oddly aggressive, even for a cartoon from this era.
Small detail: Watch the way Olive’s arms noodle around when she tries to land a punch. It is classic animation squish-and-stretch that looks almost painful. It reminds me of the weird physics in A Rag Doll Romance, where logic takes a backseat to whatever gag happens next.
The background art is surprisingly sparse. There is one scene where the gym looks like it was drawn by someone who was running out of ink. It is charming, I guess, but it makes the characters look like they are floating in a void.
The pacing is frantic. One second they are training, the next everything is on fire—metaphorically speaking. It reminded me a bit of the chaotic scramble in Weary Willies, where the momentum never really slows down to let you breathe.
Is it a masterpiece? No. It is just a cartoon where a sailor eats a can of greens and solves his problems with his fists. Sometimes, that is exactly what you need. 🥊