| Spinach Fer Britain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | I. Sparber Animation Director: Jim Tyer (uncredited) |
| Story by | Carl Meyer |
| Produced by | Seymour Kneitel I. Sparber Dan Gordon Executive Producer: Sam Buchward (all uncredited) |
| Starring | Jack Mercer (uncredited) |
| Music by | Winston Sharples (uncredited) |
| Animation by | Jim Tyer Abner Kneitel Uncredited Animation: George Germanetti Ben Solomon Tom Baron |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 6:26 |
| Language | English |
Spinach Fer Britain is a 1943anti-Nazipropaganda cartoon, produced byFamous Studios and distributed byParamount Pictures. The film centers aroundPopeye the Sailor trying to deliver a shipment of spinach to10 Downing Street in London, while fighting offNaziKriegsmarine soldiers pursuing him in aU-boat.[1] The short was released on January 22, 1943.[2]
Like its predecessor,You're a Sap, Mr. Jap,Spinach Fer Britain was kept out of distribution for several decades, due to its propagandistic nature and frequent display ofNazism, until it received an official release in November 2008 in a DVD collection of Popeye cartoons produced between 1941–1943. It also had limited airings onCartoon Network as part ofThe Popeye Show.[3]
The short opens with fiveNazi German soldiers patrolling the coast of Europe in aU-boat, destroying everything they encounter (even a fellow U-boat). Each time they defeat an enemy, one of them jumps onto the bow of the U-boat and theNazi captain emerges as they shout "Heil Hitler!" while exchangingsalutes before the crewman jumps on the captain and stuffs him back into the sub before they dive to resume their patrol.
Meanwhile, Popeye the Sailor is heading forBritain with a shipment of spinach to donate as awar ration; as he approaches theWhite Cliffs of Dover, his ship is attacked and sunk by the Nazi patrol before he can reach Britain. Popeye manages to escape with his spinach in a rowboat but is pursued by the Nazis. Popeye flips the U-boat upside-down and quickly withdraws.
But Popeye rows into aminefield and his boat is destroyed before he can escape. Popeye quickly collects all his spinach before the U-boat catches up with him. The Nazis ready their U-boat's turret but smoke from Popeye'stobacco pipe causes it to sneeze and fire uncontrollably, knocking Popeye out cold and sending his spinach flying into the air. The Nazis, believing Popeye to be dead, emerge from their U-boat and salute; all of Popeye's spinach falls through the U-boat'sbulkhead door. Popeye, dazed and unconscious, topples down to the ocean floor, with the U-boat'spropeller atop his head like abeanie. Popeye quickly regains consciousness and takes out a can of spinach, using the spinning propeller as a can opener. Swallowing its contents causes Popeye's arm to grow adepth charge. Using the propeller for transportation, he blows a hole in the Nazis U-boat. One-by-one, four Nazi soldiers emerge from the ruined sub as Popeye delivers them each a singleuppercut, causing them to fly up, still saluting, into the minefield to their deaths.
Popeye rows the half-destroyed U-boat toward Britain. He enters aheavy fog and the U-boat ends up crashing into traffic right outside10 Downing Street in London, where all the cans of spinach spill out of the sub to the cheers of the Londoners. Popeye exits the sub along with the battered Nazi captain, who salutes and says "Heil Hitler!" Popeye stuffs him back into the U-boat before popping back out and puffing his tobacco pipe to "V for Victory.”[4]
Due to the short's World War II ethnic stereotyping of Nazi stereotypes, the short was banned from TV, but was presented onCartoon Network and[adult swim] as part of its anthology seriesThe Popeye Show.
Spinach Fer Britain is available onPopeye the Sailor: 1941–1943, Volume 3 DVD collection.[5]