You're a Sap, Mr. Jap

You're a Sap, Mr. Jap
Number 109
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You're a Sap, Mr. Jap is a one-reel animated cartoon short subject released by Paramount Pictures on August 7, 1942. It was the first cartoon featuring Popeye the Sailor in a series produced by Famous Studios, which took over the Popeye theatrical franchise from Fleischer Studios. It is one of the best-known World War II propaganda cartoons, and also one of the few Popeye cartoons to not include either Bluto or Olive Oyl.

Plot

The cartoon, which gets its title from a novelty song written by James Cavanaugh, John Redmond and Nat Simon, finds Popeye singlehandedly defeating the crew of a Japanese battleship in the Pacific Ocean. The cartoon was kept out of commercial release for years due to its racially offensive caricaturing of the Japanese and to the climactic sequence where the Japanese naval commander commits suicide by drinking gasoline and consuming lit firecrackers.

However, it re-emerged in a November 2008 DVD release of Popeye cartoons produced between 1941 to 1943.

Gallery

"Imma peace-lovin' guy meself."

"If Japanese boy don't win... he lose face!"

Notes

• First Paramount cartoon released under Famous Studios. However, the Famous Studios logo would not be used until two months later.
• The Max Fleischer credit has been removed from the opening. However, the 1938 Paramount Cartoons logo would continue to be used until Cartoons Ain't Human.
• There were some changes made to the Fleischer Popeye opening. The pipe animation has been slightly redone, and the opening music has been shortened to include the titular song, "You're a Sap, Mr. Jap".
• This short is currently banned from the U.S. due to the offensive caricature of The Japanese.

External links

• You're a Sap, Mr. Jap at the Internet Movie Database