Popeye the Sailorpedia
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Never Sock a Baby
Number 75
NEVER SOCK A BABY
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Never Sock a Baby is Popeye's 75th theatrical cartoon, produced by Fleischer Studios and released on November 3, 1939.

Plot[]

After spanking Swee'Pea for some unspecified misbehavior, Popeye sends him to his bed without his supper. Soon, the sailor's "angel" side of his conscience emerges and urges him to go comfort the baby, however, Popeye's "devil" self stops him, saying that the boy needs to learn to be tough. Meanwhile, the weeping Swee'Pea, thinking that Popeye does not love him anymore, runs away from home, wandering into a forest and later crossing a suspension bridge over a chasm - with the bridge falling off behind him.

Popeye's struggle with the good and bad sides of his conscience ends when the latter calls him a "sissy" and is punched out by Popeye. Noticing Swee'Pea's evasion, Popeye runs to the cliff left without a bridge and notices his adopted son's shoe on the opposite end, then uses rope remains as a lasso in order to slam both sides of the cliff together. Swee'Pea runs away from his pursuing parent, falling from the mountain into a bird's nest and the river below. He is caught by Popeye but they are both about to fall, and the sailor's spinach can is empty. Denied a last-minute escape, the two fall to their doom. It is then revealed Popeye was only dreaming in his armchair, with Swee'Pea safely sleeping in his crib. Popeye wakes him up to hug and kiss him.

Trivia[]

  • Remade for television in 1960 as "Baby Phase".
  • This is the first short to use a remade version of the 1933 ship door intro. The font was changed and the "i" from "Sailor" had a star added to it.

External links[]

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