This article is about the animated short. For the art show, see Strong to the Finich! (art show).
| Strong to the Finich | |
| Number 11 | |
 | |
| Guide | |
| previous Shoein' Hosses |
next Shiver Me Timbers! |
Strong to the Finich is Popeye's 11th theatrical cartoon, from Fleischer Studios, which was released on June 29, 1934.
Plot[]
At Olive Oyl's Health Farm for Children, six boys are waiting for the meal Olive is making for them, with their utensils prepared. Olive serves the boys a spinach salad fresh and warm. However, the boys are not satisfied with the salad, so the fat boy and the striped shirt boy slip the bowl on the ground, but Olive catches it. She tells the boys to eat their salad, but the boys start a food fight and throw the vegetable at her. Olive gives up, sits on a stool and begins to cry. Fortunately, Popeye arrives with a box of vegetables, making Olive happy. The boys stop the food fight and greet Popeye, excited to see he has a surprise for them. Popeye presents the boys a crate of spinach, and they cry when they see it. Popeye teaches the lads how to eat their spinach and why it is good for them; he demonstrates by feeding a leaveless plant. The plant eats the spinach as if it were plant food, and grows into a tree with all kinds of fruit. Popeye feeds a hen spinach, which then lays a dozen eggs. A ferocious boxer encounters Popeye. Popeye insists the boxer give him a moment to eat his spinach, then strike at him. The boxer gets to work punching him, and the sailor just stands there, taking hit after hit. After watching the spinach-eating sailor's demonstration of strength against the boxer, the striped shirt boy sees a pair of squalid cows eating grass, and feeds spinach to them by breaking a can into two pieces, after which the animals become beefy and violent. When the boys see the cows turn ferocious, they run for dear life. A tree carries the boys to safety. Meanwhile, the boxer gets exhausted, and Popeye gives him a flower to rest. Popeye sees the boys in trouble, and battles the cows. They play around with him and knock him out. Popeye eats some more spinach and defeats the cows, coming to the boys' rescue. After that, the children eat their spinach and also become very strong, gaining Popeye-like arms. The boys play around with their strength. The fat boy punches a gate. The striped shirt boy punches an apple tree, turning it into a pair of apple crates. The tall boy blows a windmill as if it were a pinwheel, and the windmill takes off. Popeye and Olive are impressed with the boys' acts. The boys send Olive up to the sky and catch her in their hands together with Popeye, as if performing a stunt.
Trivia[]
- First cartoon to use children hating spinach as a major plot element.
- The boys at Olive's Health Farm for Children resemble the Our Gang characters.
- First cartoon in which Popeye eats spinach multiple times. He does so while demonstrating to the boys why it is good for them, and when he rescues them from the ferocious cows.
External links[]
- Strong to the Finich at the Internet Movie Database