Too Weak to Work (1943) *** (out of 4)Popeye and Bluto own a boat company but the big man says he's too weak to work. Bluto ends up in the hospital but Popeye learns that he's faking so he dresses up as a nurse to teach him a lesson.TOO WEAK TO WORK isn't a masterpiece or anything but if you're a fan of the series then you'll certainly want to check it out since it does contain some nice action and good laughs. The highlight comes towards the end of the film when Bluto shrinks down in size and him running around will certainly have tears running down your face from laughing. Another great gag deals with Popeye putting too much oxygen in him, which causes him to float away.

The boys - Popeye and Bluto - are assigned painting chores while serving in the Navy. They have to paint those small boats you see on the sides of the big warships.Bluto doesn't want to work, so he feigns illness to get out of the detail. He's so dramatic that he fools our half-brained hero who escorts him to a nearby hospital. When Popeye inadvertently discovers he's been had, he dons a nurse disguise, comes back into the room and makes the big oaf pay.That's about it. This was a basically silly and strange Popeye cartoon, certainly not up to standards, to be honest. A lot of these WWII Popeye cartoons were so-so, at best.I miss the better-drawn, funnier battles between Popeye and Olive back in the big city or out in the country. I even miss Olive and Wimpy. War is hell.

For a refreshing change of pace, Popeye & Bluto aren't in competition for the affections of Olive. Instead, they're supposed to be painting a fleet of small boats (at least Popeye is painting,where Bluto is content being a lazy S.O.B.). Bluto tries to feign sickness, is trucked to the closest hospital for some much needed R&R (yeah, right). When Popeye sees through Bluto's lie, he cross dresses as what has to be the ugliest nurse in history, and puts Bluto through the ringer (with some fairly sadistic results). This is one of the last Popeye cartoons that was shot in black & white by Famous Studios (once the Fleischer Brothers were given their walking papers,the rest of the series was filmed in various colour processes). This is a fast paced, ultra funny short that was actually a remake of a 1938 Captain & The Kids short, 'Cleaning House' for M-G-M studios (that,like 'Too Weak To Work',was also filmed in black & white). Occasionally aired on Cartoon Network's sister station Boomerang on either Late Nite Black & White, or on their half hour block of original Paramont/Fleischer/Famous Studio Popeye animated shorts (air times vary,depending).