A Balmy Swami (1949)

Under the bright lights of a bustling variety show, Popeye and Olive find themselves entranced by the spectacle. Popeye is particularly taken with a juggling seal, its showmanship unmatched. However, their amusement is short-lived as the sinister magician and hypnotist, Bluto, takes the stage. His eyes instantly lock onto Olive in her opulent box seat, setting a devious plan in motion. With a deft flick of his wrist, Bluto subjects Popeye to a humiliating array of magic tricks, delighting the audience and increasing Olive's vulnerability. Seizing the moment, he hypnotizes Olive, luring her towards him in a mesmeric trance. Quick-thinking Popeye manages to redirect Olive, taking it upon himself to confront Bluto. In the ensuing chaos, Olive wanders off the stage, unwittingly stepping into the perilous world of a nearby construction site. Popeye and Bluto engage in a frantic race against time, each desperately trying to reach Olive first. Bluto's magic proves a formidable obstacle, with instantaneous brick walls appearing to thwart Popeye at every turn. When Bluto finally revives Olive from her trance, she lashes out in confusion before succumbing to panic. In a desperate attempt to save Olive, Popeye hurls a hook her way. In a twist of fate, the hook crashes through a window, dragging a piano out and causing a domino effect of destruction. Olive finds herself catapulted by the piano strings onto a remote platform, sparking yet another frantic race to her rescue. As Popeye grapples with a free-falling elevator, he turns to his trusted can of spinach. In the end, it's Bluto who finds himself at the mercy of the juggling seal, now transformed from entertainer to plaything. In the world of Popeye, the line between comedy and chaos is as thin as a variety show's curtain.

A Balmy Swami is an animation movie featuring Jack Mercer and directed by Izzy Sparber.

A Balmy Swami is currently streaming on TCM.