Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- We know that Popeye's hunches don't always work out, and he gets a hard time of it as a result. How does public image seem to affect Popeye's actions?
- The undercover cop in the bar-raid is the only person of color who isn't some kind of criminal in this movie. What can we learn about the portrayal of minorities based on this?
- Do you want Popeye to get his man, and make his case, even if he is a mean son-of-a-gun? Why might this be true? What about this story makes you want to root for him even still?
- Obviously, cars are a big deal in this movie. But they aren't your average muscle cars in Popsicle colors. How does their function in the story make them seem glamorous, sleek and exotic, despite their totally boring aesthetics?
- So this film was released in 1971, smack in the middle of the Vietnam Era. What do you make of this particular story being set during such a watershed time for the U.S. and the world?
- Popeye's captain tells us explicitly that the Feds (Mulderig and Klein) are put on the case because the government has money and the local police force does not. What does this tell us about distributions of power and money in the world of this movie, and the values being expressed in the story?
- Stereotypes are relied upon heavily for character development: Sal Boca is an Italian-American slickster, while Weinstock is a Jewish money man. How does the reliance of stereotypes help or hurt the emotional depth of the characters and the way a viewer reacts to them?
- Could this film be re-made now? What would have to change in order to appeal to modern-day audiences?