Popeye and Bluto fight for the love of Olive Oyl in their debut short, featuring Betty Boop.

Popeye's failures in the kitchen send him on a quest for a wife. He visits the "matrimonial agency" and picks Olive at the same time Bluto picks her. Of course, the boys settle their problem with their fists. Soon, Bluto and Olive are visiting Justice of the Peace Wimpy, with Popeye temporarily detained.

Policeman Wimpy loses his handcuffed prisoner when he's distracted by a hamburger shop. The escapee drops into the weapon-filled pawnshop Popeye and Olive are running, and quickly gets in a fight with Popeye.

Popeye and Bluto run adjoining (and competing) fire companies. When Olive's huge house catches fire, they are soon more interested in fighting each other than the fire. When Bluto goes to the roof to rescue Olive, the fire strands him there. Popeye eats his spinach and rescues them, but it's too late for the house.

Popeye and Olive compete as partners in a dance contest. Naturally, Bluto butts in.

Popeye and Olive open a diner, singing the title song. Alas, their first two customers are Wimpy (who actually gets them to fall for the "gladly pay you Tuesday" schtick) and Bluto, who orders 6 sandwiches and refuses to pay for them. This leads, of course, to a fight, which Popeye needs his spinach to win.

To the classic tune of "Barnacle Bill the Sailor", Olive explains that she can't marry Popeye because she's in love with Barnacle Bill (an unusually large Bluto), who then comes by and proceeds to pound Popeye (until he eats his spinach, of course).

The boys arrive at Olive's house at the same time, but at different doors. They both come in, and whenever Olive isn't looking, they start fighting. She catches them, and tells them one will have to leave. Bluto tells Popey that whoever does the best trick can stay. As a result, they find ever more creative ways to abuse each other, much to Olive's merriment. Eventually, though, they start destroying her house, and Olive throws them both out, for a little while, anyhow.

Popeye and Bluto are deep sea divers. Popeye has a treasure map; for some reason he cuts Bluto in on the deal, but of course, Bluto's idea of 50-50 isn't exactly fair...

Popeye and Olive are attending a football game; Bluto's team takes the field, and Olive is swept off her feet, becoming a cheerleader for him. Popeye signs up and becomes quarterback of the opposing team, which is skinny and pathetic looking, compared to Bluto's team of huge bruisers. Things go badly, of course, until Popeye eats his spinach and becomes a whole football team himself, winning both the game and Olive.