This cartoon makes use of Fleischer's Tabletop process, which animates the cells vertically between set pieces, in this case a model of the city street, in order to create the feeling of depth. The effect is lost in the color version, as the background is a flat redraw.
One of a number of Popeye shorts that were sent to Asia in the 1980s to undergo a redraw and colorization process.
The trick that Popeye uses to subdue the alligator, and then the alligator uses to subdue him, does, in fact, work. But only on the alligator not on a human. Flipping the animal on its back, extending its neck, and stroking the belly induces a hypnotic state called tonic immobility. This is not recommended to be used on alligators.
Sweet Pea is Olive's nephew, but the sibling to whom he belongs is never featured. Nephews and nieces of anonymous family members were a popular way to show a character's good parenting and family skills without the necessity of marriage, as the newly emerging production code would demand. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Barney Bear also had nephews.
Sweet Pea is shown riding a leopard, even as the popular song Hold That Tiger is heard.