Day 26 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Comedy Tuesday

Inspired by a Facebook post from one of my friends online,  I selected the second of the Muppet films for today’s project entry. Released 40 years ago on this date, “The Great Muppet Caper” continues the whimsical world of the Muppets, in a story that is self aware and breaks the fourth wall from the minute it starts. Kermit provides exposition in the opening song and the late great Charles Grodin, sneaks in on the production to set up his villainous character. 

One of the great pleasures of movies with the Muppets is the cleverness with which Henson’s crew manages to intermingle the Muppet characters with their human guest stars. Jack Warden seems completely at ease acting alongside Kermit and Fozzie. Diana Rigg plays a character that is not dissimilar to the characters in the current Cruella, although mostly snooty rather than evil. She is as dismissive of Miss Piggy as she is with the three models who plan on stealing the Baseball Diamond. Of course the Muppets interacting with each other is also worth mentioning.  The location of the Happiness Hotel provides Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo plenty of opportunities to mingle with their fellow Muppets. 

In the “Muppet Movie” Kermit rides a bike, in keeping with the idea that the sequel gets bigger, there is a scene with Piggy and Kermit riding and they are joined by a host of other Muppets.  There is always a romantic subplot in these films, and I have to admit, I always root for Kermie and Piggy to end up together.  There is a fun fantasy sequence where Piggy is at the center of an aquacade, Ester Williams has nothing on her. This makes two films with such a segment,  after Mel Brooks “History of the World Part 1” which I covered two weeks ago. 

This is a heist film where the Muppets,  in trying to stop the theft of the Baseball Diamond,  have to break into the gallery that Charles Grodinand his gang are also breaking into. Watching the Muppets climb to the roof was another one of those moments that will make you smile at the crews cleverness.  Inevitably,  if there is a Baseball Diamond,  there will be a baseball game.  This is another opportunity for the cast to engage in the wild antics and mayhem that are a signature of the Muppets. 

Two of the writers are Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses, who were writers and producers of some of my favorite sitcoms, including the first Bob Newhart series which I watched religiously in the 1970s. I could frequently pick out bits that came from their sensibilities and I think they meshed really well with the Muppet approach to humor as well.

Promo Glasses from McDonalds in 1981, Dee and I had the whole set but these are the only two left.

I get a little misty watching the Muppet films, they were one of the things my wife and I bonded over and I have fond memories of how often Kermit and Miss Piggy were sitting in our living room watching tv together.  We were a match made in felt. Forty years later and I still get warm and fuzzy over the fuzzy and warm characters in these films.