On June 25 and June 30, the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) screened Jim Henson’s The Great Muppet Caper (1981). The museum featured the movie as part of its Jim Henson’s World collection.
The collection honored Henson’s career and legacy. The series included The Acoustic Chaos of the Electric Mayhem– The First Fifteen Years: 1975-1990, A Frog’s Life: From Sam and Friends to Stardom, The Dark Crystal, and The Muppet Christmas Carol: 30th Anniversary Screening. Henson fans enjoyed Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas: 45th Anniversary Screening, A Happy Henson Halloween, Sam and Friends, The Muppets, and Henson Holiday Double Feature as well. Henson’s directorial debut in The Great Muppet Caper brought the Muppets to England.
In the film, television reporters Kermit and Fozzie played identical twins. The joke resided on Kermit as a frog and Fozzie as a bear. They wanted to do a story on their relationship and career. Their supervisor disliked the idea and claimed that the duo looked nothing alike. Kermit told Fozzie to put on his hat. They pressed their heads together and smiled. The supervisor saw the resemblance but still despised the story.
Kermit and Fozzie pitched an interview with a British fashion designer named Lady Holiday. Someone had stolen her jewelry. The supervisor reluctantly agreed to the idea. He left the three Muppets responsible for transportation. Funny jokes and catchy songs ensued amid crime investigations.
In the “Big Red Bus” song, Kermit and his colleagues arrived in England. They mistakenly thought they saw the Eiffel Tower. They ponder about a river’s name and decide to call it “the English River.” Fozzie Bear noticed that bus came closer to their location: the Happiness Hotel. In a medium shot, the bus driver threw Kermit and his colleagues off the bus. Of course, the hotel’s name is ironic.
Kermit, Fozzie Bear, and Gonzo discovered a run-down interior. An old man snoozed at the desk. Upon waking up, he seemed surprised to have customers. The hotel had few amenities, such as no kitchen. Fozzie Bear remained positive about the situation. Soon after, mice offered to carry the bags up to the hotel room. Familiar characters came out and sang a cheerful song about the hotel.
Rowlf the Dog played the piano and sang. The Electric Mayhem band played their own instruments and sang as well. Ironically, the Swedish Chef makes an appearance, despite a lack of a kitchen. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, and Scooter danced too. Other Muppets included Lew Zealand, Crazy Harry, Rizzo the Rat, and Camilla the Chicken. Sam the Eagle had a funny one-liner.
After the song, he peeked out of a door. With a regal posture, he called the other Muppets crazy. He disappeared back inside the hotel room. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy marched into Lady Holiday’s office.
She told the designer about her modeling aspirations. Lady Holiday grabbed her pink snout and examined Miss Piggy from all angles. She reluctantly hired Miss Piggy as a receptionist. The next day, Lady Holiday did not arrive at the office.
Gonzo got his nose stuck between the elevator doors. Fozzie yanked him out. The incident resulted in Gonzo’s sore, lumpy nose. Fozzie told Kermit to go into the office alone. Consequently, he walked in on a curious sight.
Miss Piggy walked across the desk as if on a runway. When caught, she became embarrassed and pretended that she was Lady Holiday. As she gazed into Kermit’s eyes, she fell in love. The pair agreed to a dinner date. When asked about her address, she made one up– 17 Highbrow Street.
An establishing shot showed a lavish house and picket fence. The property was clearly relabeled as this fake address. A clueless, wealthy couple sat at a long table. As they had dinner, Miss Piggy climbed onto the roof. She jumped into a window, which the couple somehow did not hear. They talked about their former pets and servants.
In a suit and tie, Kermit rang the doorbell. Miss Piggy crawled towards the foyer. When the couple spotted her, they mistook her for another pet. In front of Kermit, she treated the husband like her butler. He recommended the Dubonnet Club for dinner. All of the Muppets headed there in the Electric Mayhem’s van. There, men held Miss Piggy’s looks in high regard.
They whisked her away from Kermit. On the dance floor, they partied with her. They directed endearing acts toward her, such as tipping their hats and bowing to her. Wide shots showed groups of men grinning at the camera. Of course, Miss Piggy is just that: a pig. Perhaps Henson made a metaphor for the ridiculous beauty standards to which society held women. Coincidentally, Lady Holiday arrived at the nightclub with Nicky, her jealous human brother.
Suddenly, the power went out. When the lights returned, Lady Holiday’s diamond necklace disappeared from her neck. Some attendees suspected that Miss Piggy committed the act. Kermit learned her real identity, which shocked him. She fled and left him behind. Forlorn and confused, he picked up her glass slipper. Gonzo took pictures of the robbers.
Kermit, Fonzie, and Gonzo transformed the Happiness Hotel’s bathroom into a darkroom. They developed all of Gonzo’s photos. Repeatedly, hotel staff banged on the door. They wanted to use the bathroom. Each time, the trio said that they would “come out in a minute.” This created an ironic joke for the audience. Unfortunately, none of the photographs could be used.
Gonzo’s photograph of the robbers came out blurry. The hotel guests slammed open the door and demanded their bathroom back. A long line of Muppets appeared. The next day, Miss Piggy and Kermit met in a park.
They had a brief quarrel about the nightclub incident. After, they made amends. In a blissful scene, the pair rode bicycles. Miss Piggy’s had a basket, while Kermit’s was a striking blue. Hilariously, other Muppets joined them, led by Fozzie. The rats rode a tandem bicycle. Janice and Floyd rode together as well. Miss Piggy continued as Lady Holiday’s secretary.
At a high-profile fashion show, she is framed for another robbery. While she is in prison, the robberies continue.
The same thieves plotted to steal Lady Holiday’s Fabulous Baseball Diamond. It is her most coveted jewel. Gonzo overheard their plan. The Muppets discussed how to catch the robbers. In disguise, Kermit visited Mis Piggy in prison and informed her of their plan. At the Mallory Gallery, the Muppets caught the robbers: Nicky and three disgruntled models named Marla, Carla, and Darla. Such an observation freed Miss Piggy. MoMI showed the film in association with their Jim Henson exhibit.
The gallery honored Jim Henson’s wonderful imagination. It contained a broad range of artifacts spanning his career. Content included forty-seven puppets, technical drawings, and notes from his experimental film projects. Monitors and projectors showed historic clips and behind-the-scenes footage. In an interactive experience, visitors designed their own Muppet with the gallery’s supplies. Jim Henson’s family donated many of the artifacts to MoMI’s permanent collection.
They donated nearly five hundred artifacts. It includes historic puppet models, production design drafts, costumes, and official merchandise. MoMI enhanced the exhibit through family workshops, educational programs, guest appearances, and film screenings.
