The Great Muppet Caper
(1981)
G | 98 mins | Children's works, Comedy | 26 June 1981
Cast:
Jim Henson, Frank Oz, David Goelz [ More ]Director:
Jim HensonWriters:
Tom Patchett, Jay Tarses, Jerry Juhl, Jack RoseProducers:
David Lazer, Frank OzCinematographer:
Oswald MorrisEditor:
Ralph KemplenProduction Designer:
Harry LangeProduction Companies:
Jim Henson Pictures, ITC Film EntertainmentDuring opening credits, “Kermit the Frog,” “Fozzie Bear,” and “The Great Gonzo” fly in a hot-air balloon, while commenting on the names that appear onscreen. Throughout the film, there are other moments when the characters briefly depart from the story and refer to the fact that they are making a movie.
End credits include the following statements: “Oscar the Grouch courtesy of Children’s Television Workshop” and “Made on location in London and at E.M.I. Elstree Studios, Herts., England.”
The Great Muppet Caper marked the feature film directorial debut for Muppet creator and performer, Jim Henson.
Although a 8 Jan 1980 HR brief reported that actresses Susan Anton and Lauren Bacall were cast in cameo roles, their appearances in the completed film could not be confirmed.
According to production notes in AMPAS library files, principal photography began 8 Sep 1980 on location in London, England, and included the following landmarks: Holland Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and Battersea Park for the bicycling sequence. Using two vehicles designed for the Muppets, the “Happiness Hotel” bus and “Beauregard’s” taxicab, the production filmed on London streets, passing through the West End Theatre District and upscale Belgravia. Outside the city, the production visited Haddenham, a village in Buckinghamshire to capture Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo’s arrival in England and Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, which stood in for the “Mallory Gallery.” After three weeks on location, the production moved to E.M.I. Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire for four months. Major sets constructed at Elstree included the “Dubonnet Club,” the “Happiness Hotel,” the “Holiday fashion house,” a U.S. city street built on Stage 3, which ...
During opening credits, “Kermit the Frog,” “Fozzie Bear,” and “The Great Gonzo” fly in a hot-air balloon, while commenting on the names that appear onscreen. Throughout the film, there are other moments when the characters briefly depart from the story and refer to the fact that they are making a movie.
End credits include the following statements: “Oscar the Grouch courtesy of Children’s Television Workshop” and “Made on location in London and at E.M.I. Elstree Studios, Herts., England.”
The Great Muppet Caper marked the feature film directorial debut for Muppet creator and performer, Jim Henson.
Although a 8 Jan 1980 HR brief reported that actresses Susan Anton and Lauren Bacall were cast in cameo roles, their appearances in the completed film could not be confirmed.
According to production notes in AMPAS library files, principal photography began 8 Sep 1980 on location in London, England, and included the following landmarks: Holland Park, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and Battersea Park for the bicycling sequence. Using two vehicles designed for the Muppets, the “Happiness Hotel” bus and “Beauregard’s” taxicab, the production filmed on London streets, passing through the West End Theatre District and upscale Belgravia. Outside the city, the production visited Haddenham, a village in Buckinghamshire to capture Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo’s arrival in England and Knebworth House in Hertfordshire, which stood in for the “Mallory Gallery.” After three weeks on location, the production moved to E.M.I. Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire for four months. Major sets constructed at Elstree included the “Dubonnet Club,” the “Happiness Hotel,” the “Holiday fashion house,” a U.S. city street built on Stage 3, which was used for the opening song, and the water ballet sequence, which required constructing a fifty-feet wide and eighty-feet long swimming pool on the studio’s largest soundstage. When filming was completed in England in late Jan 1981, the production traveled to Albuquerque, NM, to shoot a hot-air balloon sequence for the opening credits. On 8 Feb 1981, the Albuquerque Journal reported that Henson and his crew filmed on the outskirts of the city along the West Mesa and Rio Rancho during the first week of Feb 1981.
Production notes state that the planned budget was $14 million, while a 28 Jan 1980 HR article noted the cost as $20 million.
According to a 30 Jul 1981 LAHExam article, Universal Pictures acquired domestic distribution rights in early 1981 from Associated Film Distribution (AFD), a division of Associated Communications Corp., founded by Lord Grade, previously known as Sir Lew Grade. The British entertainment executive had financed the television series The Muppet Show (1976-1981) and the first feature film, The Muppet Movie (see entry), which became one of the biggest hits of 1979 and helped establish AFD. However, The Great Muppet Caper was considered a disappointment by comparison. On opening weekend, the picture grossed $2.8 million at 680 theaters in North America, according to a 30 Jun 1981 LAHExam item. Universal was optimistic when the box-office improved to $3.4 million the following weekend, as reported in the 7 Jul 1981 LAHExam, but the film struggled to lure teenagers and adults, demographics that contributed to the first film’s triumph. The 16 Sep 1981 Village Voice calculated Caper’s theatrical rentals as $16 million, half of the reported $32 million earned by The Muppet Movie. The 30 Jul 1981 LAHExam suggested that the failure to repeat the success was partly due to oversaturation. The Muppets were still airing on syndicated television, and Caper was released soon after the original film was pulled from theaters. The Village Voice also speculated that the Muppets faced more competition from “family” films during summer 1981.
The Great Muppet Caper received an Academy Award nomination for Music (Original Song) – “The First Time It Happens.”
New York City investigative journalists Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, along with their photographer, The Great Gonzo, are fired from The Daily Chronicle for failing to report a major story about the theft of Lady Holiday’s diamonds. To redeem themselves, the three fly to England to interview Lady Holiday, known as “the fashion queen of London.” However, the newspaper refuses to cover their expenses, and they must travel on the cheap in the plane’s cargo hold. Arriving in London, they check into the Happiness Hotel, a bargain accommodation where the bellhops are rats. Despite the hotel’s run-down appearance, they receive a warm welcome from the eccentric guests. Meanwhile, aspiring fashion model Miss Piggy accepts a job as Lady Holiday’s receptionist after being rejected as a runway model. When Kermit arrives at the office, Miss Piggy is sitting at Lady Holiday’s desk while her boss is away, and Kermit mistakes her for the famous fashion designer. Immediately smitten with Kermit, Miss Piggy does not divulge her real identity, and Kermit arranges a date to interview her that evening. As Fozzie and Gonzo help Kermit get ready, they persuade their friend to bring them along. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy, who has told Kermit she lives at Seventeen Highbrow Street, sneaks into the luxurious townhouse there in time to answer the door as he rings the bell. When Neville, the owner of the house, catches them, Miss Piggy addresses him as the butler and asks for a restaurant recommendation. He suggests the Dubonnet, a supper club. Outside, she is taken ...
New York City investigative journalists Kermit the Frog and Fozzie Bear, along with their photographer, The Great Gonzo, are fired from The Daily Chronicle for failing to report a major story about the theft of Lady Holiday’s diamonds. To redeem themselves, the three fly to England to interview Lady Holiday, known as “the fashion queen of London.” However, the newspaper refuses to cover their expenses, and they must travel on the cheap in the plane’s cargo hold. Arriving in London, they check into the Happiness Hotel, a bargain accommodation where the bellhops are rats. Despite the hotel’s run-down appearance, they receive a warm welcome from the eccentric guests. Meanwhile, aspiring fashion model Miss Piggy accepts a job as Lady Holiday’s receptionist after being rejected as a runway model. When Kermit arrives at the office, Miss Piggy is sitting at Lady Holiday’s desk while her boss is away, and Kermit mistakes her for the famous fashion designer. Immediately smitten with Kermit, Miss Piggy does not divulge her real identity, and Kermit arranges a date to interview her that evening. As Fozzie and Gonzo help Kermit get ready, they persuade their friend to bring them along. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy, who has told Kermit she lives at Seventeen Highbrow Street, sneaks into the luxurious townhouse there in time to answer the door as he rings the bell. When Neville, the owner of the house, catches them, Miss Piggy addresses him as the butler and asks for a restaurant recommendation. He suggests the Dubonnet, a supper club. Outside, she is taken aback that Kermit is accompanied by Fozzie, Gonzo, and the other Happiness Hotel guests, who have arrived in a decrepit double-decker bus to pick her up. At the swanky Dubonnet, Kermit gasps at the menu prices, but enjoys a romantic dance with Miss Piggy. Wearing an expensive diamond necklace, the real Lady Holiday arrives with her ne'er-do-well brother Nicky, who has conspired with three disgruntled Holiday models, Marla, Carla, and Darla, to steal his sister’s jewels that evening. Lady Holiday is surprised to see her new receptionist on the dance floor. Nicky is instantly attracted to Miss Piggy and attempts to dance with her. When the lights of the club suddenly go out, Nicky grabs the jewels from his sister’s neck and tosses them to one of the models. In the commotion, Kermit learns of Miss Piggy’s deception, and she escapes the club. Back at the hotel, Gonzo develops a photograph he took revealing Nicky as the jewel thief, but the evidence is ruined when the door of the makeshift darkroom is opened, exposing the picture. Sitting on a park bench, Kermit is melancholy as he holds a glass slipper Miss Piggy left behind at the club. When he coincidentally encounters her by the duck pond, he conveys his anger about the deceit. However, Miss Piggy charms him into forgiving her, and they go on a bike ride together. Later, Lady Holiday, the models, and Miss Piggy are busy backstage preparing for a fashion show. Nicky is also there and invites Miss Piggy to dinner. When he attempts to kiss her, she resists his advances and is pleased as Kermit interrupts them. Nicky schemes with Marla, Carla, and Darla, to frame Miss Piggy for the jewel theft. During the runway show, Marla pretends to twist her ankle so Miss Piggy can replace her. As Miss Piggy models the swimwear collection, the audience gives her a standing ovation. However, she accidentally falls into a fountain near the runway while fantasizing about starring in a water ballet show. Miss Piggy sneezes from the cold, and Nicky has a coat ready to wrap around her shoulders. Reaching in the coat pocket, she discovers Lady Holiday’s necklace, minus the diamonds. The designer accuses her receptionist of stealing the precious stones, and Miss Piggy is arrested. Lady Holiday, meanwhile, assures the press that her most famous jewel, the “Baseball Diamond,” is secured at the fortress known as the Mallory Gallery where it will be on permanent display. Backstage, Gonzo overhears Nicky conspiring with the models to steal the Baseball Diamond tomorrow at midnight. Kermit and Fozzie convince the other guests at the Happiness Hotel to help free Miss Piggy and catch the real thieves. Dressed as a lawyer named Rosenthal, Kermit visits Miss Piggy in jail and informs her of their plans. However, she is skeptical that the “clowns” from the Happiness Hotel can succeed, and later that night escapes from jail. She steals a truck and drives to the Mallory Gallery. When the truck breaks down, she continues on a motorcycle. Meanwhile, Nicky and the three models, equipped with high-tech gear, scale the outside wall and enter the gallery from the roof. At the front gate, Kermit and Fozzie distract the guards with a pizza delivery as the rest of their team slips into the property. When guard dogs attack, Kermit and his friends panic and quickly climb the wall to the roof. From a skylight, they look down into the gallery that houses the Baseball Diamond and see Nicky and the models. Continuing to improvise, Kermit and his friends form themselves into a Muppet ladder and surprise the criminals below. Like a real baseball, the diamond is tossed around until Nicky pulls a gun and grabs Kermit. Suddenly, Miss Piggy breaks through a gallery window on her motorcycle, topples Nicky, and subdues the models with karate-chops. As the heroism of Kermit, Miss Piggy, and their friends makes front-page headlines, the group flies home to America, compliments of The Daily Chronicle.
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