Review of The Great Muppet Caper (1981) by Matthew D — 15 Nov 2018

A silly thievery centered adventure!

The Great Muppet Caper (1981) is a wonderful time with the old classic style of Jim Henson's direction. Henson takes care with his camera to constantly give gags and satire alike while sending up old movie genres. Classic Hollywood romance, dance, detective noir, and comedies are all parodying with gleeful smiling Muppets.

While the story is pretty basic and bland as far as Muppet tales go, the technical execution and extraordinary creativity with which Henson and company bring to the Muppets sells itself.

Kermit the Frog, The Great Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear are all mainstays herein, but Miss Piggy is the star of The Great Muppet Caper. Much like The Muppet Movie being our introduction and backstory for Kermit and Fozzie or Muppets From Space giving Gonzo a backstory, The Great Muppet Caper piles on Piggy's lifestyle with endearing drama. Her life portions and viewpoint are hilarious in how over the top Henson takes them.

The pacing is a little slow at times, but always a sweet breeze of easy comedic tone. The music is pretty, while not as memorable as past or future Muppet films. Despite clever writing and stellar direction, The Great Muppet Caper is simply a fun movie, not a great film.

I must mention that The Great Muppet Caper at least brings along a bunch of fun celebrity cameos that feel natural to the atmosphere and vibe of the film instead of feeling like cheap ploys. Diana Rigg is fantastic as an eccentric fashion designer. Charles Grodin is generic, but stupid entertainment in a few scenes with Miss Piggy. John Cleese is hilarious as a stuffy British aristocrat. Robert Morley's cameo is pleasant English gallantry and fuss. Peter Ustinov gets a truly unexpected moment to shine. Similarly, Peter Falk delivers a very goofy monologue to much laughter. Lastly, Jim Henson himself guest stars as a wealthy dinner patron with a cute cameo.

In all, The Great Muppet Caper is not my favorite Muppet movie, but it is certainly still a charming comedy. The laughs are perhaps too clever for most children, but the parents will enjoy the writing's satire, sarcasm, mockery. I think kids will only like the sillier slapstick aspects or the various musical numbers. The Great Muppet Caper is as if Jim Henson made a Muppet movie for the jaded adults in the room that refuse to find the Muppets endearing.