the great muppet caper

the year: 1981

the genre: comedy


the cast: Kermit the Frog; Miss Piggy, Fozzie the Bear; Gonzo; Diana Rigg (Lady Holiday); Charles Grodin (Nicky Holiday); John Cleese (Neville); Peter Ustinov (Truck Driver); Peter Falk (Bum in the Park)


the plot: Kermit and Fozzie are newspaper reporters sent to London to interview Lady Holiday, a wealthy fashion designer whose priceless diamond necklace is stolen. Kermit meets and falls in love with her secretary, Miss Piggy. The jewel thieves strike again, and this time frame Miss Piggy. It's up to Kermit and Muppets to bring the real culprits to justice.




watch for: how Fozzie takes his champagne.


extra bonus points: if you would consider staying at the Happiness Hotel.




did you know: Gonzo's classification as a "whatever" is officially cemented in this film, as this is the label affixed to his shipping crate en route to Great Britain.



listen for: my favorite line, a la Janice: "Look, Mother. It's my life. OK. So if I want to live on a beach and walk around naked... Oh."



don't miss: John Cleese as Neville.



my favorite scene: (I dare you not to nod your head back and forth while you watch..)

blackbeard's ghost

the year: 1968

the genre: comedy


the cast: Peter Ustinov (Captain Blackbeard); Dean Jones (Steve Walker); Suzanne Pleshette (JoAnne Baker); Elsa Lancaster (Emily Stowecroft); Joby Baker (Silky Seymour); Richard Deacon (Dean Wheaton)


the plot: Steve Walker, the new Godolphin College track coach, arrives in town the night of the fundraising bazaar for the Daughters of the Buccaneers – who run Blackbeard’s Inn where he’ll be staying until he gets settled. Refusing to give in to the pressure of Silky Seymour and his thugs (who want the land the Inn is on for a new casino), Steve finds himself in the unlucky situation of having beckoned the ghost of Blackbeard (and being the only one who can see him). While fending off Silky and his gang, and trying to keep his job, Steve has to try to help Blackbeard complete a good deed to end the curse of the pirate’s 10th wife.



check out: the Braxten Relays. Hard to say which is my favorite - shotput, javelin or relay race...


count: how many times Peter Ustinov makes you laugh. The more movies I see him in, the more I love him!


don’t miss: Elsa Lancaster as Mrs. Stocroft. She has some of the best lines in the movie.



listen for: “Beware all wenches.”

we're no angels

the year: 1955

the genre: comedy


the cast: Humphrey Bogart (Joseph); Peter Ustinov (Jules); Aldo Ray (Albert); Leo G. Caroll (Felix Ducotel); Basil Rathbone (Andre Trochard); Joan Bennett (Amelie Doctel)


the plot: Joseph, Julius and Albert escaped prison on Devil's Island. Loitering around the port, awaiting a ship to take them away, they decide to steal some goods from a merchant. Letting him hire them to repair the roof, they get some insight into the private life of his family. Isabelle, the 18-year-old daughter, is still unmarried and longs for her old love Paul, who is back in Paris. Felix, her father, is afraid of cousin André, who owns the shop and will fire him if there are no profits reported soon. When Paul and André arrive on the island - and are far less sympathetic than the family expected – the three convicts take matters into their own hands, along with the help of Adolf, Albert’s poisonous pet snake.



count: on a good laugh when the convicts hold a “fair trial” about the fate of Cousin André. Jules is brilliant as the defense attorney.



don’t miss: the convicts’ rush to “help” Cousin André upon his arrival. I especially love the pineapple.


check out: how the dinner plates keep changing positions as the table is set for Christmas dinner.


listen for: “We came here to rob them and that's what we're gonna do - beat their heads in, gouge their eyes out, slash their throats. Soon as we wash the dishes.”