[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a1cbee3c_4dc2_46d6_a7ea_d427e82b4af4.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Tagline}} The Muppets...\\
Scotland Yard...\\
jewel thieves...\\
lead to high adventure in London]].]]

->'''Kermit:''' We're going to catch those thieves red-handed.\\
'''Beauregard:''' What color are their hands now?

A 1981 release by Creator/JimHenson and his studio, ''The Great Muppet Caper'' was a sequel to ''Film/TheMuppetMovie'' and would prove to be the second in a long line of live-action [[Franchise/TheMuppets Muppet]] movies.

The story goes that Kermit and Fozzie are [[InformedAttribute identical twin newspaper reporters]] (their editor doesn't get it, either) and Gonzo's their photographer. [[note]]Bears wear hats, see below.[[/note]] After nearly losing their jobs for missing a massive jewelry robbery scoop right under their noses, the intrepid trio head to London to get the follow-up story to said scoop as an exclusive to save said jobs. The robbery victim is Lady Holiday, who just happens to have wound up with Miss Piggy in her employ. Pig meets frog, frog thinks pig is Lady Holiday, pig goes along with it because she's smitten with frog, and all the while the thieves are closer than Lady Holiday thinks.

This very silly movie has so many {{Lampshade Hanging}}s they could open a store to sell them and have enough stock to last a week. Also very apparent are the highly-increased production values compared to its predecessor and the film debuts of some Muppets who showed up on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' after the first movie. The movie also stars Creator/CharlesGrodin in a role that strikes the right balance between serious villain and [[LargeHam scenery chewing]].

Followed by ''Film/TheMuppetsTakeManhattan''.
----
!!''The Great Muppet Caper'' includes examples of the following:
* AccidentallyRealFakeAddress: When Miss Piggy, posing as Lady Holiday, invites Kermit on a date, she fabricates an address by getting Kermit to guess ("right again, are you psychic?"), ending up at "17 Highbrow Street". This turns out to be a real address and Piggy has to sneak herself and Kermit in to keep up the charade. Surprisingly, the upper-class couple who own the place aren't as bothered by this as one would think.
* ActorAllusion:
** Kermit's reporter role and outfit hearken back to his on-the-spot interviews of fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters on ''Series/SesameStreet''.
** Creator/PeterFalk's cameo features him sitting down next to Kermit and attempting to tell him his entire life story. Unlike Columbo, though, he is "100% wrong."
** Creator/JohnCleese's character calls his wife [[Series/FawltyTowers "my armada."]]
** Creator/DianaRigg leaves a jewellery store called [[Film/OnHerMajestysSecretService Bond]].
* TheAllegedCar: The Happiness Hotel bus.
* TheAllegedHouse: Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo stay at the rundown Happiness Hotel. Its residents sure are happy, though, and they proudly describe their dilapidated home in song.
-->'''Fozzie:''' If that's the Happiness Hotel, I'd hate to see what the sad one looks like.
* AllegedLookalikes: Kermit and Fozzie. A running gag has people somehow confusing the two, such as identifying Kermit as a bear.
-->'''Father:''' No, Christine, that's a frog. [[InsaneTrollLogic Bears wear hats.]]
** At one point we're shown a picture of their "father," who's an extremely odd-looking frog/bear hybrid.
* AllThereInTheScript: Taking a look at Steve Whitmire's roles in the credits reveals that the Electric Mayhem's trumpet player, introduced in Season 5 of ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' and previously unnamed, is called "Lips".
* AmazonBrigade: Nicky's gang. Which, interestingly enough, makes Nicky the male equivalent of the SmurfettePrinciple.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking:
** When Mr. Tarkanian, the chief editor, is listing the headlines from select newspapers:
--->'''Mr. Tarkanian:''' "Lady Holiday's Jewels Stolen," that's what it says in ''The Times''. And here's ''The Herald'': "Fashion Queen Of London Robbed." And last, but not least... here's our cute little banner story: "Identical Twins Join The Chronicle Staff."
** Lady Holiday's InfoDump on her brother Nicky includes points about his irresponsibility, ingratitude for her familial charity, and untrustworthiness... and her final point of contention is "I don't know why his bowties are always crooked".
* AsYouKnow: Lampshaded, of course, when Lady Holliday gives Miss Piggy an InfoDump on the BackStory, leading to:
--> '''Miss Piggy:''' Why are you telling me all this?
--> '''Lady Holiday:''' It's plot exposition, it has to go somewhere.
* AwardBaitSong: Invoked InUniverse with "The First Time It Happens". It earned an Oscar nomination for real.
* BaitTheDog: Nicky's only virtue is that his crush on Miss Piggy is sincere and he likes her spirit. Then he frames her for theft so that he won't get caught. Unsurprisingly, Miss Piggy turns him down at the end of the movie before the cops take him away and says that while she accepts his apology, she's rather be with Kermit.
* BerserkButton: In one scene when Miss Piggy asks a truck driver played by Peter Ustinov for a ride to the Mallory Gallery, he tests her patience by refusing to give her a ride which prompts her to force open the door and throw him into some garbage bags and cardboard boxes, Oscar even showing up and interacting with Ustinov at one point.
* BigBad: Nicky, the leader of the jewel thieves.
* BigDamnHeroes: Miss Piggy during the museum theft.
* BigShutUp: Twice in one scene, when Kermit and the others plan to catch the thieves at the Mallory Gallery. First they all start talking at once in response to the news of the thieves' plan, so Kermit shouts "Quiiiieeettttt!!!" (and Janice [[SevenMinuteLull keeps on talking for a moment about living on the beach and going naked]].) Then, when Kermit mentions the chance of getting killed on their mission, the others all start making excuses not to join in, until Fozzie shouts "Hold iiiiiiiiiiitttttt!!!" and gives them a RousingSpeech.
* BilingualAnimal: Rowlf barks at some guard dogs and says, "It pays to know a second language."
* BrickJoke: A man knocks on the door to Nicky's office asking, "Mr. Holiday, did you order a gross of flowered socks?" Nicky can later be seen wearing said socks while unlocking the service door at the restaurant.
** He is, in fact, ''still'' wearing them during the heist at the Mallory Gallery, even though he's otherwise dressed head-to-foot in standard cat-burglar black.
** After struggling to climb up into the upstairs window at 17 Highbrow Street, Miss Piggy declares that "next time they want stunts they get a double." Later in the film, Ms. Piggy uses a motorcycle to race to the Mallory Gallery and there are several shots where she's clearly been replaced by an ObviousStuntDouble.
* BritainIsOnlyLondon: Averted as the protagonists first land in an quintessential English village.
* BritishStuffiness: The occupants of 17 Highbrow Street. The fact that it's played completely straight by the actors (one of whom is Creator/JohnCleese) actually makes it even funnier.
* BreakTheCutie: Parodied with Miss Piggy and humorously lampshaded: "What am I, a glutton for punishment?!"
* BusbyBerkeleyNumber: "Miss Piggy's Fantasy," complete with synchronized swimming.
* TheCameo: ''Lots'' of them, sometimes {{Lampshaded}}. Including one from [[CreatorCameo Jim Henson himself]].
-->'''Creator/PeterUstinov:''' What are you doing here?
-->'''[[Series/SesameStreet Oscar the Grouch]]:''' A very brief cameo.
-->'''Ustinov:''' ''([[BreakingTheFourthWall looks at camera]], sadly)'' Me too.
* CardboardPrison: Miss Piggy escapes by simply bending the bars in her cell and prying it open.
* CarFu: A motorcycle variant, as Miss Piggy rides a motorcycle through a stained-glass window, breaking into the Mallory Gallery to stop Nicky from stealing the Baseball Diamond.
* CardCarryingVillain: Nicky hangs a fairly large shade around the trope:
-->'''Kermit''': But Nicky, why are you doing this?\\
'''Nicky''': Why am I doing this? Because I'm a villain. It's pure and simple.
* TheChewToy: Sweetums, who falls into a manhole during the opening number while chasing Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo.
* CirclingBirdies: Piggy sees birds flying around Kermit's face during their LoveAtFirstSight moment.
* CoatFullOfContraband
-->'''Creator/PeterFalk:''' Would you like to buy a watch?
* CombatPragmatist: Justified since Nicky tried taking him hostage; when he tries to reach for his gun, Kermit grabs the diamond and conks him on the head. It was well-deserved.
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Nicky serves as this to Doc Hopper from ''Film/TheMuppetMovie''. Doc is a restauranteur who is more associated with Kermit, while Nicky is the brother of Lady Holiday and is more associated with Miss Piggy. Doc wanted Kermit to be the mascot for his french-fried frog legs restaurant, while Nicky wanted to frame Miss Piggy for jewelry theft so he could have her arrested while he stole the Baseball Diamond. Doc chased Kermit halfway across the country, while Nicky stayed in London the entire time. Doc had a whole army of men working for him, including a MadScientist and an assassin, whereas Nicky only had three right-hand women. Finally, while Doc [[VillainExitStageLeft ran away after being scared off by a giant Animal]], Nicky was defeated by Miss Piggy and ended up arrested.
* ContrivedCoincidence: Also lampshaded.
-->'''Miss Piggy (when motorcycle appears):''' What an unbelievable coincidence!
* CrazyPrepared: Nicky and his supermodel cat burglars have all the highest tech equipment, which is put in contrast to the Muppets having nonsensical items to counter with (like a Whoopee cushion), but even then, they ''forgot'' or ''lost'' them. In one case, Animal ''ate'' one of the items.
* CreatorCameo: Several of the puppeteers.
** Jim Henson gets his picture taken by Gonzo in the restaurant.
** Amy Van Gilder, long-term designer, is the woman sitting with Henson at the table.
** Richard Hunt is driving a car during the opening number.
** Kathryn Mullen is one of the passengers in Hunt's car.
** Jerry Nelson is walking through the park with real-life daughter Christine.
--->'''Christine:''' (''pointing out Kermit'') Look, dad. A bear!
---> '''Jerry:''' No, Christine, that's a frog. Bears wear hats.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass:
** Nicky seems like a complete moron... until you learn he's the BigBad.
** Beauregard is TheDitz, but he can be seen singlehandedly fighting Nicky at the end.
* CurbStompBattle: What Miss Piggy gives to Nicky and his gang. She knocks him down with a motorcycle.
* DaEditor: Mike Tarkanian very much plays the standard short-tempered editor while berating Kermit and Fozzie for failing to report on the first jewel theft. (Though, most real news editors would likely react the same way under the circumstances.)
* DatingCatwoman: Nicky tries to pull this with Miss Piggy but never succeeds.
* DeadpanSnarker: A majority of Lady Holiday's lines are just dripping with sarcasm.
-->'''Lady Holiday:''' We have to make drastic changes in the new line before the show tomorrow, all my girls are going around looking like barnyard animals.\\
'''Miss Piggy:''' Ahem!\\
'''Lady Holiday:''' Good heavens, who are you?\\
'''Miss Piggy:''' My name is Miss Piggy, and I want to be a high-fashion model.\\
'''Lady Holiday:''' Doesn't surprise me. Seems to be the way we're heading.
** Floyd, when the others decide to join Kermit in breaking Miss Piggy out of jail:
-->'''Floyd:''' Oh, hey, I was only joking. Yeah, it'll be a lot of fun to go out there and risk our lives.
** Even Sam the Eagle, after hearing their inspirational speech, has his tongue-in-cheek moment:
-->'''Sam the Eagle:''' At times like this, I am proud to be an American. [''Sam harrumphs as he leaves the doorway''].
** Peter Ustinov and Oscar's interaction in one particular scene where Peter Ustinov is thrown from his truck by Miss Piggy after he tests her patience counts as an example of this trope:
-->'''Oscar:''' Hey, what's all the racket?
-->'''Peter Ustinov:''' What are you doing here?
-->'''Oscar:''' A very brief cameo.
-->'''Peter Ustinov:''' Me too. (tuts)
* DeliveryGuyInfiltration: Kermit and Fozzie as pizzeria delivery employees, who convince the Mallory Gallery's guard Henderson to feed the pepperoni pizza to the guard dogs.
* DesignatedGirlFight: Although Animal chases around Nicky's supermodel/cat burglar allies in the final sequence as a distraction, Miss Piggy's the one who punches them out.
* TheDitz: Apparently, Fozzie is the sibling who can't decipher if he's the frog or the bear in the family.
* DeusExMachina: A motorcycle just when Piggy needed one. As with everything, {{lampshaded}}:
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' ''(practically batting her eyelashes)'' What an unbelievable coincidence!
* DigitalDestruction: Beginning with the 1993 Jim Henson Video VHS and Laserdisc, each release uses the songs as heard on the soundtrack album. As a result, [[https://youtu.be/Y2jN8affSxA?si=gtQB02iuicWP3tq0 several things are compromised]]:
** During the "Night Life" number, Dr. Teeth isn't supposed to sing like he does on the album. This results in covering up some of Animal's "LOVE SONG!!" chants.
** During the "Miss Piggy" number, the three dancers ("Happiness, Miss Piggy!") are clearly shown singing underwater, and are actually supposed to sound like it. Because the version from the album (which doesn't have this effect) is heard, the effect is completely messed up.
** Not related to a song, but when Miss Piggy crashed through a window of the Mallory Gallery, she shouts a {{kiai}} as she jumps towards Nicky. This is not heard in post-93 releases.
* DisproportionateRetribution: Carla, Marla, and Darla team up with Nicky to rob Lady Holiday just because she is mildly rude about their dresses. What's even stranger is that it was Holiday herself who designed the dresses, so the models really didn't have any reason to be offended by her comments.
%%* DisneyAcidSequence
* DoesNotLikeSpam: Kermit and Fozzie try to get past a museum guard named Henderson by delivering him a pepperoni pizza. He is reluctant to accept it because, as he repeatedly mentions, he hates pepperoni. Eventually he accepts it after Fozzie suggests he give it to the dogs.
* DoubleEntendre: Though not a sexual one; This is a family movie after all.
-->'''Fozzie:''' ''[going over a checklist]'' Wax lips?\\
'''Zoot:''' Man, I just had 'em.\\
'''Dr. Teeth:''' Did you leave 'em in your other pants?\\
'''Zoot:''' I don't ''have'' no other pants!\\
'''Fozzie:''' ''[going back to the checklist]'' Yo-yo?\\
'''Janice:''' ''[glancing at Zoot]'' Fer sure.
%%* DreamBallet
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Beauregard the cab driver.
--> '''Beauregard:''' What's your room number?
--> '''Fozzie:''' Oh, I don't know... we're on the second floor.
--> '''Beauregard:''' Oh, I'm sorry! I can only take you as far as the lobby!
* EccentricFashionDesigner: Lady Holiday from is very much this trope. In one scene she dumps ink on a model to get the right look.
* ExtremeOmnivore: Animal, who eats the opening logo frame and the part of the iron bars of the museum's front gate.
%%* FashionShow
* FellOffTheBackOfATruck: A literal example occurs when a motorcycle falls from a truck, allowing Miss Piggy to use the motorcycle. She even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades it]] by saying "What an unbelievable coincidence!"
* ForTheEvulz:
--> '''Kermit:''' But, Nicky, why are you doing this?
--> '''Nicky:''' Why am I doing this? [[CaptainObvious Because I'm a villain! It's pure and simple.]]
* GentlemanThief: Nicky, who ends up being quite suave and competent under his buffoonish facade.
* GoYeHeroesGoAndDie: At first, Kermit urges the others to join him in rescuing Miss Piggy, and when they hear about the dangers, they try to excuse themselves from it, only for Fozzie to rebuke their ingratitude, and they all feel ashamed of themselves for chickening out:
-->'''Kermit:''' Now, we're about to embark on a potentially dangerous mission. There could be physical violence, there could be gunplay, and there is the slightest chance that somebody might even get killed. So if anybody wants out, now is the time to say it.\\
'''Floyd:''' I'm out.\\
'''Rowlf:''' Me, too.\\
'''Bunsen Honeydew:''' Ditto.\\
'''Beaker:''' Meep, meep.\\
'''Zoot:''' Hey, don't we have a gig around here, or something, or somewhere?\\
'''Pops:''' Sorry, I got a dental appointment.\\
'''Janice:''' It's like this, Kermit, I have to go to work all day... [''the others start talking at once'']\\
'''Fozzie:''' '''[[SuddenlyShouting HOLD IT!]]''' Sha-ame on you! I thought we were in this thing together. I'm just as scared as you are, but this has to be done! We don't want the bad guys to win. We gotta do this for-for-for justice! For freedom! For honesty!
* GranolaGirl: Janice, as usual.
* GratuitousFrench: When Miss Piggy asks the truck driver for a ride:
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' Oh, couldn't you make an exception for little old ''moi''?\\
'''Truck Driver:''' Not even for little old ''vous''.
* GroinAttack: A rare female version; Piggy does an OffhandBackhand towards one of the models that hit her right in the pelvis. She understandably goes down in pain.
* HiddenDepths: Deranged drummer Animal is only upset because he missed the [[Creator/RembrandtVanRijn Rembrandt]]--excuse us, the ''Renoir'' exhibit.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: After testing Miss Piggy's patience by refusing to give her a ride, Peter Ustinov becomes a victim of this trope.
* HorribleHousing: The Happiness Hotel is extremely cheap, but it's also in very poor repair. There's even a full musical number Lampshading how run-down the place is.
-->'''Fozzie:''' Aaah, if that's the Happiness Hotel, I'd hate to see what the sad one looks like!
* HulkSpeak: Animal, including the spoof about complicated issues (when Zoot claims Animal is crazed due to missing a Rembrandt exhibit, Animal corrects him: "Renoir!").
* IAlwaysWantedToSayThat: Gonzo invokes this after yelling, "Stop the presses!"
* {{Identical Twin ID Tag}}s: Fozzie and Kermit, lampshaded.
* InconvenientDarkroomIllumination: After Gonzo inadvertently snaps a picture of Nicky Holiday and his gang stealing Lady Holiday's necklace, he, Kermit, and Fozzie develop his photos to find it. Unfortunately, since their makeshift darkroom is the Happiness Hotel's only restroom, all the residents were banging on the door while [[PottyDance dancing on one leg]]. Right after the trio find the photo of the theft and learn the identity of the thieves, with Kermit proclaiming "We've caught them with their hands in the cookie jar!", the mob breaks down the door, causing the photo to blacken.
-->'''Fozzie:''' The cookie jar just busted.
* InsistentTerminology: It's not really a restaurant. It's more of a supper club.
* InterspeciesRomance: Pig/frog of course, but also pig/''human''.
* InstantlyProvenWrong: When Kermit feels embarrassed over the residents of the Happiness Hotel gossiping about him going out on a date with (supposedly) Lady Holiday, Fozzie tries to assure him that [[TemptingFate it won't leave the room]].
-->'''News Reporter:''' ''(Walking into the room)'' Here is a Muppet News Flash! Kermit the Frog to date Lady Holiday! Details at eleven!
* ItOnlyWorksOnce: Kermit manages to talk Gonzo out of a lethal death-defying stunt that would kill anybody else:
-->'''Gonzo:''' I wonder how far you could plummet before you blacked out.\\
'''Kermit:''' Uh, don't try it, Gonzo. We need you for this movie.\\
'''Gonzo:''' Sure is tempting.
* LampshadeHanging: This movie is ''all about it''.
* LargeHam: Charles Grodin, and, in a BreakingTheFourthWall moment, Miss Piggy.
* LetsGetDangerous: Kermit warns the Muppets that Nicky Holiday is a NoNonsenseNemesis and they need to be prepared. Much to everyone's surprise, they actually are able to hold off the thieves for a good long while with classic Muppet slapstick. Special notice to Beauregarde that goes toe-to-toe with Nicky as well as Animal for cornering the models.
* LineOfSightName: Miss Piggy makes up a fake address out of a random number and Kermit's use of the word "highbrow". Subverted when it turns out that there actually ''is'' a 17 Highbrow Street.
* LivingShadow: Kermit's shadow keeps singing and dancing during "Steppin' Out With a Star" after the real Kermit takes a pause. This shot took 43 takes to get right.
* LogoJoke: The opening scene with Animal eating the scenery is a parody of Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer's Leo the Lion.
* LoveAtFirstSight: Kermit and Miss Piggy, of course.
--> '''Kermit:''' Gee, are you okay?
--> '''Miss Piggy:''' ''(dreamily)'' I don't think I'll ever be the same.
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: The disturbingly hilarious crush Charles Grodin's character Nick Holiday has for Miss Piggy throughout the film.
* LoveTriangle: A one-sided one involving Nicky, Kermit, and Miss Piggy.
-->'''Nick:''' Miss Piggy... You're a very different looking woman. I'm so tired of the same type, [[PurpleProse those tall thin creatures with the long legs, the aquiline noses, the teeth like pearls, soft skin]]...
-->'''Miss Piggy:''' ''(insulted)'' [[DeadpanSnarker Yeah, well I can see where that might make you sick to your stomach.]]
* MakeGamesNotWar: The Muppets succeed in a ZergRush on Nicky, with Beauregard grappling with him for a few minutes while Animal chases the models away. Then for some reason, they use the Baseball Diamond to play an actual baseball game, complete with popcorn courtesy of Scooter. Hilarious, but it backfires when Nicky grabs the Diamond mid-flyball and takes Kermit hostage.
* MathematiciansAnswer: After the truck driver (played by Peter Ustinov) is thrown out of his truck by Miss Piggy:
-->'''Driver:''' What are you doing here?\\
'''Oscar the Grouch:''' A very brief cameo.\\
'''Driver:''' Me too. Tsk, tsk.
* MediumAwareness: "Hey a movie!"
** During the opening credits:
--->'''Fozzie:''' Nobody reads those names anyway, do they?\\
'''Kermit:''' Sure. They all have families.
** At one point, Kermit and Miss Piggy [[{{Corpsing}} break character]], accusing each other of overacting.
** Then there's this:
--->'''Miss Piggy:''' ''(angry to Nicky / Charles Grodin)'' You can't even sing! Your voice was ''dubbed''!
*** Making it funnier is that it was an ImagineSpot, so she was accusing Nicky / Grodin of being badly dubbed ''in her own fantasy sequence''.
* {{Metaphorgotten}}: When Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo are discussing whether or not Miss Piggy stole the necklace:
-->'''Kermit:''' Oh, she wouldn't steal.\\
'''Gonzo:''' Why not? She lied.\\
'''Kermit:''' That's two different things. Besides, she couldn't have stolen the necklace because she was dancing.\\
'''Fozzie:''' That's right. There's that old adage: "You can't dance and steal at the same time."\\
'''Gonzo:''' No, that's "You can't walk and chew gum at the same time."\\
'''Fozzie:''' Oh no, I think it's "You can't pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time."\\
'''Kermit:''' What's the difference? She didn't steal the necklace.\\
'''Gonzo:''' I'll betcha I can do it.\\
'''Kermit:''' Do what?\\
'''Gonzo:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time.]] [''Gonzo pats his head and rubs his stomach simultaneously'']\\
'''Fozzie:''' Big deal, anybody can do that. [''Fozzie joins Gonzo'']\\
'''Kermit:''' [''frustrated''] Would you guys cut it out?! We're wasting time!
* MistakenIdentity: Kermit mistakes Miss Piggy for Lady Holliday for the first half of the movie.
* MrExposition: Kermit, halfway through "Hey, A Movie" pauses to tell the audience about the movie:
-->'''Kermit:''' In this film, me and Fozzie play crack investigative reporters for ''The Daily Chronicle''. And Gonzo, he's our photographer, and it's gonna be terrific.
* [[MrExposition Ms. Exposition]]: Lady Holiday, and of course, like everything else in this movie, it's lampshaded.
->'''Miss Piggy:''' ''[after Lady Holiday has explained her brother Nicky's background]'' Um, why are you telling me all this?\\
'''Lady Holiday:''' It's plot exposition. It has to go ''somewhere''.
* MsFanservice: Parodied: Miss Piggy is treated like this but looks ridiculous since [[CaptainObvious she's a pig puppet]].
* MixAndMatchCritters: An old photo is shown of the "twin" reporters' supposed father: a green bear with Kermit's goggly eyes and neck-ruff.
* MurphysBed: Which is known to collapse only when it's funny.
* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: Cheerfully deployed in the OpeningChorus by Fozzie, Gonzo and Nicky at the end of each verse: "We're going to make a movie starring everybody... and me!"
* NearVillainVictory: Nicky and his gang almost succeed in stealing the Baseball Diamond, while simultaneously about to take Kermit hostage--until Miss Piggy shows up on her motorcycle just in time to stop them.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: The residents of the Happiness Hotel accidentally destroy the negative print proving that Nicky Holiday was the jewel thief.
* NoFourthWall:
** Right from the opening credits, which Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo observe from their hot-air balloon:
-->'''Fozzie:''' "Nobody reads those names anyway, do they?"
-->'''Kermit:''' "Sure. They all have families."
** And, of course, "Hey! A Movie!", the opening number about how they're "going to be in a movie starring everybody... [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and me]]". Everyone is so busy singing & dancing that nobody notices the jewelry theft that kicks off the plot! Kermit then tells the audience that he's jealous of them because they're seeing it for the first time.
** When the newspaper editor harangues the main trio for missing the story, we get a wonderful line that's later called back to in ''Film/TheMuppets2011'':
---> '''Newspaper Editor:''' Next time? ''Next'' time?! What makes you think there's going to ''be'' a next time?\\
'''Kermit:''' Well, if there isn't, it'll be a ''very'' short movie.
** And then there's this gem:
--> '''Miss Piggy:''' And you know something else?! You can't even ''sing!'' Your voice was ''dubbed!''
** At one point, Kermit and Miss Piggy break out of character to attack each other's acting, and which one is carrying the film.
* NoodleImplements: The Muppets' checklist for stopping the jewel thieves is pretty absurd with items such as a whoopee cushion, a rubber raft, a bag of chickens, fake vomit, a frisbee, wax lips, a yo-yo, and peanut butter[[note]]Animal ate it![[/note]]. We might have learned what they had planned to do with all of this stuff if it wasn't for the fact that they didn't have any of it.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent:
** Played with by London cabbie Beauregard on why he doesn't have an English accent, despite having lived in London "all my life". "Hey, I'm lucky I have a driver's license!"
** Nicky also has no trace of a British accent, despite being the (accented) Lady Holiday's ''brother''.
** And, in fact, very few of the people the Muppets encounter while in England are actually English.
* ObviouslyEvil: Nicky. The first moment we meet him, he's staring rapturously at his sister's jewels. Plus, his name. Nicky. Just screams "con man", not to mention that "nick" is British slang for stealing (as in, "He nicked the jewels!"). But if you [[InfoDump paid attention to Lady Holiday at the beginning, you'd know that before meeting him.]]
** Also we actually see him commit the first theft during "Hey! A Movie!"
** And there’s his response when Kermit asks, “Why are you doing this?” Nick explains, “Because I’m a villain.” Obviously.
* ObviousStuntDouble: PlayedForLaughs. As Ms. Piggy is racing to the gallery on a motorcycle there are several shots of a full body driver on the bike which is obviously a real person and not Miss Piggy, as she had earlier declared her refusal to do any more stunts following her climbing up into 17 Highbrow Street. Though the face is never shown, the difference in size between a human and a Muppet is blatantly obvious.
* OptOut: Subverting the usual trope, ''everybody'' starts opting out when Kermit proposes his plan to stop Nicky's gang from stealing the Baseball Diamond. All except Gonzo and Fozzie, that is, the latter of whom uses a heck of a guilt trip to get everyone back in.
* PaperThinDisguise: When the Muppets go to the Mallory Gallery, they're wearing Groucho gag glasses with the fake nose and mustache.
* PrecisionFStrike: Well, not exactly an F-Strike, but some of the lyrics in the "Happiness Hotel" number are:
--> ''Still, the management is cheerful / Though the whole joint's gone to hell''
* ProperlyParanoid: Lady Holiday, who has already suffered one attempt on her jewels.
--> '''Lady Holiday:''' [with one hand over her necklace] I feel as though thieves are breathing down my neck.
--> '''Nicky:''' [[[{{Foreshadowing}} while leaning over her neck]]] Thieves aren't breathing down your neck!
* {{Pun}}: The Fabulous Baseball Diamond.
** Even worse, the pedestal it's on at the museum is shaped like a baseball glove.
*** The Muppets and the villains then begin to play an impromptu Baseball ''game'' with said diamond, complete with Louis Kazagger[[note]]from Series/TheMuppetShow's "Wild World of Muppet Sports" segments[[/note]] doing commentary!
* PutOnAPrisonBus: The police place Nicky and his henchwomen in their vehicles when they arrest the quartet for their involvement in the Baseball Diamond heist.
* RousingSpeech:
-->'''Fozzie:''' HOLD IT!!! [[WhatTheHellHero Shaaaaaaame on you!]] [[WeAreStrugglingTogether I thought we were in this thing together!]] I'm just as scared as you are, but this has to be done! We don't want the ''bad guys'' to win! We ''gotta'' do this! [[MeaninglessMeaningfulWords For... for... for... justice! For... freedom. For... honesty.]]
-->'''Kermit:''' Fozzie, you okay?\\
'''Fozzie:''' That took a lot out of me!
* RunningGag:
** Anytime Kermit mentions their plans to catch the jewel thieves "red-handed":
--> "What color are their hands now?"
** The light bulb in Kermit and Fozzie's hotel room repeatedly falls out of its socket and breaks.
* SequelEscalation: After everyone was astounded by the shot of Kermit riding a bike in ''Film/TheMuppetMovie'', they decided to go all-out here and have a scene with all the Muppets on bikes.
* SevenMinuteLull: When the Muppets plan to stop the thieves from stealing the Baseball Diamond, they all start talking at once, until Kermit yells [[BigShutUp "Quiiiieeettttt!!!"]] But Janice keeps talking, and her subject matter is most curious.
-->'''Janice''': "Look, Mother, it's my life, OK? So if I want to live on a beach and walk around naked..."
* SherlockScan: Peter Falk observes Kermit sitting on a bench in the park holding the glass slipper Miss Piggy left behind at the supper club the night before and claims that he knows Kermit's whole story just from looking at him. He then tells a story in amazing detail, but it's subverted as, in Kermit's words, he is 100% wrong.
* ShoutOut: The movie's opening spoofs the Creator/MetroGoldwynMayer VanityPlate, with Animal in place of Leo the Lion shouting his signature "AHHHHHH!" and then proceeding to [[ExtremeOmnivore eat the logo that surrounds him.]]
* SignatureHeadgear: Fozzie as usual. The fact that he wears a hat is how you can tell he's a bear, not a frog.
* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Nicky Holiday tried framing Miss Piggy for theft despite claiming to like her, while Kermit poses as her lawyer to reassure Piggy that he and his crew are going to clear her name and stop Mr. Holiday in his tracks. In the end, Piggy says that a woman comes to know what right and wrong are after getting some life experience. Kermit is right, and Nicky is wrong.
* StealthHiBye: Fozzie noticing the theft of the Baseball Diamond: "Excuse me, I don't think that belongs to you."
* StiffUpperLip: [[Creator/JohnCleese The couple]] living at 17 Highbrow Street react quite calmly to a strange pig breaking into their house.
* TheStinger: As the credits come to a close:
-->'''Gonzo:''' Wait a minute! Hold it right there. Don't go home yet. [''gets his camera ready''] Say "cheese"! I'll send you each a copy.
* SuperWindowJump: Miss Piggy, on a motorcycle, through a Tiffany glass window. Beat that, Batman!
* TakeAThirdOption: During the "Happiness Hotel" number:
-->'''Pops:''' Hey, how are you guys fixing to pay?
-->'''Kermit:''' What are our choices?
-->'''Pops:''' A) Credit Card, B) Cash, C) Sneak out in the middle of the night?\\
'''Fozzie:''' We'll take "C".\\
'''Pops:''' ''Veeeeeeery'' popular choice (swats fly).
* ThemeNaming: Nicky's supermodel henchmen/jewel thieves are named Marla, Carla and Darla.
* ThroughTheCeilingStealthily: Some intrepid muppets try to sneak into a museum to protect a rare jewel that the villains plan to abscond. These muppets plan to enter the main concourse through a skylight, but Beaker discovers (ouch!) that it's electrified. Just then, the villains disable the alarm system, which cuts the power to the skylight, allowing the muppets to safely open the skylight from the outside. The Muppets then descend into the museum without tripping an alarm.
* TooDumbToLive: Kermit during the bike riding scene, from Statler and Waldorf's point of view. Doubles as a possibly AccidentalAesop about bike safety.
--> "Heh. Look ma, no brains!"
* TrrrillingRrrs: Lady Holiday, noticeably when talking on the phone about the "horrrrrendous mistakes" on her fashion designs.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight:
** Nobody in the Happiness Hotel reacts with fear or panic when Beauregard drives his taxi into the hotel. They all just calmly continue what they were doing, only giving a brief glance to the action.
** Creator/JohnCleese is completely unfazed by Miss Piggy invading his home to pretend it's ''her'' home. He even plays along and suggests a restaurant they could visit.
*** Well, it's more of a [[RunningGag supper club]].
* VeryFalseAdvertising: The Happiness Hotel. Granted, the people who live there ''are'' a very happy bunch, but it's more ''despite'' the living conditions than ''because'' of them.
** By way of example, the travel guide lists it alongside bus terminals and riverbanks in the section labeled "Places you can park your carcasses."
* VillainSong: "Miss Piggy's Fantasy" is sung mostly by Nicky, with Kermit only joining in at the end.
* VillainousCrush: Played For Laughs. Nicky is attracted to Miss Piggy and {{Wangst}}s about framing her.
* VisualPun: Animal in the opening shot when he's parodying the MGM Lion Logo and starts eating the set. In other words, Animal's ''literally'' ChewingTheScenery.
* ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend: Let's just say that if you want to stay on Miss Piggy's good side, don't pull a gun on Kermit. She comes roaring in just as Nicky takes Kermit hostage, knocking him down before taking on his GirlPosse.
* WaterIsDry: Miss Piggy rises out of the water during a dream sequence, hair dry and sparklers flaring. This was done by sinking the muppet and sparklers and running the film backwards.
* WhatTheHellHero: See RousingSpeech above.
* WorstNewsJudgementEver: What kickstarts the whole plot is Kermit and Fozzie writing a front page article about identical twins (them) joining the newspaper staff. All the while they completely miss the jewel robbery literally going on right behind them. Their editor is so furious, he nearly fires them over it.
* WrongfulAccusationInsurance: Miss Piggy is not punished for destroying the bars in her cell (which would cost money to replace), breaking out of prison, car-jacking a person, and stealing a motorcycle after it fell from a truck.
* WronglyAccused: Miss Piggy, when Nicky plants Lady Holiday's necklace on her.
* YouExclamation: Miss Piggy does this to Nicky when she realizes he planted the necklace on her.
* YoureJustJealous: When Kermit warns Miss Piggy that Nicky is a jewel thief, she accuses him of being jealous. It’s not until Nicky plants Lady Holiday’s necklace on her that she realizes that Kermit was right.
* ZergRush: A bunch of Muppets fall onto Nicky Holiday in the Mallory Gallery and manage to subdue him briefly. He even has a YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe look that it's working while trying to toss them off him.
----

-->--Wait a minute, hold it right there, don't go home yet! Say "Tropes"! [[FadeOut [The screen blacks out]]]\\
I'll send you each a copy!