Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish"
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"Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish"" is the 22nd episode of The Simpsons
Synopsis
The relationship between Grampa and Bart deteriorates after Grampa's senility and abrasiveness embarrasses Bart at the elementary school. At around the same time, one of Grampa's fellow-veterans of the Second World War dies, leaving Mr. Burns as the only other living member of Grampa's war squad, the Flying Hellfish. In the final days of the war, the unit had removed Germans from a castle when Burns discovered several paintings. The group had agreed to place the paintings in a crate, and each member received a key. When all but one of the members died, the final member would inherit the paintings. This type of inheritance is called a tontine. As Mr. Burns wants the paintings as soon as possible, he orders Grampa's assassination.To escape death, Grampa moves in with Homer and Bart, and lives in Bart's room, putting a further strain on the relationship. This changes when Mr. Burns bursts in to take the last key to the paintings' safe. Bart manages to not only keep Grampa's key but also to steal Mr. Burns', and the two Simpsons go in search of the paintings. As it turns out, the safe is buried in the lake, so they borrow Ned Flanders' boat and retrieve it. Mr. Burns again shows up to steal it, and throws Bart into the lake. Grampa rescues Bart and gives chase to Burns, and after the boat hits land, Grampa, who had been Mr. Burns' superior in the war, gives his rival a dishonorable discharge for trying to kill his commanding officer. Grampa then announces the paintings are his by default. The victory is hollow, however, as a German shows up to claim the paintings, backed by the US State Department, which had been trying to find the paintings for 50 years. The "rightful owner" is a young German late for a Kraftwerk concert in Stuttgart. Grampa walks away with nothing, except new respect from Bart.
The Flying Hellfish
All the members of the unit were from Springfield. The members were:- Unit Commander: Sergeant Abraham Simpson
- *Radio Operator Sheldon Skinner (Seymour Skinner's father)
- *Private Fifth Class Arnie Gumble (Barney Gumble's father)
- *Asa Phelps
- *Iggy Wiggum (Clancy Wiggum's father)
- *Milton ("Oxford", or "Ox") Haas
- *Etch Westgrin
- *Griff McDonald
- *Private Montgomery Burns
Ox was the first member to die because of a hernia he got while taking the crate with the paintings out of the castle. Five more were killed in a parade float accident in 1979. After Phelps died, only Burns and Simpson remained.
It appears either Ned Flanders' grandfather was a commander in World War 2, when Grandpa says to Burns: "You want me to report you to Commander Flanders?". It is not likely to have been his father, as it is shown in the next season in Hurricane Neddy that he was a beatnik.
Oddly enough, this squad is referred to as the "FIGHTING" Hellfish at one point early in the show. This is done in writing only, and is believed to be a goof. However the "Fighting Hellfish" would have been more appropriate rather than the "Flying Hellfish" since Abe is not in an aerial unit.
Historical relevance
The Flying Hellfish story of stolen Nazi art parodies many true cases of valuable art disappearing during World War II. Several lawsuits from German heirs have sought to recover missing art. On November 29, 2004, the Supreme Court of the United States let stand a lower court ruling that allowed the US Army to maintain possession of four watercolor paintings and approximately 2.5 million photographs removed from a German castle during the War. The art belonged to late German photographer Heinrich Hoffmann Sr. This ruling would appear to end the nearly 20-year-long battle over the seized art. The case is Hoffmann v. U.S., case no. 04-425.Trivia
- At 14 words long, this episode has the longest title ever for a Simpsons episode.
- This is the 150th episode of the show.
- The title could be a reference to the comic 'Nick Fury and His Howling Commandos' or one of the many others with those types of titles.
- Mr Burns and his hired mercenary attempt to kill Grandpa in several ways. They include:
- *Dropping poison in the glass which contained Abe's dentures while he slept. However, Grandpa put an alarm clock in his mouth and threw his glass against the wall, unintentionally avoiding danger.
- *The assassin dressed up as Homer, Mr. Burns as Marge, and Smithers as Bart so they could enter the nursing home. Grandpa realized that his family never comes to see him and survives a knife throwing attack.
- *The assassin chases after Abe through the nursing home with a something that looks like a MP40 submachinegun. Abe is saved when an angry nurse opens fire at the assassin with a shotgun, the shotgun blasts accenting her words "Our residents are trying to nap!".
- One of the several Simpsons episodes to reference the film They Saved Hitler's Brain, as a flashback shows Grandpa Simpson about to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a sniper rifle, saying "Now they'll never save your brain, Hitler."
- It is not explained who hid the treasure.
Quotes
- Grampa: Now, my story begins in 19-dickety-two. We had to say "dickety" 'cause that Kaiser had stolen our word "twenty". I chased that rascal to get it back, but gave up after dickety-six miles...
Martin: "Dickety"? Highly dubious.
Grandpa: What are you crackin' at, fatty?! Too much pie, that's your problem! - Homer: "Second class? What about Social Security, bus discounts, Medic-Alert jewelry, Gold Bond powder, pants all the way up to your armpits, and all those other senior perks? Oh, if you ask me, old folks have it pretty sweet."
- Mr. Burns: There, Simpson; seven gone. As soon as you're in your pressboard coffin, I'll be the sole survivor and the treasure will be mine.
Grampa: Over my dead body, it will!
Burns: (angry groan) That's exactly the point! Oh, Simpson, can't you go five seconds without humiliating yourself?
Grampa: (his pants drop) How long was that? - Mr. Burns (defending the assassination attempt): "I tried to meet you halfway on this, Simpson, but you had to be Little Johnny Live-a-lot."
- Bart: "Hey, Mr. Burns! Can I go with you to get the treasure? I won't eat much and I don't know the difference between right and wrong."
Mr. Burns: "Oh, you're a good boy, but the child labor people have been watching me like a hawk. (pushes Bart off his mechanical platform) Well, I'm off to get paintings. As they say, 'time is Monet.' As you were, Sarge! (laughs sinisterly and accidentally presses a button, sending him crashing through a wall) Oh, terribly sorry. Back to sleep, little girl."
Lisa Simpson: "...Santa...?" - Homer: "Where are you two going at this hour?"
Bart: "On a treasure hunt."
Homer: "Oh! Can I come?"
Grampa: "Only if you're ready to stare danger in the face, put your manhood to the ultimate test, and take..."
Homer: "Pass." - Ned Flanders: "Well, howdy-doodily, stranger! Couldn't help but notice you're stealing my boat."
Grampa: "I'll bring it back."
Ned: "You ever operated a powerboat?"
Grampa: "No."
Ned: "Know anything about water safety?"
Grampa: "No."
Ned: "What do you need it for?"
Grampa: "It's a secret."
Ned: "Hoo-hoo, sounds spine-tingling-dingling! Just promise you'll have a good time. Maude, boys, come on up! We're gonna have a little camp out in the dinghy!" - Grampa: Well, at least I got to show you I wasn't always a pathetic old kook...
Bart: You never were, Grampa.
Grampa: Oh... I'd hug ya, but I know you'd just get embarrassed.
Bart: I won't get embarrassed; I don't care who knows I love my Grampa.both hug
Baron: Hey, fun boys, get a room! - Grampa: I'm not gonna kill ya. That'd be cowardly. Monty Burns cowardly. I just wanna watch you squirm...
Mr. Burns: (enthusiastically) Yes sir! Is this to your liking?(Begins to squirm pathetically)
Grampa: There is one thing we don't stand for in the U.S. Army and that's trying to kill your commanding officer! You're out of my unit! You're out of the tontine! And that means the paintings are mine! Private, you are dismissed! - (Abe's sniper rifle sight shows Adolf Hitler inspecting a line of German soldiers. He positions the crosshairs on Hitler's head and prepares to change the course of history)
Abe: Ha! They'll never save your brain now, Hitler!
(just before he fires, a tennis ball flies in, throwing off his aim. The bullet then just spins the Führer's hat around, shocking the German troops)
Burns: Little help? - Burns (after the tontine is explained): Now, remember. You can't all sign with an "X".
- Edna Krabappel: Well, Bart, maybe your grandfather should come up and give someone else a chance to interrupt.
Abe: About time, knothead. (hits her in the forehead with an oatmeal spoon.) - Vidal: There is one more way to kill a man, but it is as intricate and precise as a well-played game of chess. [bursts into Retirement Castle with a machine gun and shoots away. He blows everything to bits but Abe and Jasper.]
Jasper (oblivious): Was that me or was that you?
(Abe runs out of the room to the nurse's counter)
Abe: Nurse! Someone's trying to kill me!
Nurse: Okay, we'll do something about that right away. Let's start by doubling your medication.
[Vidal comes in, shoots everywhere]
Nurse: [loads shotgun and shoots] Our residents!... [shoots] are trying!... [shoots] to nap! [shoots]
External links
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