Original air date: 4/20/2001 (produced in 2000)
Production code: PPG-401
When a film director named Bernie Bernstein wants to come make a movie on the Powerpuff Girls saving the day, it goes all wrong on the red carpet when he is disrespectful to Bubbles, leading the Professor to overhear that the movie is a scam because Bernie wants to steal money from the Townsville bank.
Film Flam provides examples of:
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Bernie isn’t above begging the Mayor (on one knee even) for the permits he needs to shoot his movie.
- Bad "Bad Acting": None of the characters were good at acting when Bernie "shot" the scenes of the movie.
- The Cameo: Among those auditioning are Mojo, the Gangreen Gang, and the Amoeba Boys.
- The Cassandra: Poor Professor Utonium becomes this once he discovers the truth behind the whole film, but nobody believes him when he tries to warn them.
- Crossdresser: Professor Utonium is forced to disguise himself as a woman in order to get a part in the movie. The narrator is creeped out by it since he's reminded of his mother.
- Exact Eavesdropping: Professor Utonium arrives at Bernie Bernstein’s trailer at exactly the right moment to overhear him and his partner talk about how the movie is actually one big scam to rob the Townsville bank.
- Fastball Special: Bubbles and Buttercup perform this move again, and even call it by this name.
- Film Felons: Bernie Bernstein’s plan.
- Hopeless Auditionees: Professor Utonium himself becomes one when he tries to get a role in the movie in order to warn the girls.
- Hostage Situation: Bernie takes the Mayor hostage when his scam is revealed. However, the Mayor thinks it’s all part of the script and, unimpressed by Bernie’s "acting", promptly grabs the gun to show how it’s supposed to be done.
- Loose Lips: Bubbles unintentionally reveals to the interviewer that she and the girls met Bernie the day before when the latter lies about telling the girls that Bernie informed the girls for years that they were natural actors. This is pretty much justified, since Bernie is a Con Artist after all.
- "Oh, Crap!" Smile: Bernie when the Professor stops him from escaping.
- Papa Wolf: Seeing Bernie shout at Bubbles on live television prompts the Professor to hop in his car and make his way to the set to give the director a piece of his mind. And later, after having successfully exposed Bernie’s scam, he personally knocks the villain out.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: This is the Professor's reaction when Bernie pulls out a real gun.
- Self-Deprecation: Bernie at one point says to his assistant that nobody would ever be interested in a movie about the Powerpuff Girls. When this episode first aired, The Powerpuff Girls Movie was already in production.
- Short-Distance Phone Call: When on his way to Townsville, Bernie calls his assistant to have him arrange a meeting with the Powerpuff Girls. The assistant himself is promptly revealed to be sitting in the same car with Bernie.
- Shout-Out: During a conversation with the Mayor, Bernie talks about how Steven Spielberg came to him with Saving Private Ryan and how nobody would touch it. He stated that it didn't stop him from doing what he believe and added that "we knocked the pants off 'em" with the film.Bernie: Look, Mr. Mayor. I understand how you feel. I mean, when Mr. S came to me with that big war picture and nobody would touch it, I had fears. I had doubts. But did I let that stop me from doing what I believed? HECK NO! And we knocked the pants off 'em with that one!
