Mother, Jugs & Speed

Mother, Jugs & Speed

Year: 1976

Runtime: 95 mins

Language: English

Director: Peter Yates

ComedyCrude humor and satireGags jokes and slapstick humorFunny jokes and crude humorAmusing jokes and witty satire

Determined to outpace rival ambulance companies, an ace driver, a sharp‑witted office secretary who doubles as a paramedic, and a suspended police officer take increasingly reckless shortcuts to rescue the desperate. Their own lives become as chaotic as the emergencies they answer.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)

Trace every key event in Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

City contract battle kicks off

The F+B Ambulance Company and Unity Ambulance Company clash over a city contract to serve a Los Angeles territory. The competition is ruthless, with both sides fighting to land the lucrative deal and keep their businesses afloat. The future of ambulance service in the city hangs on the outcome.

Opening sequence Los Angeles, CA
2

Mother Tucker introduced

Mother 'Mother' Tucker is the star driver: talented, brazen, and prone to drinking on duty. He exudes fearless swagger and harasses those around him, including nuns, demonstrating both his value and his liability to the operation. His larger-than-life presence makes him indispensable to F+B yet perilous to his colleagues.

Opening sequence F+B base, Los Angeles
3

A band of misfits

The F+B crew is a ragtag group: Murdoch the hypersexual driver, Walker his partner, Bliss the medical student, Rodeo the Texan, and Jennifer 'Jugs' the dispatcher/EMT. They are rough around the edges but capable, making the competition unpredictable. The dynamic sets the tone for the high-stakes battle ahead.

Early phase of the mission Los Angeles
4

Speed hired after Walker's injury

Walker is injured after falling through a staircase during a call. To fill the gap, Harry Fishbine hires Tony Malatesta, a disgraced sheriff's detective nicknamed Speed. Speed's arrival adds a volatile new force to the team.

Shortly after Walker's injury F+B base, Los Angeles
5

Speed and Murdoch's uneasy partnership

Speed's initial pairing with Murdoch is uneasy as their methods clash; Speed is forced to intervene when Murdoch attempts to assault an unconscious college student who overdosed. This reveals underlying tensions and foreshadows violent boundaries within the crew.

Early incident On a call in LA
6

Leroy's death and the junkie's suicide

During a false emergency call, Leroy is shot and killed by a junkie demanding drugs. When Mother confronts the junkie with a gun, the man commits suicide, leaving a grim reminder of the danger surrounding their work.

Evening/false emergency call LA streets
7

Mother's confrontation with Murdoch

That night, a drunken Mother assaults Murdoch after he dismisses Leroy's death by saying it 'doesn't count.' The confrontation exposes the fragility of loyalty and the cost of grief within the crew. Their clash reinforces the fragile loyalty among teammates.

That night F+B garage
8

Speed reassigned with Mother

Harry pairs Speed with Mother to alleviate a driver shortage and stabilize operations. The unlikely duo learns to navigate each other's flaws as they work together.

Weeks later F+B base
9

Jugs joins the roster

Jugs obtains EMT and ambulance driver certifications through persistence and threats of lawsuits to force her way onto the active roster. She proves herself capable but must fight to prove her worth within the traditional culture of the company.

Mid-film F+B base, Los Angeles
10

Romance blossoms between Speed and Jugs

Speed and Jugs begin a romantic relationship after a tense moment when Speed fakes an injury to keep her out of arrest; their relationship deepens as trust builds. Their bond complicates the professional boundaries on the crew.

Mid-film On-duty in LA
11

Jugs' nerve fails during hemorrhage case

Jugs loses her nerve when a pregnant patient bleeds to death in Mother's ambulance. The event shakes her confidence and she withdraws from the job. Mother counsels her to return to work and face the challenge.

Mid-film Mother's ambulance route
12

City Hall meeting and merger plan

City Councilman Warren informs owners that neither company will win the contract, as a larger company will take it. Unity's owner proposes a merger to save both businesses, but Fishbine resists the idea, fearing loss of control. The meeting sets the stage for a dramatic strategic shift.

City meeting City Hall, Los Angeles
13

Murdoch siege and confrontation

Murdoch, drunk and armed, breaks into the F+B garage with Walker and takes Mrs. Fishbine hostage. Ambulances descend on the scene and a firefight erupts; Murdoch is killed by a deputy sheriff while Speed is wounded. The crisis becomes the tipping point for the merger decision.

During the siege F+B garage
14

Merger forms F+U; base moves

F+B merges with Unity, forming Fishbine + Unity Ambulance Company, based out of the old F+B garage. The new initials become a sharp, cheeky joke about their relationship, signaling a new order for the business. The company settles into its joint operation after the upheaval.

Post-siege Old F+B garage / new base
15

Ending: partnership solidified

Speed is reinstated to the Sheriff's Department and remains romantically involved with Jugs. Mother insists that Jugs become his new partner, and the two drive off together as the film ends, with Mother's antics toward the nuns continuing to mark his irreverent style.

Ending Los Angeles streets

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:43

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Mother, Jugs & Speed Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Mother, Jugs & Speed

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