The Mouse That Roared (film)

The Mouse That Roared (film)
source
Name	The Mouse That Roared
Director	Jack Arnold
Producer	Walter Shenson
Based on	The Mouse That Roared, Leonard Wibberley
Screenplay	Roger MacDougall, Stanley Mann
Starring	Peter Sellers, Jean Seberg, William Hartnell, David Kossoff
Music	Edwin Astley
Cinematography	John Wilcox
Editing	Raymond Poulton
Studio	Open Road Films Ltd.
Distributor	Columbia Pictures
Released	1959, 10, 30
Runtime	83 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Mouse That Roared (film) is a 1959 British satirical comedy film directed by Jack Arnold and produced by Walter Shenson. The film is an adaptation of the 1955 novel The Mouse That Roared by Leonard Wibberley and features a renowned performance by Peter Sellers in multiple roles. A farcical Cold War political satire, it follows the fictional Duchy of Grand Fenwick as it declares war on the United States with the intention of swiftly losing to receive lucrative Marshall Plan-style aid, only to accidentally win.

Plot

The impoverished, medieval microstate of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, renowned only for its Pinot Grand Fenwick wine, faces economic ruin after a California winery produces a cheap imitation. The country's prime minister, Count Rupert of Mountjoy, devises a plan with the Grand Duchess Gloriana XII: declare war on the United States, immediately surrender, and receive massive foreign aid as a defeated nation. The reluctant Tully Bascombe, head of the nation's longbowmen, is sent to New York City to lead the invasion. Through a series of absurd coincidences, including arriving during a city-wide civil defense drill and capturing the secret Q-bomb, a doomsday device invented by a pacifist scientist, the Fenwickians accidentally win the war. The film culminates in a United Nations showdown where Grand Fenwick uses its unexpected leverage to broker a nuclear disarmament treaty.

Cast

* Peter Sellers as Grand Duchess Gloriana XII, Prime Minister Count Rupert of Mountjoy, and Tully Bascombe * Jean Seberg as Helen Kokintz, daughter of the bomb's inventor * William Hartnell as Will Buckley, the Fenwickian sergeant * David Kossoff as Professor Alfred Kokintz, the Q-bomb's creator * Timothy Bateson as Roger, a Fenwickian soldier * Macdonald Parke as Snippet, the American Secretary of Defense * Leo McKern as Benter, a treacherous Treasury official * Austin Willis as General Snippet, of the United States Army * Monty Landis as Cobbley, an American aide

Production

The film was produced by Walter Shenson, who would later produce The Beatles' films A Hard Day's Night and Help!. American director Jack Arnold, known for Universal sci-fi classics like Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Incredible Shrinking Man, was hired to direct. The screenplay was adapted by Roger MacDougall and Stanley Mann from Leonard Wibberley's novel. Peter Sellers' celebrated triple performance required extensive make-up and prosthetics work, particularly for the elderly Grand Duchess. Filming took place at Shepperton Studios in England, with location shooting in London doubling for New York City.

Release and reception

The Mouse That Roared was released in the United Kingdom on 30 October 1959 by Columbia Pictures. It was a critical and commercial success, praised for its witty script and Peter Sellers' virtuoso performance. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times commended its "cheerful and audacious satire." The film's clever premise and timing, during the height of the Cold War and nuclear arms race, resonated with audiences. It solidified Peter Sellers' international stardom as a master of character comedy and helped establish Walter Shenson as a major producer in British cinema.

Legacy

The film is considered a classic of political satire and inspired a 1963 sequel, The Mouse on the Moon, also produced by Walter Shenson but featuring a different cast. Its premise of a tiny nation outwitting a superpower has influenced numerous subsequent comedies and satires. The film cemented the Duchy of Grand Fenwick as a memorable fictional nation in popular culture. Peter Sellers' performance remains a highlight of his extensive filmography, showcasing the chameleon-like skills he would further display in later works like Dr. Strangelove and The Pink Panther series. The film's underlying message about the absurdity of war and nuclear brinkmanship retains its relevance.

Category:1959 films Category:British comedy films Category:Political satire films Category:Films directed by Jack Arnold Category:Columbia Pictures films