Mouse That Roared, The (1959)

In The Mouse that Roared, the rivalry of the Cold War is systematically parodied.

The leaders of the minuscule European Duchy of Grand Fenwick – founded in 1430 by an Englishman – declare war on the USA when their country is plunged to the verge of bankruptcy when an American company starts producing an imitation of their only export – the fabled Pinot Grand Fenwick wine.

In an attempt to get the goods and money that the crafty prime minister Count Mountjoy (Peter Sellers) points out America pours on its defeated enemies, they must declare war and then rely upon the United States for economic assistance.

Grand Duchess Gloriana XII (also Sellers) is hesitant but agrees to the plan.

War having been declared on the United States, the small army of 20 soldiers led by mild-mannered game warden Tully Bascombe (Sellers again) – aided by Sergeant Will Buckley (William Hartnell) – crosses the Atlantic in medieval chain mail and armed with longbows.

Unknowingly, they arrive in a New York that is deserted because of a national air raid drill in connection with work on a new and powerful bomb.

The medieval army is thus unopposed and accidentally manages to capture the football-sized Q-Bomb, along with its inventor, Professor Kokintz (David Kossoff) and his attractive daughter Helen (Jean Seberg), and take them back to Grand Fenwick.

The duchess indulges Tully’s victory, and the prime minister resigns in disgust at Tully’s blunder, leaving him as acting prime minister.

When the incident is discovered, the US government is thwarted from retaking the weapon and hostages by force, fearing the dishonour of attacking such a small and defenceless nation. Instead, they send the US Secretary of Defense (Austin Willis) to discuss terms of surrender and get back the bomb.

Meanwhile, Grand Fenwick receives competing offers of defensive aid from each of the world’s powers in exchange for the weapon.

Tully becomes smitten with Helen, who initially despises him for taking them but falls for his simple charm. Then Mountjoy conspires to steal the bomb and return it (and Helen) to America, but Tully gives chase and retrieves it.

The Secretary of Defense and Tully agree to terms: the knock-off wine will be taken off the market, Grand Fenwick will receive monetary aid from the US, Helen and her father will remain in Grand Fenwick, and so will the bomb – held by “the little countries of the world” as a weapon of last resort if the superpowers refuse to disarm.

Thus, the small state defeats the prime modern state and seizes the main symbol of the Cold War. Inevitably, though, in the dungeons of Grand Fenwick, the bomb is found to be a dud.

Tully, Helen, and Kokintz conspire to keep its impotence secret. However, after they leave the dungeon, a mouse emerges from it, and it appears to rearm, sitting ready to explode if disturbed.

Tully Bascombe/Grand Duchess Gloriana XII/Prime Minister Count Mountjoy
Peter Sellers
Helen
Jean Seberg
Prof Kokintz
David Kossoff
Will Buckley
William Hartnell
Roger
Timothy Bateson
Parke Snippet
MacDonald
Cobbley
Monty Landis
Benter
Leo McKern

Director
Jack Arnold

Video