La souris qui rugissait

This is a delightful movie, my wife and I have enjoyed this one over the years. And each year it is better. The message is blunt, declare war on the U.S. and lose. However, it is the subtle background which is so good. One must just sit back and enjoy the movie and Peter Sellers. It is not often one gets to just watch a master of the arts at work. There is nothing heavy duty slapstick. Just a fun time.

The film version of "The Mouse That Roared" was so funny and charming that, upon spying an old, used paperback edition of Leonard Wibberley's book and its two immediate sequels, I felt compelled to buy them. What an utter delight they are! The book is somewhat different from the film, in that Duchess Glorianna XII is a very sexy, young woman, who ends up marrying the heroic Tully Bascomb (who isn't as much of a dullard as he was portrayed by Peter Sellers). Perhaps the characters that are the closet in the film to their literary counterparts are Count Mountjoy and Professor Kokintz. In fact, Sellers truly nailed the sly, pompous Mountjoy to a tee in the film, even if the character isn't quite as odious in the novel. Wibberley's "The Mouse That Roared" is the only book in the "Mouse" series currently in print, but many libraries carry the others: "The Mouse on the Moon" (also filmed, in 1963), "The Mouse on Wall Street," "The Mouse That Saved the West," and the illustrated prequel, "Beware the Mouse."

Very cute, very funny farce has fictional European country, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick (billed as "the smallest country in the world") facing a financial crisis after the United States drops their main export (wine) for a lower-priced imitation. Hoping to derive sympathy bonds for their efforts, the powers that be declare war on the U.S., but things don't go as planned. Wonderful British film put Peter Sellers on the map stateside, and deservedly so (he's terrific in three different roles, one in drag as Grand Fenwick's bosomy Duchess). Love-interest Jean Seberg also good as the daughter of the famous scientist responsible for creating the new Q-Bomb. Clever, amusing picture runs a little long but is nevertheless a high time. *** from ****

This movie is about war.War in its funniest forms. Peter Sellers takes on three roles;Grand Duchess Gloriana X, Prime Minister Count Rupert of Mountjoy and Tully Bascombe.Each character is unique in its own way and none is despicable. Set in a world where nothing makes sense and lightly attached to reality,a small 15th century country declares war on the United States hoping to lose.This rather easy plan is thwarted when the country's naive field marshal wins the war. It's not quite a masterpiece,but if you're a fan of British comedy lead by its finest Peter Sellers,this movie is a great way to spend your evening and have a couple of laughs.

This comedy is riotous, ridiculous cold-war satire. Peter Sellers really shines in this comedy gem by playing multiple characters - The Prime Minister Count Montjoy, The Constable of the militia Tully Bascomb, and Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Gloriana! The plot pokes fun at the wrangling of international politics and nuclear arms proliferation in a money-making scheme by the world's smallest country that goes horribly and laughably wrong. This satire leaves nobody unscathed - the Russians, Americans, British, Cinese and French all get jabbed. The action is fast-paced without getting too slapstick. It's not exactly brain-food, but it will leave you snickering.