The Mouse on the Moon (1963)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Leonard Wibberley (novel)
Michael Pertwee (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Stop shooting at our moon!

Plot:

A tiny country persuades the Americans and Soviets that they're starting a space program, when they really just want some money for new plumbing.

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Moon | Rocket | Duchy Of Grand Fenwick | Political

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 20

3:00 PM

TCM

Cast

Margaret Rutherford	...	Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII
Ron Moody	...	Prime Minister Rupert Mountjoy
Bernard Cribbins	...	Vincent Mountjoy
David Kossoff	...	Professor Kokintz
Terry-Thomas	...	Maurice Spender (as Terry Thomas)
June Ritchie	...	Cynthia
John Le Mesurier	...	British Delegate
John Phillips	...	Bracewell - U.S. Delegate
Eric Barker	...	M.I.5. Man
Roddy McMillan	...	Benter
Tom Aldredge	...	Wendover
Michael Trubshawe	...	British Aide
Peter Sallis	...	Russian Delegate
Clive Dunn	...	Bandleader
Hugh Lloyd	...	Plumber

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

UK

Language:

Russian | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:6 | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #20379)

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Walter Shenson Films

Trivia:

David Kossoff, who played Kokintz, was the only principal cast member of The Mouse That Roared (1959) who returned to play the same role in this sequel.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII: It's that nasty tin thing again!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night' (1995) (V)

A Great Political Satire

This is one of the best political satires I have ever seen. Ironically, I saw this film before I saw the predecessor, The Mouse That Roared, and I still have yet to see all of that film. I really enjoyed the fact that this film poked fun at how obsessed the United States and the Soviet Union were on the space race that they didn't know how the Duchy of Grand Fenwick beat them in the construction of a rocket to the moon. Bernard Cribbins, Ron Moody and David Kossoff were all exceptional in this film and they made it an enjoyable experience. Too bad this or the original "Mouse" film are rarely, if ever shown on television anymore.