Mousehunt (1997)

Two stumblebum inheritors are determined to rid their antique house of a mouse who is equally determined to stay where he is.

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writer:

Adam Rifkin

Stars:

Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, Vicki Lewis

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nathan Lane	...	Ernie Smuntz
Lee Evans	...	Lars Smuntz
Vicki Lewis	...	April Smuntz
Maury Chaykin	...	Alexander Falko
Eric Christmas	...	Ernie and Lars' Lawyer
Michael Jeter	...	Quincy Thorpe
Debra Christofferson	...	Ingrid
Camilla Søeberg	...	Hilde, the Bench Lady (as Camilla Soeberg)
Ian Abercrombie	...	Auctioneer
Annabelle Gurwitch	...	Roxanne Atkins
Eric Poppick	...	The Banker
Ernie Sabella	...	Maury, the Cat Care Society Owner
William Hickey	...	Rudolph Smuntz
Christopher Walken	...	Caeser, the Exterminator
Cliff Emmich	...	Mayor McKrinle

Storyline

A family film about a mouse that lives in an old house where the geriatric owner dies, and 'Nathan Lane' and Lee Evans have plans for, but they have trouble getting rid of the mouse. It's like Home Alone with a mouse.

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Plot Keywords:

mouse | factory | auction | string factory | black comedy | 

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Taglines:

You don't need to be big to be a hero.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language, comic sensuality and mayhem

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mouse Trap

Filming Locations:

Bass Lake, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£975,360 (UK) (3 April 1998)

Gross:

£7,902,226 (UK) (10 July 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ernie Smuntz bows to a sheik who is seeking to bid for his home. In doing so, he greets him with "Hakuna Matata," which is the song he sings in The Lion King.

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Goofs

In the scene when Lars is alone inside the factory, you can clearly see an arm behind the big fan pulling the thread from his jacket. You can even see a watch on the arm.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lars: [at their father's funeral, they carry his coffin down the steps of a cathedral] Hold your end up higher, you're not holding it.
Ernie: I am too.
Lars: You are not.
Ernie: Don't worry about me. Hey, isn't that suit charcoal?
Lars: No.
Ernie: Looks charcoal gray to me, some gray polyester blend. Couldn't even find a black suit for your own father's funeral.
Lars: It's black.
Ernie: No, I'm sure it's gray.
Lars: It's black.
[...]

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Connections

References Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Artist's Life"
Composed by Johann Strauß

User Reviews

Laurel and Hardy vs. the mouse

Smuntz brothers are Laurel and Hardy type buddies inheriting an old house from the father. They discover that the house is a real classic and worth millions. However the current houseowner, one little mouse will give them a hard time.

Smuntz brothers'war with the mouse is really great fun. Christopher Walken as the Exterminator Caesar with his weird mouse hunt equipment is wonderful.

Don't hesitate to see this film. Though it is rather for kids, it has still much to entertain all. Enjoy it.