This Cold War-era comedy was one of Peter Sellers’ best, and it’s not “Dr. Strangelove”

Before Dr. Strangeloveand even before the Pink Panther series, Peter Sellers was in not one but two great comedies of the Cold War. While everyone knows Dr. Strangelove, Stanley Kubrick‘s groundbreaking black comedy, The mouse that roared is an equally effective parody of the tense situation between the Western powers and Russia. Told in a lighter, more imaginative tone, The mouse that roared is a bit of an unsung masterpiece, often overshadowed by its more famous relative, especially since Peter Sellers plays multiple roles in both films.

The Roaring Mouse (1959)

The Mouse That Roared is a satirical comedy about a small, fictional European country called Grand Fenwick, which is facing economic ruin. Desperate for a solution, they hatch a plan to declare war on the United States, expecting a quick defeat and the prospect of foreign aid. The plan goes hilariously awry, however, when Grand Fenwick’s ragtag army, led by the hapless Tully Bascomb, accidentally captures a powerful American superweapon, setting off an unexpected twist.

Release date

26 October 1959

director

Jack Arnold

Pour

Peter Sellers, Jean Seberg, William Hartnell, David Kossoff, Leo McKern, MacDonald Parke, Austin Willis, Timothy Bateson

Duration

83 minutes

Main genre

comedy

Authors

Leonard Wibberley, Roger MacDougall, Stanley Mann

Expand

What is “The Mouse That Roared” about?

The mouse that roared is based on the first part of a book series by Leonard Wibberleyits continuation The mouse on the moonis also a satire on the Cold War. The premise of the film is that a small, unknown European nation is running out of money because their branded wine is being copied and sold cheaper in America. Realizing they have no other choice, they decide to declare war on America, with the intention of surrendering and receiving help through the Marshall Plan. Arriving unannounced in New York, equipped with swords and chain mail, to sign a treaty, they inadvertently take a general hostage and stumble upon a new, secret nuclear technology. But instead of surrendering, they take the device and cleverly use it to blackmail the rest of the world.

The plot, while far-fetched, is only as absurd as the political milieu in which it was produced. Of course, Peter Sellers is brilliant as ever, playing multiple characters (as he often does) in a sort of generic European mishmash called the “Duchy of Grand Fenwick.” He plays not only the Duchess of Fenwick, but also the Prime Minister and main hero, Tully Bascombe. Sellers does an excellent job of creating a kind of great absurd farce about a possible nuclear war.. The idea of ​​a relatively primitive, unknown nation defeating America by accidentally stumbling upon the deadliest weapon known to man seems absurd to a modern audience. But while this is true to some extent, The mouse that roared made, the USSR’s placement of nuclear weapons in small, unsecured locations was a real problem (a problem confirmed with the fall of the Berlin Wall). The idea, of course, was that the answer to a nuclear weapon is another nuclear weapon, so even a small, undetected device could potentially have started a snowball effect. This is the same idea in Dr. Strangelovewhere a bomb triggers a chain reaction that is likely to result in a catastrophic event.

Related

From “The Pink Panther” to “Dr. Strangelove”: The 10 best films by Peter Sellers, ranked

“Gentlemen, you are not allowed to enter here! This is the war room!”

Where The mouse that roared The difference between Grand Fenwick and the American version is that it has a less fatalistic view of human nature. When Grand Fenwick manages to prevent the USA from recapturing the atom bomb, other countries try to ally themselves with the Dutchwoman. In the end, Grand Fenwick manages to keep the bomb and get help from America. who also agrees to stop the production of the counterfeit wine. In The mouse that roaredThe small, football-sized atom bomb gives the world hope because it gives small countries the opportunity to take action against the nuclear giants. However, the matter may not be so flowery, because the temptation to use the new-found power for financial gain is too great for the small, financially weak country.

“The Roaring Mouse” is stuck in the shadow of “Dr. Strangelove”

But The mouse that roared is not only Sellers’ lesser-known film about the Cold War, it also presents a different approach than Dr. Strangelovealthough the film was shot only five years earlier. While Sellers played several roles in Dr. Strangelove The tone is also very different, it is more of a dark satire than a farce. The two films deal with the same topic, and although Dr. Strangelove is anchored in American culture, The mouse that roaredthat is just as effective in other ways is unfortunately missing. Even if it does not necessarily give hope, the message of The mouse that roared is certainly different. The mouse that roared is also not quite as over-the-top and doesn’t have as intense scenes as Slim Pickens’ famous rocket rodeo (more on that later), but instead uses a more nuanced approach that is also comedically strong.

Related

“Dr. Strangelove” had a delicious alternate ending

Who wants cake?

However, it would be remiss not to mention some of the striking similarities between the two films, which may well be no coincidence. The importance of depicting three characters is a stylistic choice that, one might assume, was intended to reinforce the irreverence of the film, but why these particular characters? In a triple role, Peter Sellers plays Group Captain Mandrake, a military officer, President Muffley and Dr. Strangelove, his advisor. In The mouse that roaredSellers plays the leader of Grand Fenwick, her closest advisor, Prime Minister Mountjoy, and a military officer named Tully Bascombe. While this is not literal, it is certainly a very similar formula to Dr. Strangelove.

How is The Mouse That Roared similar to Dr. Strangelove?

Furthermore, the basic plots of the two films bear a striking similarity: a military plan that goes awry, sparking a nuclear crisis that is ultimately not resolved (the Mouse activates the device again in the final scene). Originally, Columbia Pictures had agreed to let Kubrick make the film on the condition that Sellers play four roles, including that of Major “King” Kong (it would be odd to imagine Peter Sellers on a nuclear missile), but a last-minute ankle sprain led to a change of plans. While it will always remain a source of speculation, it is safe to assume that The mouse that roared was probably a major impetus for Dr. Strangelove.

Both are classics of their genre, so we don’t have to choose between the two films, but connoisseurs of the craft would do well to compare them based on the evolution of world events that gave rise to their creation. Possibly due to situations such as the Cuban Missile Crisis or America’s increasing involvement in Vietnam, there is a discrepancy between the films that acts as a kind of cinematic mood journal of the Cold War. As time capsules both films show a side of the western world that is funnybut also reveals the great fear she experienced. Whether you are a history buff fascinated by the era or are just learning about it in class, fans of Dr. Strangelove should not miss The mouse that roared.

The mouse that roared can be rented in the USA on Prime Video

Rent on Prime Video