Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Grand Fenwick Takes Center-stage in the World Again!, October 17, 2005
In 1959, a hilarious Cold War-inspired film entitled "The Mouse that Roared" was produced about a fictional tiny country named "The Duchy of Grand Fenwick", which is no ordinary country. First, it's the smallest country in the world (about 15 square miles). Second, it's the only English-speaking country in continental Europe (located in the French Alps). Third, its primary source of revenue is its wine. When a California winery made a cheap knock-off of Grand Fenwick's wine and reduced the nation's only source of revenue, Grand Fenwick declared war on the U.S. and won! The result: the California winery stopped producing the cheap knock-off and Grand Fenwick kept a brilliant scientist, Professor Alfred Kokintz (David Kossoff, 1919-2005), that they captured in the U.S.
With the success of "The Mouse that Roared", a sequel was produced 4 years later in 1963 and entitled "The Mouse on the Moon". Unlike the first film that had Peter Sellers (1925-1980) playing three of the main characters as in the original 1959 film, each of these characters were played by separate actors: Grand Duchess Gloriana XII (Margaret Rutherford, 1892-1972), Prime Minister Rupert Mountjoy (Ron Moody) and his nephew Vincent Mountjoy (Bernard Cribbins). Only David Kossoff reprised his role as Professor Kokintz.
Focusing again the Cold War between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union, the story for "The Mouse on the Moon" begins with Prime Minister Mountjoy coming up with what he believes will be a brilliant way to get a loan from the U.S.: trick the U.S. into thinking that Grand Fenwick wants to start a space program, when in reality, he just wants the money to have indoor plumbing installed in Grand Fenwick's castle. The U.S., not trusting Mountjoy, goes ahead and gives a grant to Grand Fenwick thinking that it will improve how other nations view the U.S. in its race with the former Soviet Union to send astronauts to the moon. To counter the U.S., the Soviet Union sends an old space rocket to Grand Fenwick. Delighted with the gifts, Mountjoy proceeds with turning the rocket and money into indoor plumbing, but not before Professor Kokintz discovers why bottles of Grand Fenwick wine have been inexplicably exploding: they contain a new radioactive element, which Kokintz discovers can generate lift. With Vincent's eager help to become an astronaut, Professor Kokintz proceeds to prepare the rocket for space travel, which he believes will take about 3 weeks to reach the moon. To counter suspicions in the U.S. and the Soviet Union that Grand Fenwick is indeed using their gifts for space exploration, Mountjoy invites representatives from each to visit the launching of the rocket. Mountjoy asks Professor Kokintz to make it appear that the rocket explodes, but unknown to him, Kokintz and Vincent are ready to take their radioactive-wine-powered rocket for a roundtrip to the moon. Would the smallest country in the world beat the U.S. and the former Soviet Union to the moon? Just watch this charming film and find out.
Though considered not as good as the original 1959 film, "The Mouse on the Moon" is still very entertaining. Granted there are some slight mistakes with how air inside the Grand Fenwick rocket is maintained since it has no airlock, but for 1963, few people would have realized this. Other interesting characters include Maurice Spender (Terry-Thomas, 1911-1990), Cynthia (June Ritchie) and one of the American astronauts who was played by Ed Bishop (1932-2005). Some sci-fi TV series buffs may remember Ed Bishop as Commander Ed Straker in the 1970 sci-fi TV series "UFO". Overall, "The Mouse on the Moon" is a fun film and deservers a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Even funnier than "The Mouse That Roared", October 3, 2003
I bought this movie based on reviews I read here on Amazon.com and wasn't disappointed. I watched "The Mouse That Roared" first and thought it was funny, but in my opinion this movie is even better. Magaret Rutherford is great as the clueless Grand Duchess, I wish there was more of her in the movie. Ron Moody does a great job as the prime minister who is hung up on getting running hot water for his bathtub at any cost. There was a small take off on Dr. Strangelove that I liked. Two ex-German scientists one for the US and one for the USSR give their boss a Nazi salute before catching themselves. I had some good laughs throughout the movie. If you liked "The Mouse That Roared" I'm sure you'll like this movie.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"It's not that kind of privvy council, your majesty.", March 15, 2001
A superior sequel to "The Mouse That Roared" where Prime Minister Bobo (a manic and hilarious Ron Moody)cons both Russia and the USA into sending Grand Fenwick space research funds and equipment that he can recycle into a plumbing system for the castle. Then the scientist from the first movie actually heads for the moon in a Jules Vern-ish Victorian space ship using the Grand Fenwick wine crop as rocket fuel. Lester and Shenson made this film right before they teamed for HARD DAYS NIGHT and the dry British wit is very apparent. Margaret Rutherford even says a line that John Lennon would say in HDN.
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