THE MOUSE ON THE MOON

UK, 1963, 85 minutes, Colour.
Margaret Rutherford, Bernard Cribbins, Ron Moody, David Kossoff, Terry Thomas.
Directed by Richard Lester.

The Mouse That Roared was a very funny comedy of the 1950s with Peter Sellers playing three roles including the prime minister and the grand duchess of a small European country trying to find its way during the Cold War in contemporary Europe. The sequel, The Mouse on the Moon, does not have Peter Sellers. That lessens its impact despite the qualities of Margaret Rutherford as the grand duchess and Ron Moody as the prime minister.

It is the 1960s, the era of space exploration and nuclear fears. When the people need some money for plumbing they decide to make claims to the Americans and the Russians that they have a space program.

There is a great deal of visual and verbal humour with the stars as well as Bernard Cribbens, David Kossoff, Terry-Thomas? and John Le Mesurier ensuring that audiences will continually have a smile.

The film was directed by Richard Lester who had been working in television and made the small-budget musical It’s Trad, Dad. After this he went on to make A Hard Day’s Night with the Beatles as well as Help, The Knack and moved into big-budget films with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He had a very successful career, often doing ironic comedies even with such historical themes as The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers and Royal Flash. He also made Superman II.

1. A good comedy? What were the best features of its comedy? How successfully were they done in the film?

2. How did the film satirise the United States and its attitudes? British behaviour and its place in the world? Russian tactics? And the pretensions of the big powers? As well the pretensions of small powers?

3. What points were being made about the use of international communication today and plans for public opinion in the world? Do Americans just like to be liked? Why did the Russians want dominance? Do the British have any influence? How humorously was this communicated?

4. How well did the film use the atmosphere of the arms race and space exploration? Of nun's wanting to get to the moon? (Does this date the film too much?)

5. What did Mount joy stand for as regards values? As a villainous politician? As a liar and a manoeuvrer? As puffed-up with self-importance? How is this a satire on small nations? Was it effective?

6. what kind of person was Vincent? What was being satirised in the character of Vincent? His earnestness? His practising to be an astronaut as the fulfilment of his ambitions? His English education? His wanting to be modern?

7. Was the Professor a sympathetic character? Was science being satirised in him? How peaceful was his attitude towards space exploration? How much of an absent-minded idealist was he? In fact he succeeded.

8. What was being satirised in the character of the Duchess? Her absentmindedness and lack of awareness of what was going on? Her inappropriate speeches?

9. The satire in the ceremony for the launching of the rocket? The satire on the big powers?

10. How effective were the sequences of the race towards the moon ? the use of split screen and paralleling American and Russian tactics? How effective was this? The fact that Great Fenwick got to the moon first and the amazement of the Russians and Americans? The Professor's tactic for getting rid of the Americans?

11. The satire and point in the sequence of the return from the moon? The fact that the small power made peace with the big powers?

12. How effective a comic satire was the film? Was it too slight? Was it strong enough? What cinematic devices did the film use - split-screen, angle shots, farcical sequences? Stock characters?