The Mouse That Roared
A bankrupt Alpine microstate launches an intentionally unwinnable invasion of America, only to stumble into a dangerous atomic-power crisis.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- irreverent
- sardonic
- classic movie night
- political satire double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an energetic, irreverent political satire whose vigorous humor and Peter Sellers performance outweigh its confused plot and thin philosophical underpinning.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Grand Fenwick's economic crisis and planned invasion parody diplomacy, foreign aid, and geopolitical leverage.
Peter Sellers portrays Gloriana XII, Rupert Mountjoy, and Tully Bascombe, creating identity-based comic contrasts.
Professor Kokintz's q-bomb turns a planned surrender into an international crisis.
Grand Fenwick is an isolated Alpine duchy with hereditary titles, old-fashioned institutions, and a tiny longbow-equipped army.
Films like The Mouse That Roared, and why
Dr. Strangelove
shared irreverent political satire, absurd military premise, and comic small-nation perspective
The Lavender Hill Mob
shared British-inflected absurdist comedy, eccentric institutions, and escalating geopolitical farce
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
shared Cold War-era satire, comic international crisis, and playful science fiction premise
Being There
shared Peter Sellers-led character comedy, broad satire, and escalating diplomatic absurdity
Movie Details
- Director
- Jack Arnold
- Release Date
- 1959-07-17
- Runtime
- 83 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (148)
Cast
- Peter Sellers
- Jean Seberg
- William Hartnell
- David Kossoff
- Leo McKern
- MacDonald Parke
- Austin Willis
- Timothy Bateson
- Monte Landis
- Alan Gifford
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Mouse That Roared about?
- A bankrupt Alpine microstate launches an intentionally unwinnable invasion of America, only to stumble into a dangerous atomic-power crisis.
- What is The Mouse That Roared like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Mouse That Roared as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Mouse That Roared violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Mouse That Roared as mild.
- What did critics think of The Mouse That Roared?
- Critics broadly found the film an energetic, irreverent political satire whose vigorous humor and Peter Sellers performance outweigh its confused plot and thin philosophical underpinning.
- Which films are like The Mouse That Roared?
- Films with a similar feel include Dr. Strangelove, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and Being There.
- How long is The Mouse That Roared?
- The Mouse That Roared runs 83 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Mouse That Roared?
- In United States, The Mouse That Roared is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
