{"id":78770,"date":"2021-12-18T12:55:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-18T19:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78770"},"modified":"2021-12-22T09:28:06","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T16:28:06","slug":"mouse-on-the-moon-the-1963","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78770","title":{"rendered":"Mouse on the Moon, The (1963)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Peace, prosperity &#8212; and plumbing!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster-197x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-78771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster-197x300.png 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster-177x270.png 177w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Poster.png 573w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nIn a sly bid to secure plumbing for their castle, the prime minister (Ron Moody) of tiny Ruritania &#8212; ruled by Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII (Margaret Rutherford) &#8212; requests and receives financial support from the United States to enter into the international space race; but when the USSR offers the nation a used rocket, and a local scientist (David Kosoff) collaborates with a would-be astronaut (Bernard Cribbins) hoping to impress his girlfriend (June Ritchie) by landing on the moon, the space race suddenly heats up in unexpected ways.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cold War<\/li>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Margaret Rutherford Films<\/li>\n<li>Richard Lester Films<\/li>\n<li>Space Exploration<\/li>\n<li>Spies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nRichard Lester&#8217;s breakthrough directorial effort was this sequel to <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2168\"><em>The Mouse That Roared<\/em> (1959)<\/a>, which starred Peter Sellers in three different roles. Sellers didn&#8217;t return for this sequel, and the movie suffers from an overall sense of simply trying to bank on the original film&#8217;s concept and success; to its credit, however, the storyline &#8212; scripted by Michael Pertwee from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Mouse_on_the_Moon_(novel)\">Leonard Wibberley&#8217;s novel<\/a> &#8212; effectively satirizes the (justified) paranoia felt by all players during the Cold War. Moody &#8212; best known for his role as Fagin in <em>Oliver<\/em>! (1969) &#8212; desperately wants indoor plumbing installed so he can enjoy his baths (and, of course, promote tourist trade on the side): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-1024x643.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"402\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78774\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-1024x643.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-768x482.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath-430x270.png 430w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Bath.png 1225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but he knows that requesting direct support for this would go nowhere.  Therefore, he devises a plan to flatter the U.S. into thinking they are making a key ally while knowing Ruritania can&#8217;t possibly craft an actual working rocket: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;The Americans will not give us one penny if we had the remotest chance of sending a rocket anywhere, but they are always talking about international co\u00f6peration in space, and this offers them the opportunity without risk.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The U.S. understands this as well, of course. As a confident delegate (John Phillips) argues:   <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-1024x607.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-1024x607.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate-455x270.png 455w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Delegate.png 1243w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Without risk, the U.S. can encourage international space research. This will hit the uncommitted nations right between the eyes. They&#8217;ll love us, and it&#8217;ll only cost one million lousy dollars.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>And so on. Naturally, nothing goes as planned &#8212; especially with Kosoff&#8217;s brilliance and Cribbins&#8217; persistence both underestimated. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-1024x619.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"387\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78778\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-1024x619.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-300x181.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-128x77.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-768x464.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins-447x270.png 447w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Kosoff-Cribbins.png 1239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Grand Duchess (Rutherford) is simply out-of-it and confused, adding to the overall chaos of the diplomatic situation: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-1024x623.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"389\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-1024x623.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-300x182.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-768x467.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford-444x270.png 444w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Rutherford.png 1235w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and a bumbling spy (Terry-Thomas) sent to suss things out doesn&#8217;t get very far: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-1024x640.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"400\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-1024x640.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas-432x270.png 432w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Terry-Thomas.png 1231w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Cribbins is an annoying protagonist, and the special effects are laughably primitive throughout &#8212; but this film does deserve some props for its timely skewering of international relations at a particular time in history. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Effectively comedic direction by Lester<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-1024x638.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"399\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-78775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-1024x638.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-768x478.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War-434x270.png 434w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Mouse-on-the-Moon-Cold-War.png 1235w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, unless you&#8217;re curious. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0057328\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/sciencefiction\/mouse-on-the-moon-1963.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/19131\/the-mouse-on-the-moon#articles-reviews\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1963\/06\/18\/archives\/screen-british-spoof-of-space-race-and-statecraftmouse-on-the-moon.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/the-mouse-on-the-moon\/review\/2000103728\/\">TV Guide Review (spoiler alert) <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Peace, prosperity &#8212; and plumbing!&#8221; Synopsis: In a sly bid to secure plumbing for their castle, the prime minister (Ron Moody) of tiny Ruritania &#8212; ruled by Grand Duchess Gloriana XIII (Margaret Rutherford) &#8212; requests and receives financial support from the United States to enter into the international space race; but when the USSR offers the nation a used rocket, and a local scientist (David Kosoff) collaborates with a would-be astronaut (Bernard Cribbins) hoping to impress his girlfriend (June Ritchie)&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=78770\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-78770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=78770"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78770\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78986,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78770\/revisions\/78986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=78770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=78770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=78770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}