History Film / MouseHunt

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: The movie implies that the mouse invented string chess. It was invented by Frank Baker in 1976.

-->'''Ernie''': You should be our spokesperson. I know [[Creator/{{Disney}} some people]] who used a mouse as a spokesperson, and it seemed to work out pretty well.

-->''This is Nathan Lane. You loved him in Film/TheBirdcage.''

-->'''Ernie:''' ''*deadpan*'' Oh, I forgot to put holes in the box.

-->'''Ernie: (on being told that they have two days to pay off $1,200)''' Look, we don't have the time or the energy to deal with these petty problems now! We're in the midst of an extensive renovation!
-->'''Lender: (looking them up and down as they're covered in raw sewage)''' Looks like you're off to a great start.

--> '''Caesar''': Aw, ''nuts''!

-->'''Ernie:''' I don't think we're dealing with an ordinary mouse.

'''Lars:''' ''(sighs in resignation)'' Oh, no.\\
'''Ernie:''' Yes, you remember! I slaved over that meal, making sure everything was perfect! Did he say, "Thanks, Ernie, it was delicious"? No. He only noticed the string I had tied it with. ''(sighs)'' He was crazy. But I still wanted his approval. I didn't leave, Lars. I was cast out.

--->'''Lars:''' ''(seeing Ernie with a shotgun)'' What're you gonna do?\\

'''Lars:''' Look, this is how accidents happen! Come on, Ernie. ''(Ernie laughs maniacally)'' put the gun down, come on--\\
'''Ernie:''' ''(crazed)'' I'm gonna blow his furry little head off, and I'm gonna splatter his devious little mouse brain from here to kingdom come!

--->'''Ernie''': You killed him!\\

* TapOnTheHead: [[ExaggeratedTrope Exaggerated.]] The mouse's entire body gets hit, but it merely loses consciousness.

'''Lars:''' Look! He's still breathing!\\

--->'''Ernie''': You killed him!
'''Lars:''' I didn't even know he was there.
'''Ernie:''' Just think of all the trouble we could have saved ourselves if we just threw fruit at him in the first place!
'''Lars:''' Look! He's still breathing!

* CluelessBoss: Neither Ernie or Lars prove very effective at running their father's string factory, and even cause the entire staff to riot against them when Lars, out of pure desperation announces they must cut their pay to make up for their mounting debts. It's not until the '''mouse''' of all people has a change of heart that the two men find the means to turn everything around at their antiquated factory.

This was the 1997 directorial debut of Creator/GoreVerbinski, who later gave us the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' films and ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}''. This was also one of the first movies released by a fledgling little company called Creator/DreamWorksSKG and the one which established their rivalry with Creator/{{Disney}}. One wonders if they made the film center around [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse a mouse]] just to be ironic.

** Ernie, played by Creator/NathanLane, says [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 "Hakuna Matata"]] to a vaguely ethnic foreigner at the auction. Lane voices Timon in ''Franchise/TheLionKing'' movies. Pumbaa himself, Ernie Sabella, plays the technician at the pound.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: A voicemail on the brothers' answering machine from the Zepco representatives reveals that they are no longer interested in buying the String Factory after Ernie stood them up and Lars turned down their offer, infuriating both brothers at each other for different yet justified reasons. Lars is upset that Ernie was willing to go behind his back and sell the factory their father specifically asked them to run together in his will, while Ernie fires back that as co-owner of the factory, he had a right to know about the offer Zepco made that would have ended their financial troubles a long time ago.

** The previous owner of Rudolf Smuntz's house was found locked in a trunk in the attic. Guess what happens to Caesar.

Imagine if you were to create a comedic movie that's a cross between ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' and ''Film/HomeAlone'', have it star what looks like [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario and Luigi]] (or Creator/LaurelAndHardy) as the protagonists, set it in a RetroUniverse of the 30's/40's and today, and for good measure, give Creator/ChristopherWalken an extended cameo. The result would be this film.

* GoldDigger: April, Lars' wife. She is ''very'' upset that Lars didn't sell the string factor for a suitcase full of cash.

* WinWinEnding: The movie eventually has a happy ending for both the mouse and the brothers. Lars and Ernie start a succesfull new business producing cheese string, which saves their factory from bankruptcy and allows the brothers to finally combine their passions of string and cooking respectively. The mouse meanwhile is given a job in the new factoy as cheese tester, providing him with both a new home and all the food he wants.
* WhamShot: When Ernie and Lars cover the ''entire kitchen floor'' with mousetraps.
* YouMustBeCold: Inverted. After Lars has had all of his clothes ripped off, he is asked when naked by April if he needs 'warming up'.

* AnAesop: Teamwork and sharing are good things. These are the last things Mr. Smuntz tells his sons.

* TooDumbToLive: The brothers are equally dimwitted and inept in their attempt to kill the mouse. It's a miracle they only get out with just a few scratches when if this was real life they would probably have been dead.

* SpiritualSuccessor: to ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' -- the film is effectively a live-action, movie-length Tom & Jerry plot, with the brother's in Tom's place.

This was the 1997 directorial debut of Creator/GoreVerbinski, who later gave us the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' films and ''WesternAnimation/{{Rango}}''. This was also one of the first movies released by a fledgling little company called Creator/DreamWorks and the one which established their rivalry with Creator/{{Disney}}. One wonders if they made the film center around [[WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse a mouse]] just to be ironic.

* ItCanThink: A rare non-malicious example (depending on your perspective) in the mouse's case. This goes into UpToEleven levels when Ernie accepts that they're not dealing with an ordinary mouse.

* MouseTrap: This is the first attempt to get rid of the mouse. They find the trap sprung and the olive pit left behind. Undaunted, Ernie goes for his good cheese to bait the next one. The mouse steals the entire wheel while the two are busy waiting for him to spring the trap. Finally, they go for broke and set up [[UpToEleven hundreds of them]]. Cue EpicFail as the mouse shows them just how intelligent he is.

* YouMustBeCold: After Lars has had all of his clothes ripped off, he is asked when naked by April if he needs 'warming up'.

* BriefcaseFullOfMoney: Zepco offers one to entice Lars to sell, along with promises of a huge salary and a hefty pension to keep him as a consultant. Lars [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules still turns them down]].

* TheChewToy: The brothers, Caesar, and Catzilla.

* BrickJoke: The previous owner of Rudolf Smuntz's house was found locked in a trunk in the attic. Guess what happens to Caesar.

* TooDumbToLive: The brothers are equally dimwitted and inept in their attempt to kill the mouse. It's a miracle they only get out with jut few scratches when if this was real life they would probably have been dead.

* RetroUniverse: The film has a 1940s look, but seems to take place in the present day. The [=ZeppCo=] guy's comments about bringing the factory into the 21st Century imply that it simply takes place in an undefined, anachronistic modern-day setting like Tim Burton's ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' films.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Ernie's prospective buyers from Zeppco apparently took no interest in the man who had just been hit by a bus while chasing his hat in the town square, leading to them withdrawing their offer for the string factory when Ernie "didn't show". Neither of the men seem to notice Ernie's antics before the accident takes place; One could say they FailedASpotCheck.

'''Ernie:''' Well, you could have fooled me. You and Pop were always huddled together running some piece of something through your fingers. It didn't matter what I did, I didn't even exist! I made him my special rack of lamb for is 70th birthday.\\