The Mouse On The Moon (1963)

Starring Margaret Rutherford, Ron Moody, Bernard Cribbins, David Kossoff, Terry-Thomas
Directed by Richard Lester
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

The prime minister of the tiny nation of Grand Fenwick requests a loan from the United States for space research, intending to use the money instead on indoor plumbing, but his son and the nation's chief scientist have other ideas.

A sequel to the British comedy, The Mouse That Roared, this film is based on a different Leonard Wibberly satirical novel, but unlike the original film, it's missing Peter Sellers, who played three different roles in the original. There's still numerous attempts at comedy, this time with the Fenwickians trying to launch the rocket, relying on the rather explosive tendencies of their wine supply.  However, Sellers would have been an added enhancement who absence is felt.  Nonetheless Cribbins and Kossoff make a nice pair through who play off well, Moody is fine as the duplicitous prime minister, and Terry-Thomas has some enjoyable shtick as a visiting British spy.  I also enjoyed Ron Grainer's light-hearted score, and the special effects of launching for the moon and reaching it at last are well done for the period.