A lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his
face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the
Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I
would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It
happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound
him by strong ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and
gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaiming:
"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you,
not expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; now you know that
it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion."
Aesop's “The Lion and the Mouse” is a stirring and beloved story
that has been filmed several times. Here are some of well-known versions from
the American cinema.
The Lion and the Mouse (1915,
Edison)
An 18-minute silent comedy about sharp-edged secretary Hilda Brass (Florence Fair) who to plots to help a timid office boy Percival Meek (James Montgomery Flagg) by getting him to assert himself and get a promotion. They fall in love and with his new assertiveness he asks her to marry him.
An 18-minute silent comedy about sharp-edged secretary Hilda Brass (Florence Fair) who to plots to help a timid office boy Percival Meek (James Montgomery Flagg) by getting him to assert himself and get a promotion. They fall in love and with his new assertiveness he asks her to marry him.
Cat and Mouse (1939, United Artists)
Small-time gumshoe Max Magee (George Raft) is hired to find Alice Taylor (Sylvia Sidney), who may have faked her own death, in this early noir film. Alice did indeed fake her death to protect her family from mobster Knuckles Kerwin (Boris Karloff); as Max takes down Kerwin's mob, she comes out of hiding to save Max’s life. It rains a lot.
Small-time gumshoe Max Magee (George Raft) is hired to find Alice Taylor (Sylvia Sidney), who may have faked her own death, in this early noir film. Alice did indeed fake her death to protect her family from mobster Knuckles Kerwin (Boris Karloff); as Max takes down Kerwin's mob, she comes out of hiding to save Max’s life. It rains a lot.
Cheyenne and the Tot (1949,
Monogram)
Against his will, Cheyenne Jim (Jimmy Wakely) is left to take a little rich girl (Lucy Baines) across Wyoming to her family after he inadvertently saves her from the bandits who kidnapped her. They face hard weather, Apaches, and the pursuing bandits, but the girl saves his life more than once, and Cheyenne becomes like a second father to the kid. Jim sings “Down on the Old Wyomin’ Farm” and “Horace the Cow.”
Against his will, Cheyenne Jim (Jimmy Wakely) is left to take a little rich girl (Lucy Baines) across Wyoming to her family after he inadvertently saves her from the bandits who kidnapped her. They face hard weather, Apaches, and the pursuing bandits, but the girl saves his life more than once, and Cheyenne becomes like a second father to the kid. Jim sings “Down on the Old Wyomin’ Farm” and “Horace the Cow.”
Lion and Mouse (1958, MGM)
All singing, all dancing extravaganza in Technicolor! Film star Leo O’Malley (Gene Kelly) saves the job of costume girl Millie Gouda (Jane Powell), but doesn't think of her again. After she saves his reputation in Hollywood, he begins to fall hard. Musical numbers by Comden and Green include “Twice-Told Tails,” “I Smell a Rat” (sung by Donald O’Connor), and the big finale, “Roarin’ Rumba.”
All singing, all dancing extravaganza in Technicolor! Film star Leo O’Malley (Gene Kelly) saves the job of costume girl Millie Gouda (Jane Powell), but doesn't think of her again. After she saves his reputation in Hollywood, he begins to fall hard. Musical numbers by Comden and Green include “Twice-Told Tails,” “I Smell a Rat” (sung by Donald O’Connor), and the big finale, “Roarin’ Rumba.”
Mouse Moskowitz and Kitty Katz (1973, 20th Century
Fox)
Two old guys in New York (Lee J. Cobb, Art Carney) walk around Central Park, complain, play chess outside, get mugged, complain, look at closed stores and rotten vandalized New York landmarks, reminisce about how great things used to be, and complain some more. Slowly the story emerges of how Julius “Kitty” Katz (Cobb) saved Herschel “Mouse” Moskowitz (Carney) from making a bad marriage, and Moskowitz then saved Katz's hat store on Orchard Street, although it closed later when Kennedy ruined the hat trade.
Two old guys in New York (Lee J. Cobb, Art Carney) walk around Central Park, complain, play chess outside, get mugged, complain, look at closed stores and rotten vandalized New York landmarks, reminisce about how great things used to be, and complain some more. Slowly the story emerges of how Julius “Kitty” Katz (Cobb) saved Herschel “Mouse” Moskowitz (Carney) from making a bad marriage, and Moskowitz then saved Katz's hat store on Orchard Street, although it closed later when Kennedy ruined the hat trade.
Of Lions and Mice (1980, Merchant Ivory)
Elsa Cheerwin (Meryl Streep), a servant in England in 1910, has an affair with the master of the house, Regis Thicklewaite (Albert Finney). When a sleazy footman (Bob Hoskins) spreads the gossip and ruins their reputation, Regis sacrifices everything to get Elsa to Minnesota for a fresh start. She tries to protect him but he shoots himself. Everyone is miserable.
Elsa Cheerwin (Meryl Streep), a servant in England in 1910, has an affair with the master of the house, Regis Thicklewaite (Albert Finney). When a sleazy footman (Bob Hoskins) spreads the gossip and ruins their reputation, Regis sacrifices everything to get Elsa to Minnesota for a fresh start. She tries to protect him but he shoots himself. Everyone is miserable.
Squeak to Me (1987, Orion)
Teenage loser Davey “the Dork” Dirkless (Wil Wheaton) gets it bad for bad girl Tammy Blanche (Jennifer Connelly) when she does an act of kindness to save him from the ridicule of her entourage. Worse, due to an ill-considered wager, Davey has just thirty days to actually touch a girl’s breast or he loses his summer-job money to his cousin Marco (River Phoenix). It all seems impossible until Davey rescues Tammy from the wrath of her drunken stepfather (Paul Gleason). Laughs ensue.
Teenage loser Davey “the Dork” Dirkless (Wil Wheaton) gets it bad for bad girl Tammy Blanche (Jennifer Connelly) when she does an act of kindness to save him from the ridicule of her entourage. Worse, due to an ill-considered wager, Davey has just thirty days to actually touch a girl’s breast or he loses his summer-job money to his cousin Marco (River Phoenix). It all seems impossible until Davey rescues Tammy from the wrath of her drunken stepfather (Paul Gleason). Laughs ensue.
Mouse/Lion (1997, Touchstone)
Hal Nowell (Nicholas Cage) is an FBI forensic accountant drawn in to a case against mob boss Jimmy Polpettone (Robert DeNiro). Jimmy almost has Hal whacked but shows mercy when he sees Hal's baby daughter. Hal then accidentally saves Jimmy by deleting evidence. Jimmy plies Hal with gifts, thinking he’s his new inside man. This puts Hal on the spot, suspected by his superiors and targeted by Jimmy’s rivals, the Jamaican Rum Kings mob. Many people are shot.
Hal Nowell (Nicholas Cage) is an FBI forensic accountant drawn in to a case against mob boss Jimmy Polpettone (Robert DeNiro). Jimmy almost has Hal whacked but shows mercy when he sees Hal's baby daughter. Hal then accidentally saves Jimmy by deleting evidence. Jimmy plies Hal with gifts, thinking he’s his new inside man. This puts Hal on the spot, suspected by his superiors and targeted by Jimmy’s rivals, the Jamaican Rum Kings mob. Many people are shot.
Free the Lion (2011, Sony)
Billy Sliver (Matt Damon) is a low-level lawyer at Black and Black Co., hired off the unemployment line by CEO Dick Black (Michael Douglas). Sliver saves the CEO from jail on a technicality. Dick Black then tries to have Sliver killed since only he knows the truth, but his thugs only manage to get Sliver’s family killed. Sliver goes after Black for revenge. Even the New York Times called it a “big bucket of crap.”
Billy Sliver (Matt Damon) is a low-level lawyer at Black and Black Co., hired off the unemployment line by CEO Dick Black (Michael Douglas). Sliver saves the CEO from jail on a technicality. Dick Black then tries to have Sliver killed since only he knows the truth, but his thugs only manage to get Sliver’s family killed. Sliver goes after Black for revenge. Even the New York Times called it a “big bucket of crap.”
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