The Mouse That Roared (1959) on Netflix

An impoverished backward nation declares a war on the United States of America, hoping to lose, but things don't go according to plan.

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick, the smallest country in the world, is nestled in the French Alps. Being as isolated as it is, its life is a throwback to olden days. It is a happy, peace-loving country. Its economy solely rests on export of its only wine, Pinot Grand Fenwick, to the US. When a California vintner starts producing and selling a knock-off of the Pinot Grand Fenwick at a lower price, the Grand Fenwick economy goes into a crisis situation, the country on the brink of bankruptcy. Three protests to the US go largely unanswered. Grand Fenwick's Prime Minister, Rupert of Mountjoy, believes the solution is to declare war on the US, and promptly lose the war in less than a day with no casualties on either side, after which the US, which it has historically done, will provide vast financial aide to rebuild the country. Grand Fenwick's monarch, the Grand Duchess Gloriana XII, ultimately supports this concept. The plan is to send an official declaration of war to the US, have a small army of approximately twenty sail from Marseilles to New York City, and the army immediately surrendering when they can't enter the US without visas anyway. Although seen as a hapless man, the person to lead the mission is Tully Bascombe, who inherited the roles of Grand Fenwick's head forest ranger, head field marshal and grand constable of the armed forces, which still uses longbows and arrows as their weapon. The Prime Minister and Duchess believe that even Tully cannot screw up losing the war. But things do not go according to plan, due largely to the US official receiving the declaration believing it to be a gag, and events happening in New York City the day the army arrives leading to the army having no one to surrender to. Things take a further turn when Tully believes that they can actually win the war by kidnapping Doctor Alfred Kokintz and his q-bomb - which is exponentially more deadly than the h-bomb - which he is developing for the US. This move by Tully leads to an all-out global crisis. In the process, they need to also kidnap Kokintz's daughter, Helen Kokintz, with who Tully falls in love, but who sees in Tully solely a criminal. Even the greatest diplomatic minds may not be able to figure a way out of this crisis, especially with Tully on the scene.

—Huggo

The tiny Duchy of Grand Fenwick, in the French Alps, is the smallest country of the world and its economy is supported by the exportation of their wine Pinot Grand Fenwick. When the producers from California fake Grand Fenwick's wine and sells a knock-off at a lower price, the country becomes bankrupt. The Prime Minister Count Rupert of Mountjoy sends three protests to the United States that are not answered. Then he proposes that Grand Fenwick declares war upon the United States and immediately surrender since the Americans historically support any defeated nation after war to rebuild the country. Grand Duchess Gloriana XII and the government supports the idea and the clumsy forest ranger Tully Bascombe is promoted to Field Marshal and sails to New York with a twenty-men army armed with bow and arrow. Meanwhile the American government is testing the "Q-Bomb", which is more powerful than any nuclear weapon and capable of destroying the world, and the New Yorkers are hidden in shelters as part of the drill. Tully and his men arrive in a deserted New York and accidentally stumble upon the bomb and its creator, Doctor Alfred Kokintz, and his gorgeous daughter Helen Kokintz and Tully abducts them together with a general and four police officers. Now Grand Fenwick government has a huge problem since many countries are offering their support to the tiny count to have the "Q-Bomb". What will they do?

—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Duchy of Grand Fenwick decides that the only way to get out of their economic woes is to declare war on the United States, lose, and accept foreign aid. They send an invasion force to New York (armed with longbows) which arrives during a nuclear drill that has cleared the streets. Wandering about to find someone to surrender to, they discover a scientist with a special ultimate weapon that can destroy the Earth. When they capture him and his bomb they are faced with a new possibility: What do you do when you win a war?

—John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

The best-laid plans of mice and men - A Cold-War war satire emphasizing the newly-emerged American superpower's use of foreign aid to buy friends and keep then away from the USSR's influence. Peter Sellers, as the scheming Prime Minister of Grand Fenwick, plots with Peter Sellers, as the scheming Grand Duchess, to declare war on the USA, lose the war, and get that foreign aid. Unfortunately, they forget to tell Peter Sellers, as Tully Bascombe, commander of their medieval army. This honorable man does his best for his country and, through a series of unbelievable circumstances (well, this is a comedy), he wins the war. Now, who must give aid to whom?

—garryq