- A mouse tells the story of how he guided Benjamin Franklin to success and prominence.
- Amos, a poor church mouse, sets out to find work, since his family of 26 is starving. He's rejected by several places and takes refuge in the run-down print shop of Ben Franklin. Quickly, he gives Ben the ideas for the Franklin stove, bifocal lenses, and the newspaper the Pennsylvania Gazette as Ben's creditors are threatening to shut him down in 24 hours. The paper is an instant hit and Ben prospers. With Amos hidden in his hat prompting him, Ben seems much brighter than he is. However, when Amos is attached to Ben's kite and gets hit by lighting, he leaves. Later, in the summer of 1776, Ben is desperate and begs Amos to return. He agrees but only if Ben will sign a contract. The next day, as they are beginning their talks, Thomas Jefferson drops by for help with the wording the opening of the Declaration of Independence, and as Ben reads the opening words of the contract, Jefferson says, "That's it!"—Jon Reeves <jreeves@imdb.com>
- The film begins with a tour group in the present day, but quickly moves to the 16th century. Quickly tracing a mouse family's history in England, we see how the family was forced to go to America due to an excess of cats.
In America, the film then focuses on Amos, a 1740s mouse living in a Philadelphia church. His attempts to land a job lead him to Benjamin Franklin's printing shop. He helps Franklin erase his debts, create a successful newspaper, invent new devices, and even helps make him more popular and respected with the people of the city.
After Franklin involves Amos, without his permission, in the famous kite electricity experiment that nearly kills him, Amos is outraged and leaves him. Franklin's attempts to work alone prove disastrous such as a failed diplomatic mission to the King that pushes the colonies to open armed revolt.
They finally reconcile in 1776 when Franklin begs Amos to return and agrees to sign a contract drafted by the mouse for more considerate treatment. Furthermore, as Franklin examines the agreement, Thomas Jefferson arrives to ask for help for the beginning of the Declaration of Independence he is writing. Amos insists that Franklin read his own agreement out loud at that moment and its wording inspires Jefferson to create an appropriate opening to his own piece.
The movie ends with a return to the tour group in the present.
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