Francis (1950 film)

Infobox Film
name = Francis


image_size =
caption =
director = Arthur Lubin
producer = Robert Arthur
writer = David Stern (also novel)
starring = Donald O'Connor
Patricia Medina
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor = Universal Pictures
released = 1950
runtime = 91 minutes
country = USA
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by = "Francis Goes to the Races"
website =
amg_id = 1:122367
imdb_id = 0041387

"Francis" is a 1950 black-and-white comedy film that launched the Francis the Talking Mule series. It starred Donald O'Connor as an American soldier who gets into trouble when he insists an Army mule named Francis can speak. The distinctive voice of Francis was provided by Chill Wills. It was directed by Arthur Lubin.

Plot

Second Lieutenant Peter Stirling (Donald O'Connor) is caught behind Japanese lines during World War II. Francis, a talking army mule, carries him to safety. When Stirling insists that the animal rescued him, he is placed in a psychiatric ward. Each time Stirling is released, he accomplishes something noteworthy (at the instigation of Francis). Each time, he is sent back to the ward when he insists on crediting the mule. Finally, Stirling gets General Stevens (John McIntire) to "order" Francis to speak, and he obeys.

During one of his enforced stays, he is befriended by Maureen Gelder (Patricia Medina), a beautiful French refugee. He grows to trust her and tells her about Francis. Later, a propaganda radio broadcast from Tokyo Rose mocks the Allies for being advised by a mule. This leads to Maureen being unmasked as a spy. The press is told that the absurd story was concocted in order to flush her out.

Francis is shipped back to America for further study, but his plane crashes in Kentucky. After the war, Peter searches for and finally finds him alive and well.

Cast

*Donald O'Connor as Peter Stirling
*Patricia Medina as Maureen Gelder
*ZaSu Pitts as Nurse Valerie Humpert
*Ray Collins as Colonel Hooker
*John McIntire as General Stevens (as John McIntyre)
*Eduard Franz as Colonel Plepper
*Howland Chamberlain as Major Nadel
*James Todd as Colonel Saunders
*Robert Warwick as Colonel Carmichael
*Frank Faylen as Sergeant Chillingbacker
*Tony Curtis as Captain Jones (as Anthony Curtis)
*Mikel Conrad as Major Garber
*Loren Tindell as Major Richards
*Charles Meredith as Munroe, the banker

External links

*tcmdb title|75578|title=Francis