wes-connors Mild-mannered bank teller Donald O'Connor (as Peter Stirling) explains some strange behavior to his boss by explaining how he met "Francis" – a talking mule. We flashback to Mr. O'Connor's World War II service. In Burma, the wounded second lieutenant is stranded behind enemy lines. Francis carries O'Connor to an Army hospital, then disappears. Of course, of course everyone thinks O'Connor's crazy when he mentions befriending a talking mule. At a dance, O'Connor meets shapely Patricia Medina (as Maureen Gelder). Watch, here, for young Anthony "Tony" Curtis to appear briefly as a sex-starved soldier. Suddenly, Francis appears to whisk O'Connor away for an important mission...Neither the best nor the funniest film in the "Francis" series, this first effort has lost a little freshness in comparison. Still, you have good chemistry between O'Connor and Francis (voiced by Chill Wills). The scenes with the duo, directed by Arthur Lubin, play well...After the films ran their course, Mr. Lubin took the concept to TV with the series "Mister Ed" (starring Alan Young). Probably due to difficulty obtaining rights, "Ed" (a talking horse) replaced "Francis". Both were derived from literary works, where the horse preceded the mule. The preference of the talking animal for his human friend, his frequent attempts to take O'Connor (and later, Young) away from female companionship, adeptness with the telephone and other story elements are here. Lubin's series became charmingly more surreal over the years, fitting the 1960s perfectly.****** Francis (the Talking Mule) (2/50) Arthur Lubin ~ Donald O'Connor, Patricia Medina, Chill Wills, Zasu Pitts

szekeong123 It is not hard to see why this film was so popular when it was released theatrically, and easy to understand why it failed to create a new generation of fans. Apparently, it is not a film worthy of being a classic, since there is nothing special about this film. In fact, it is inferior to a similarly-themed family classic released in the same year, "Harvey", starring James Stewart. In both films, the central character is accused of being mentally unsound for communicating with animals.Still, this is a well-made movie with reasonably good writing and direction, featuring talented casts which elevated the film. In particular, Donald O'Connor displayed as much acting range here as James Stewart did in "Harvey". Both of them have this rare ability to emit boyish innocence, something which is even rarer nowadays. Best known for his comedic second-banana performance and exuberant dancing in "Singin' in the Rain", he has the opportunity to display his dramatic acting ability that is sadly overlooked.This film is definitely a good option if you want to have an enjoyable time with the young children.

JoeKarlosi Just got through the first entry in this series. So-so, but not all that much to rave about. Some fun watching the "Talking Mule" interacting with a young Donald O'Connor as a GI, but I hope the franchise managed to strike some funnier chords as it progressed. This talkative jackass isn't very nice, but I suppose that in itself presents some humor as he insults people and comes across as knowing more than we do. In this first installment he's guiding Americans through the war against the "Japs" and helps O'Connor become a War Hero. I think I'd have preferred a more "domestic" setting. Oh well, maybe for the rest of the series... ** out of ****

nmayers No great art here, just lots and lots of fun. Donald O'Connor's Peter Stirling is endearing, sweet, gullible, and the perfect foil for the acerbic mule who has been called, among other things, Groucho on a bad day. O'Connor was always a top-notch comedien -- he had the ability to render an innocent word or phrase hilarious with an unexpected inflection or the lift of an eyebrow. O'Connor doesn't showcase his extraordinary dancing abilities in this series (more's the pity), but we are definitely treated to the eternally young looking actor's gifts as an actor and comedien. If you can talk your children into sitting through at least ten minutes of any of the movies in the Francis series, they'll be hooked -- and they might just gain appreciation for the talents of a bygone era. The comedy and pacing in "Francis" is slower than today's rapid fire movies, but once introduced, children -- and adults -- generally love them. I know I do!