Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

Abby-9 "I suppose in all of us there's a trace of a mother complex." These thoughtful words of U.S. Army mule Francis ("That's spelled with an 'i'.") are an example of the charm of this Hollywood concoction. The voice of Chill Wills is deep and warm, just as the equine star's voice should be, and is equal to the deep voice of the Commanding General. Their scenes together late in the film pack a real punch. But meanwhile you have the 2nd Lieutenant Donald O'Connor, making frequent trips to the "Neuropsychiatric Ward"--having been befriended by Francis, and compelled by higher authorities to disclose that his source of military intelligence is a mule that talks. The war story is actually a story-within-a-story,told by O'Connor's character to his post-war employer, as he tries to save his job at the bank. This movie is well-paced and full of cheerful surprises. Zasu Pitts appears as a psychiatric nurse holding her own in an environment of half-baked military psychiatry. Choreography of encounters in Burmese jungle and on the army base moves smoothly and too soon it's a wrap. Hence several sequels.

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

David (Handlinghandel) "Francis" is extremely entertaining on the surface. It has likable characters and Chill Wills is great as the voice of the mule. It's a must for lovers of animals.Almost from the start, though, I felt a subtext. Maybe this was conscious at the time. Maybe it wasn't. In 1950 when the movie was released, there were things more common than saying you were talking to a mule that could land you in the "psycho ward." (Hero Donald O'Connor is shown in scene after scene weaving increasingly elaborate baskets.) His superiors and fellow soldier deride him. The mule is of undetermined gender. The mule speaks in a wittily sarcastic way that presages the tone from "All About Eve." (Or Thelma Ritter's lines, anyway.) One of the two women in the movie is a temptress, maybe not so nice. The other is ZaSu Pitts. Pitts plays a rather plump nurse who is very understanding of O'Connor.It spawned several sequels, which were doubtless aimed at children. But this seems in many ways like an allegory about the love that in those days dared not speak its name.

ubootsmann JoeKarlosi, if you didn't like this movie, then you most certainly won't like the remainder of the series.I grew up watching the entire Francis series, as well as the Ma and Pa Kettle movies. The object of these movies was nothing more than entertainment. In that vein, the directors did quite well. This includes Francis Joins the WACs, Francis Joines the Navy, and Francis at the Races.Sit back, clear your mind, and enjoy the movies. View them as nothing but mind candy. Thinking is not required. In today's era of mega-budget movies with dark overtones, these are quite refreshing. Think back to the days of our youth, when we were concerned not with the problems of the world, but with how to spend that quarter burning a hole in your pocket.