| Francis | |
| Director: | Arthur Lubin |
| Producer: | Robert Arthur |
| Starring: | Donald O'Connor Patricia Medina |
| Music: | Frank Skinner Walter Scharf |
| Cinematography: | Irving Glassberg |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Distributor: | Universal-International |
| Runtime: | 91 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $622,000[1] [2] |
| Gross: | $2.9 million (US rentals)[3] |
Francis is a 1950 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International that launched the Francis the Talking Mule film series. Francis is produced by Robert Arthur and directed by Arthur Lubin, and stars Donald O'Connor and Patricia Medina. The distinctive voice of Francis is a voice-over by actor Chill Wills.
Six Francis sequels from Universal followed this first effort, all but one starring O'Connor. Mickey Rooney replaced O'Connor in the final film of the series.
During World War II, a junior American Army officer gets sent to the psychiatric ward whenever he insists that an Army mule named Francis speaks to him.
A bank manager discovers that teller Peter Stirling is attracting public attention, so he calls the young man in. Stirling relates his story in flashback.
In the flashback, Second Lieutenant Stirling is caught behind Japanese lines in Burma during World War II. A talking Army mule named Francis (voiced by Chill Wills) carries him to safety. Stirling later insists that the animal rescued him, so he is placed in a psychiatric ward. Francis helps Stirling thwart enemy plans twice, and each time Stirling is sent back to the psychiatric ward when he insists on crediting a talking mule. In an effort to get himself released, Stirling asks three-star General Stevens to order Francis to speak, but the mule does not obey until it becomes clear that Stirling will be arrested for treason if he remains silent. Convinced, Stevens has Stirling released.
During one of his enforced hospital stays, Stirling is befriended by Maureen Gelder, 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 the suspicion of Stirling or Gelder being a Japanese agent. The press is later informed that the absurd mule story was concocted in order to flush out the spy, the real culprit is identified (with help from Francis) to be Gelder.
Francis is shipped back to the U.S. for further study, but his military transport crashes in the wilds of Kentucky. Stirling searches for him after the war and finds him alive and well.
Lubin became attached to the film in March 1948.[4] He was attracted to the light material because "as a movie fan myself, I am tired of watching neurotic material on the screen. I can easily skip the latest psychiatric spell binders, but I've seen Miracle on 34th Street a half dozen times."
In September 1948, it was announced that Robert Stillman, Joseph H. Nadel, and Arthur Lubin had purchased the film rights from David Stern; Stillman would produce and Lubin would direct.[5] (Lubin said that a friend who worked at a literary agency recommended the book to him.[6])
Lubin took the film to Universal, but the studio was not initially interested. However, their story editor was interested, especially as Universal had a commitment to Donald O'Connor for $30,000 and was looking to make something inexpensive. The studio advanced Lubin $10,000 as a test to see if he could make the mule talk. The test was successful and Universal agreed to make the film.[6]
They set up the production at Universal where it was turned into a starring vehicle for Donald O'Connor.[7] Lubin worked on the script with Stern. Dorothy Davenport Reid (widow of silent film star Wallace Reid) worked on the script.[8]
Lubin said that it was the first time that he had a financial interest in any film:
Directing Francis gave me a new slant on picture making after some years of acting and producing in both New York and Hollywood. I love Francis, first because it's good entertainment, and secondly because I own a bit of that ornery mule.[9]Universal records say that Lubin was paid a flat fee of $25,000.[10]
Filming started May 7, 1949[11] and continued through to June. Parts of the film were shot at the now defunct Conejo Valley Airport in Thousand Oaks, California.[12]
Francis was first shown in January 1950 to Army troops stationed in West Germany.
Francis the mule was signed to a seven-year contract with Universal-International, according to an article in Newsweek magazine. Newsweek also reported that Francis' entourage included "a make-up man, trainer, hairdresser, and sanitary engineer, complete with broom and Airwick."
Producer Robert Arthur said that the film was budgeted at $580,000 but went $42,000 over budget.[1] Lubin later said that the film cost $150,000. "Donald got $30,000 at the time, the mule cost nothing. We had three mules then. And we made that picture in fifteen days."[13]
The film was the eleventh biggest hit of the year in the U.S.[3] In May 1950, Universal-International purchased all rights to the character Francis from author David Stern, including the right to make an unlimited number of sequels.[14]
Diabolique said, "Lubin’s handling is always sure and confident, and they contain some genuinely hilarious moments and sensational performances from O’Connor and Chill Wills (who voiced Francis).[15]
Francis was released in 1978 as one of the first titles in the LaserDisc format (Discovision Catalog #22-003).[16] It was then re-issued on LaserDisc in May 1994 by MCA/Universal Home Video (Catalog #42024) as part of an Encore Edition Double Feature with Francis Goes to the Races (1951).
The first four Francis films were released in 2004 by Universal Pictures on Region 1 and Region 4 DVD as The Adventures of Francis the Talking Mule Vol. 1. Universal released all seven Francis films as a set on three Region 1 and Region 4 DVDs as Francis The Talking Mule: The Complete Collection.