Blu ray review: Francis The Talking Mule Collection

In the 1930s, monster movies sustained Universal studios. Abbott and Costello kept them going in the 1940s. And in the 1950s it was the series films Ma and Pa Kettle and Francis the Talking Mule. The 7-film Francis series has been released to blu ray by Kino Lorber.

The concept in the first movie, Francis (1950), was that a bumpkin played by Donald O’Connor runs into a talking mule (voice of Chill Wills) offering sage advice to help him with his exploits. Of course he is the only one who can hear the mule’s wisdom. The movie was so popular, and so inexpensive to make, the result was a series that included such films as Francis Goes to West Point, Francis Joins the Wacs, and Francis in the Navy. Along with O’Connor’s winning personality and the mule’s acerbic manner, the series is dotted with appearances by the likes of Clint Eastwood, Mamie Van Doren, David Jannsen, Piper Laurie, Julie Adams, Tony Curtis, ZaSu Pitts, Lori Nelson, Jim Backus, and Martha Hyer.

There is no real level here among the movies. They are all pretty equally cute and disarming; good lightweight fun for the entire family. In fact, the series creator and director, Arthur Lubin, later took this same concept to television, resulting in the timeless Mister Ed series about a talking horse.

Donald O’Connor was also appearing in classics like Singin’ in the Rain while starring in the Francis series, and eventually left to explore loftier pursuits (telling the press that he left because the mule got more fan mail). Universal tried to continue the still-lucrative series with Mickey Rooney, the voice of Paul Frees, and veteran comedy director Charles Lamont at the helm. However, when the 1956 effort Francis in the Haunted House tanked, that was the end of that.

Kino Lober’s set includes all of the Francis films, including the Rooney effort, and each movie offers delightful commentaries by such notable film historians as Lee Gambin, Staci Layne Wilson, Paul Anthony Nelson, Eddy Von Mueller, Toby Roan, and Stephen Vagg.

Stating that these films can be enjoyed by the whole family sounds cliched – because it is. But they truly can, even in these more jaded times. The Francis movies are vintage examples of harmless nonsense and you’ll likely feel better after watching one.

The Francis set is available at this link: FRANCIS/MULE