Feature1955·80m·5.6

Francis in the Navy

That talking mule is back... and the Navy's got him!

ComedyFamilyFantasyRomance

In the U. S. Army intelligence office, bumbling lieutenant Peter Stirling receives a coded message from his friend, Francis, a talking mule. The note urges Pete to hurry to the Coronado, California naval base, where Francis is about to be sold as surplus. Pete rushes to the train station, but before he can board, nurse Betsy Donevan mistakes him for her shell-shocked brother, Navy boatswain Slicker Donevan. She tries to forcibly remove his uniform so he will not get into trouble for impersonating an Army officer. Finally she realizes that Pete is not Slicker but merely his mirror image.

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Cast

Donald O'Connor

Peter Stirling / Slicker Donevan

Martha Hyer

Betsy Donevan

Richard Erdman

Murph

Jim Backus

Commander Hutch

Clint Eastwood

Jonesey

David Janssen

Lieutenant Anders

Leigh Snowden

Appleby

Martin Milner

Rick

Paul Burke

Tate

Phil Garris

Tony

Myrna Hansen

Helen

Jane Howard

Standish

Virginia O'Brien

Miss Kittredge

William Forrest

Admiral

Chill Wills

Francis (voice) (uncredited)

Frank Chase

Yeoman (uncredited)

Carl Switzer

Timekeeper (uncredited)

Details

Status
Released
Original language
English
Languages
English
Budget
Revenue
Age rating
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
Universal International Pictures

Crew

Director

Arthur Lubin

Writers

Devery Freeman, Devery Freeman, David Stern

Milton Carruth

Editor

Ray Snyder

Editor

Carl E. Guthrie

Director of Photography

Gallery

Reviews

r96sk

1/4/2022

5.0

Just so sleepy at this point. Even for 1955, <em>'Francis in the Navy'</em> being the sixth <em>'Francis'</em> film since 1950 must've been boring as heck. Not that it's a new development, because they arguably all are, but these really are a tedious watch at this point. Francis is again, oddly, in the background. Despite one more production in 1956, Donald O'Connor decided this was the time to bow out of the series. He does so in relative style, given he portrays two characters - albeit to lame effect, for what it's worth. Clint Eastwood is the pick of the support cast, if only due to who he has since become. He is a little wooden, in what is his first credited role. I'm actually minorly intrigued to check out <em>'Francis in the Haunted House'</em> due to somewhat of a mass exodus, with O'Connor, director Arthur Lubin and Francis voice actor Chill Wills all not appearing. Could it be a slight breath of fresh air? I'm leaning the other way, but we'll see.

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