''Francis Joins the WACS'' is a 1954 American

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

from Universal-International, produced by Ted Richmond, directed by

Arthur Lubin Arthur Lubin (July 25, 1898 – May 11, 1995) was an American film director and producer who directed several ''Abbott & Costello'' films, ''Phantom of the Opera (1943 film), Phantom of the Opera'' (1943), the ''Francis the Talking Mule'' series a ...

and starring

Donald O'Connor Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American dancer, singer and actor. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred, in succession, with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talki ...

, Julie Adams, ZaSu Pitts, Mamie Van Doren and

Chill Wills Theodore Childress "Chill" Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American actor and a singer in the Avalon Boys quartet. Early life Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas, on July 18, 1902. Career Wills was a performer from early c ...

in two roles, including that of the distinctive voice of Francis in

voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in radio, television, filmmaking, theatre, and other media in which a descriptive or expository voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., non- ...

. This is the fifth film in Universal-International's Francis the Talking Mule series.

Plot

A computer error mistakenly assigns junior officer Peter Stirling to the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC; ) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United S ...

(WAC). Peter's old friend Francis, a talking mule, helps him through his various military and personal problems, including several familiar stays in the base's psychiatric ward. The WACs are initially highly suspicious of him, suspecting him of having been sent by General Ben Kaye to sabotage their efforts to prove themselves. However, with the assistance of Francis, he is able to win their trust and prove their worth. The film is noteworthy for Chill Wills, the voice of Francis, appearing on screen as General Kaye and the mule, who very reluctantly talks to him in order to prove Peter is not crazy.

Cast

as Peter Stirling * Julie Adams as Captain Jane Parker (as Julia Adams) * Mamie Van Doren as Corporal Bunky Hilstrom *

as General Benjamin Kaye / voice of Francis * Lynn Bari as Major Louise Simpson * ZaSu Pitts as Lieutenant Valerie Humpert. Pitts played the same character in the first film of the series. * Joan Shawlee as Sergeant Kipp * Allison Hayes as Lieutenant Dickson * Mara Corday as Kate * Karen Kadler as Marge * Elsie Holmes as Bessie

Production

Donald O'Connor's contract with Universal had expired, so there was some doubt that he would reprise his role before he agreed to make another film. Leonard Goldstein did not return as producer, being replaced by Ted Richmond. Although ''Francis Joins the WACS'' was announced in late 1952, filming did not start until February 1954.

Reception

The '' Variety'' review stated that "The boxoffice outlook is good, since the same type of

screwball comedy Screwball comedy is a film subgenre of the romantic comedy genre that became popular during the Great Depression, beginning in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1950s, that satirizes the traditional love story. It has secondary charact ...

that has characterized this series is put forth slickly in this one." According to a later issue of ''Variety'', the film outgrossed the second, third and fourth in the Francis series.

Home media

Universal released all seven Francis films as a set on three Region 1 and Region 4 DVDs, ''Francis the Talking Mule: The Complete Collection.''

References

External links

* * * {{Arthur Lubin 1954 films 1950s fantasy comedy films American black-and-white films Films directed by Arthur Lubin Films scored by Irving Gertz Films scored by Henry Mancini Films scored by Frank Skinner Military comedy films Universal Pictures films Films about the United States Army American fantasy comedy films 1954 comedy films Films about donkeys 1950s English-language films 1950s American films Women's Army Corps WACS English-language fantasy comedy films