Movie Cosmos - Francis in the Navy

Description:

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.

Top Cast >

Donald O'Connor

As Peter Stirling

Martha Hyer

As Betsy Donevan

Richard Erdman

As Murph

Jim Backus

As Commander Hutch

Clint Eastwood

As Jonesey

David Janssen

As Lieutenant Anders

Leigh Snowden

As Nurse Appleby

Martin Milner

As W.T. Rickson

Paul Burke

As Tate

Phil Garris

As Tony Stover

Myrna Hansen

As Helen

Jane Howard

As Nurse Standish

Virginia O'Brien

As Nurse Kittredge

William Forrest

As Admiral

Chill Wills

As Francis (voice) (uncredited)

Frank Chase

As Yeoman (uncredited)

Carl Switzer

As Timekeeper (uncredited)

Top Crew >

Arthur Lubin

Director

David Stern

Characters

Devery Freeman

Screenplay, Story

Stanley Rubin

Producer

Milton Carruth

Editor

Ray Snyder

Editor

Alexander Golitzen

Art Direction

Bill Newberry

Art Direction

Leslie I. Carey

Sound

Russell A. Gausman

Set Decoration

Phil Bowles

Assistant Director

Clifford Stine

Special Effects

Frank H. Wilkinson

Sound

Joan St. Oegger

Hairstylist

Joseph Gershenson

Music Supervisor

F.D. Fane

Technical Advisor

Bud Westmore

Makeup Artist

Carl E. Guthrie

Director of Photography

Ray Jeffers

Set Decoration

Robert Pierce

Assistant Camera

Luanna Sherman

Script Supervisor

Reviews:

r96sk (5/10)

Just so sleepy at this point.

Even for 1955, 'Francis in the Navy' being the sixth 'Francis' 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 'Francis in the Haunted House' 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.

2022-01-04