Main Cast: Donald O'Connor, Piper Laurie, Cecil Kellaway, Jesse White, Barry Kelley
Release Year: 1951
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
Plot
In this funny sequel to the popular Francis the Talking Mule the loquacious equine and his plucky pal Peter (Donald O'Connor) get a job working on a horse-breeder's ranch and end up saving it from financial ruin when Francis, who has the inside track with the racehorses, provides Peter with names of the winners before the races are run. Sure enough Peter finds himself with a fistful of cash and uses it to buy a racehorse for the farm. Unfortunately, the mare he chooses is suffering from a debilitating lack of confidence. Fortunately, Francis is around to perk her up. When not dealing with the mare, Peter finds time to court the horse- breeder's lovely niece. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Francis Goes to the Races, the second in the popular Francis the Talking Mule series of comedies, is an amusing enough entry. As was the case with the later TV series, Mr. Ed, the premise is one that can get played our rather quickly; after all, how many jokes can you get out of the fact that a mule can talk before the law of diminishing returns sets in? Truth to tell, Races is already showing a bit of a strain, but the series is till fresh enough at this point to create the required laughs and smiles. The writers certainly stretch things a bit by bringing in psychoanalysis, and the mule doctor-horse patient sequence is silly enough to be winning. The romantic entanglements are pretty standard, but they don't get in the way of the fun. And, of course, Donald O'Connor and the voice of Chill Wills are around to provide some thoroughly professional performances. Throw in a lovely young Piper Laurie and the always welcome Cecil Kellaway, along with well-paced direction from Arthur Lubin, and the result is fine family entertainment. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Bernard Herzbrun - Art Director, Emrich H. Nicholson - Art Director, Arthur Lubin - Director, Miton Carruth - Editor, Frank Skinner - Composer (Music Score), Irving Glassberg - Cinematographer, Leonard Goldstein - Producer, Robert Arthur - Screen Story, Oscar Brodney - Screenwriter, Les Weldon - Screenwriter
