Francis Goes to the Races

{{Infobox film

| name = Francis Goes to the Races

| image =File:Francis Goes to the Races.jpg

| caption =

| director = Arthur Lubin

| producer = Leonard Goldstein

| writer = Robert Arthur (story)
Oscar Brodney (screenplay)
David Stern (screenplay and characters)

| starring = Donald O'Connor
Piper Laurie
Cecil Kellaway

| music = Frank Skinner

| cinematography = Irving Glassberg

| editing =

| studio = Universal Pictures

| distributor = Universal-International

| released = {{Film date|1951|5|1}}

| runtime = 88 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $2.3 million (US rentals){{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/variety185-1952-01/page/n69|title=The Top Box Office Hits of 1951|magazine=Variety|date=January 2, 1952|page=70}}

}}

Francis Goes to the Races is a 1951 American black-and-white comedy film from Universal-International, produced by Leonard Goldstein, directed by Arthur Lubin, that stars Donald O'Connor, Piper Laurie, and Cecil Kellaway. The distinctive voice of Francis is a voice-over by actor Chill Wills.

This is a sequel to Universal-International's 1950 film Francis.{{Cite magazine|magazine=Diabolique Magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://diaboliquemagazine.com/the-cinema-of-arthur-lubin/|date=September 14, 2019|title=The Cinema of Arthur Lubin}}

Plot

Francis the Talking Mule and his sidekick Peter Sterling visit Colonel Travers and his granddaughter on their family horse farm. Peter soon finds himself involved in the world of horse racing and a crime boss and his men trying to "fix" races involving the Travers' horses.

Peter and Francis are hitch-hiking past the Travers horse farm when one of the horses takes a liking to Francis. In need of cash(as he usually is), Peter accepts an offer to have Francis boarded at the race track stables as a companion animal. Peter also gets an odd-job position for himself.

Peter quickly learns that horse racing is an expensive sport. The Travers' are in debt and are counting on their horse, Sudden Storm, to win the big handicap race. But creditor 'Square Deal' Mallory claims the horse before the race. Frances Travers gives Peter her life savings of $25,000.00 with instructions to buy Sudden Storm back. But Peter ends up buying Oakwood Gal, a filly of doubtful talent.

Francis can "talk to horses", so he is able to give Peter some solid tips on the next day's races. Peter wins 7 races in a row and repays the $25,000.00 to the Travers. But this attracts the attention of the Racing Commission, who demand to know the source of Peter's information. Naturally, he cannot tell them. Racetrack detective Frank Damer shadows Peter night and day, but only grows more confused.

Mallory kidnaps Peter and demands he work his racetrack magic for them. Without Francis to guide him, Peter costs the gamblers $200,000.00. Mallory is furious but decides it isn't worth the risk to kill Peter.

Oakwood Gal is the Travers' only asset, but Francis is convinced he can coach the filly to victory, and reveals his "special talent" to the Travers. Thugs enter Oakwood Gal's stable to injure her, but Francis kicks them into submission. Francis is comically shot in the rear end, and insults the veterinarians who treat the wound.

Oakwood Gal wins the big race by a nose over Sudden Storm, but the racing commission suspects a fix. Francis walks in and says Storm and Oakwood are brother and sister, and Storm was only doing the gentlemanly thing. The Commission is worried Francis may take his race predicting skills nationwide, but he assures them he's giving up racing.

He and Peter leave town in a luxury van provided by a relieved Commission.

Cast

Donald O'Connor as Peter Stirling
Piper Laurie as Frances Travers
Cecil Kellaway as Colonel Travers
Jesse White as Frank Damer
Barry Kelley as 'Square Deal' Mallory
Hayden Rorke as Rogers
Vaughn Taylor as Harrington
Larry Keating as Head Steward
Don Beddoe as Dr.Quimby, Vet (uncredited)
Bill Walker as Sam, the groomer (uncredited)
Dick Wessel as Chuck (uncredited)
Kenneth Mac Donald as Racing Steward (uncredited)
Willard Waterman as Track Exerciser (uncredited)

Production

Francis had been a success, and in May 1950 Universal announced they had bought the film rights to David Stern's character Francis. These included rights to his 1948 novel Francis Goes to Washington and to any other Francis books that he may write. Universal could make an unlimited number of film sequels and use the character for TV, radio, and commercials. For these rights Stern was paid a reported $60,000.

Francis Goes to Washington was meant to be the first sequel.{{cite news|title=Looking at Hollywood: Bette Davis in Joyous Mood Over Work on New Picture|author=Hopper, Hedda|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=March 13, 1950|page=b14}}{{cite news|title='FRANCIS' STORIES ARE BOUGHT BY U.-I.: Studio Acquires All Rights to David Stern's Future Yarns About the Army Mule|first=Thomas F. |last=Brady|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 17, 1950|page=35}} However, the filming of Washington was postponed as there were "too many complications" for the film "to be made as things stand at the present."{{cite news|title=Drama: Hugh Marlowe Romantic Rival of Milland; Wald, Krasna to Seek Talent|last=Schallert |first=Edwin|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 29, 1951|page=A7}} As a result, the film was never made.

The production of Francis Goes to the Races was then announced in October 1950.{{cite news|title=Katz and Kramer Set Up Film Firm: Former Metro Executive Puts Up $2,000,000 in Venture With Independent Producer Movie About "Dizzy" Dean|first=Thomas F. |last=Brady |newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 30, 1950|page=23}} Production started in November 1950. The film was shot at Santa Anita racecourse. Hill Prince, Coaltown, and Moonrush were among the real-life horses who appeared in the film.{{cite news|title=Santa Anita Film Locale|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 28, 1951|page=B7}}

Reception

The Washington Post called the film "smooth and cheery".{{cite news|title=Mule Francis Now Training Race Horses|first=Orval |last=Hopkins|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 5, 1951|page=13}}

Home media

The original film, Francis (1950), was released in 1978 as one of the first-ever titles in the new LaserDisc format, DiscoVision Catalog #22-003. It was then re-issued on LaserDisc in May 1994 by MCA/Universal Home Video (Catalog #: 42024) as part of an Encore Edition Double Feature with Francis Goes to the Races (1951).

The first two Francis films were released again in 2004 by Universal Pictures on Region 1 and Region 4 DVD, along with the next two in the series, as The Adventures of Francis the Talking Mule Vol. 1. Several years later, Universal released all 7 Francis films as a set on three Region 1 and Region 4 DVDs, Francis The Talking Mule: The Complete Collection.