Francis Goes to the Races (1951): Cast & Plot
Francis Goes to the Races is a 1951 family comedy directed by Arthur Lubin, starring Chill Wills as Francis The Talking Mule (as Francis the Talking Mule), Donald O'Connor and Cecil Kellaway. It runs 1 hour 28 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 28m (88 min)
- Director
- Arthur Lubin
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Francis Goes to the Races About?
The premise of Francis Goes to the Races without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Francis the talkative mule and his friend Peter take jobs at a horse‑breeder’s ranch. When Francis secretly predicts the winners, Peter scores a windfall, buys a timid racehorse for the farm, and uses the winnings to rescue the operation. Amid courting the breeder’s niece and dodging gangsters, the duo’s antics keep the ranch afloat.
Francis Goes to the Races Themes & Keywords
· 12 tags- animal character name in title
- psychotronic film
- francis the mule character
- prologue
- scene during opening credits
- fainting
- mule
- harness racing
- horse
- talking animal
- horse actor
- sequel
Francis Goes to the Races Cast & Characters
Chill Wills leads the cast as Francis The Talking Mule (as Francis the Talking Mule), with Donald O'Connor as Peter Stirling and Cecil Kellaway as Colonel Travers. Directed by Arthur Lubin; 9 actors are credited in all.
- Director Arthur Lubin
-
Chill Wills as Francis The Talking Mule (as Francis the Talking Mule) - Donald O'Connor as Peter Stirling
-
Cecil Kellaway as Colonel Travers -
Piper Laurie as Frances Travers
Also Starring in Francis Goes to the Races
· 5 more- Barry Kelley Roy Square Deal Mallory
- Jesse White Frank Damer
- Hayden Rorke Rogers
- Vaughn Taylor Chief Inspector Carrington
- Larry Keating Head Steward
More from Arthur Lubin
More films directed by Arthur Lubin: Hold On!, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Escapade in Japan and The First Traveling Saleslady.
Francis Goes to the Races Plot Summary
What happens in Francis Goes to the Races from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On a peaceful family horse farm run by Colonel Travers and his granddaughter Frances Travers, a remarkable visitor arrives: Francis, the talking mule, along with his loyal human sidekick Peter Sterling. As they become part of the farm’s routine, Peter, who is often strapped for cash, agrees to have Francis boarded at the race track stables as a companion animal and takes on odd jobs to help make ends meet. The world of horse racing opens up with its glitter and danger, and the pair quickly discovers that money, prestige, and a history of fixes can twist every turn.
Full summary
The whole story of Francis Goes to the Races, scene by scene
Francis Goes to the Races Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Francis Goes to the Races.
How Well Do You Know Francis Goes to the Races?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the talking mule featured in the film?
Francis Goes to the Races Also Known As
6 alternative titles, including “Francis alle corse” and “Francis aux courses”.
- Also known as
-
- Francis alle corse
- Francis aux courses
- Francis en las carreras
- 프란시스: 레이스에 참가하다
- Francis va a les curses
- Francis Va a las Carreras
Seen Francis Goes to the Races?
Movies Like Francis Goes to the Races
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Francis in the Navy, Francis Goes to West Point and Francis Joins the WACS.
Francis Goes to the Races FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Francis Goes to the Races, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Francis Goes to the Races?
Francis Goes to the Races runs 1 hour 28 minutes (88 minutes).
When was Francis Goes to the Races released?
Francis Goes to the Races was released on May 1, 1951.
Who directed Francis Goes to the Races?
Francis Goes to the Races was directed by Arthur Lubin.
More films by Arthur Lubin Who is in the cast of Francis Goes to the Races?
Francis Goes to the Races stars Chill Wills as Francis The Talking Mule (as Francis the Talking Mule), Donald O'Connor as Peter Stirling and Cecil Kellaway as Colonel Travers, among 9 credited actors.
Does Francis Goes to the Races have a post-credit scene?
No. Francis Goes to the Races has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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