

“That talking mule is back... and the Navy's got him!”
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.

Donald O'Connor
Peter Stirling / Slicker Donevan
Lead
Martha Hyer
Betsy Donevan

Richard Erdman
Murph

Jim Backus
Commander Hutch

Clint Eastwood
Jonesey

David Janssen
Lieutenant Anders

Leigh Snowden
Appleby

Martin Milner
Rick
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Arthur Lubin's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
“Every frame feels alive. Francis in the Navy is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”