Tonight's Movie: Francis Joins the WACS (1954) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS (1954) is the fifth movie in the seven-film Francis the Talking Mule Blu-ray collection from Kino Lorber.

I've been steadily working my way through this set since it was released a few months ago, and this was one of the series' most engaging titles thanks to a good cast.

Since the conclusion of FRANCIS COVERS THE BIG TOWN (1953), in which Peter Stirling (Donald O'Connor) became a reporter, he's gone back to his previous occupation as a bank teller. He's stunned when he receives a telegram -- he's been called back to military service!

Peter is none too happy, but he's got an even bigger shock ahead when he reports for duty and finds himself on a WACs (Women's Army Corps) military installation. Somehow Peter has been called to service in the women's branch of the military!

Major Louise Simpson (Lynn Bari), the commanding officer, tries to get Peter transferred off the base, but in the meantime he's assigned to work training the women in camouflage techniques. The women will be in a competition overseen by General Benjamin Kaye (Chill Wills), who's skeptical of women in the military, and they want to prove themselves.

Of course, Peter's pal Francis the Talking Mule is on the base as well, and the strange thing is...he sounds just like General Kaye!

Peter is surrounded by lovely ladies in uniform including Julie Adams, Mamie Van Doren, Mara Corday, and Allison Hayes. He's also reunited with the goofy nurse (Zasu Pitts) from the mental health clinic he visited in the very first film.

This movie has a little bit more to it than some of the other films in the series, thanks to the storyline of Peter attempting to help the WACs succeed in their competition. It's still no great shakes, but Adams and the other ladies make it a pleasant 95 minutes. Checking out the interesting casts is a big part of the fun in watching this series.

FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS was directed by Arthur Lubin and filmed in black and white by Irving Glassberg.

The FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS Blu-ray is from a brand-new 2K master. The disc includes a newly mastered version of the trailer and a commentary track by Lee Gambin and Staci Layne Wilson.

Previous reviews in this set: FRANCIS (1950), FRANCIS GOES TO THE RACES (1951), FRANCIS GOES TO WEST POINT (1952), and FRANCIS COVERS THE BIG TOWN (1953).

The final two films to be reviewed from the Francis collection are FRANCIS IN THE NAVY (1955) with O'Connor, Clint Eastwood, and Martha Hyer, and FRANCIS IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE (1956) with Mickey Rooney and David Janssen.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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