Talkin' Talkin' Animals

Talkin' Francis The Talking Mule

November 19, 2021 Talkin' Talkin' Animals Season 1 Episode 3
Talkin' Francis The Talking Mule
Talkin' Talkin' Animals
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Talkin' Talkin' Animals
Talkin' Francis The Talking Mule
Nov 19, 2021 Season 1 Episode 3
Talkin' Talkin' Animals

Francis aka: Francis The Talking Mule (1950)

A banker recalls his experience as a hapless 2nd Lieutenant in Burma during WW2 when his career had vaulted (and his sanity was questioned) by receiving valuable military intelligence from an incredibly condescending and racist talking mule.

Within this episode, contention develops in the ranks as the hosts vehemently disagree on the rank of Francis The Talking Mule among this season's line-up thus far, and powerful themes are discussed such as:

  • Anti-Japanese racism and the temporal context of ethnic slurs in cinema
  • Acknowledgement and treatment of PTSD by the military (or historically the lack thereof)
  • Commentary on the oftentimes ridiculous nature of bureaucratic advancement
  • A shockingly graphic wartime massacre for a comedy movie
  • How racist talking mules fit into the shifting political demography of America
  • Mule dicks in cinema (or historically the lack thereof)

* Still not sponsored by Ola Hard Seltzer

Show Notes

Francis aka: Francis The Talking Mule (1950)

A banker recalls his experience as a hapless 2nd Lieutenant in Burma during WW2 when his career had vaulted (and his sanity was questioned) by receiving valuable military intelligence from an incredibly condescending and racist talking mule.

Within this episode, contention develops in the ranks as the hosts vehemently disagree on the rank of Francis The Talking Mule among this season's line-up thus far, and powerful themes are discussed such as:

  • Anti-Japanese racism and the temporal context of ethnic slurs in cinema
  • Acknowledgement and treatment of PTSD by the military (or historically the lack thereof)
  • Commentary on the oftentimes ridiculous nature of bureaucratic advancement
  • A shockingly graphic wartime massacre for a comedy movie
  • How racist talking mules fit into the shifting political demography of America
  • Mule dicks in cinema (or historically the lack thereof)

* Still not sponsored by Ola Hard Seltzer