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| Believe me, there are worse comedy teams. |
August 26, 1988
Warner Bros.
Comedy, Fantasy
VHS
B-
This goofy take on Mr. Ed and Francis the Talking Mule (with a stock brokerage, because it's the '80s) provided the first starring role for the sometimes irritating and sometimes endearing Bobcat Goldthwait, then 26. The voice of the horse is provided by John Candy, who of course has some of the best lines and sounds like he might be ad-libbing some of them. There are moments of great silly comedy, although by the time Bobcat has become the most implausible big-screen jockey since Harpo Marx, things are wearing a bit thin, and there are a few too many ethnic and other stereotypes (especially Hispanic). If nothing else, you'll have fun with the cast, including Dabney Coleman as the villain (yeah, big surprise) and 80-year-old Burgess Meredith as Candy's equine father. Buck Henry plays Goldthwait's father in a flashback.
Peter Hobbs, who plays the veterinarian, was Dr. Dean in Sleeper and the Doctor at St. Ambrose Hospital in 9 to 5 (yes, this is a reunion for him and Coleman). Jocko Marcellino of Sha-Na-Na appears as Marvin. Donald Hotton, the minister here, was Mr. Wicher in Soul Man. Barbara Whinnery, who played Sister Sara in Hamburger, is Denise here.
James Hong who's "Boss" here, would be Frank, Sr. in Too Much Sun. Kevin Furlong would play a jockey again in Wag the Dog.
There's also a fairly early role, as a dentist, for 33-year-old Gilbert Gottfried. (He'd start hosting USA Up All Night on cable the next year.) And 35-year-old Mary Gross (post-SNL) appears briefly as Ms. French.
Note, this movie has an incredible amount of profanity for a PG-rated movie.
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