The Lemon Drop Kid

Bob Hope is wonderful as The Lemon Drop Kid, who makes his money tricking people into betting on ponies with his phony insider information and agreeing to cut him in on the winnings...only he mistakenly convinces a gangster's mol into betting on a different pony than she was supposed to with $2000! As a consequence, the gangster looses out on a $10,000 payout. He tells the Lemon Drop Kid he has until Christmas Eve to pay him back the $10,000. So The Kid travels to New York where he is hoping to call upon his friends to help him out...only they don't because either they can't or because he has taken advantage of their kindness one too many times, including the lovely lady "Brainy". Down on his luck and with just enough money to get his winter clothes out of hawk he sees a bell ringing Santa...and is struck by the idea that he could raise money for a charity...his save a life charity.

This was a great vehicle for Bob Hope and he is at the top of his game in this film. I was eager to see this film because I ordered sheet music for my favorite Christmas carol..."Silver Bells" and found out it came straight out of this film The Lemon Drop Kid which I had never heard of. I don't know that this will be a Christmas regular for me, but it was worth seeing...contained my favorite Christmas carol, and had some interesting scenes from a by gone era...including tinsled trees and Christmas store windows.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS & SPECIALS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

The Lemon Drop Kid is a 1951 comedy film based on the short story of the same name by Damon Runyon, starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell. Although Sidney Lanfield is credited as the director, Frank Tashlin reportedly was hired, to finish the film. The story had previously been adapted as a 1934 movie starring Lee Tracy, with actress Ann Sheridan in a bit part. William Frawley is featured in both versions.

The song "Silver Bells," sung by Hope and Maxwell, was introduced in this film

The Lemon Drop Kid (Bob Hope), a New York City swindler, is illegally touting horses at a Florida racetrack. The Kid touts across a beautiful woman intending to bet $2,000 on a horse named Iron Bar. Rigging a con, the Kid convinces her to switch her bet, but learns that she was betting for boyfriend and notorious gangster Moose Moran (Fred Clark). When the horse finishes dead last, a furious Moran demands the Kid pay him $10,000 (the amount he would have won) by Christmas Eve, or the Kid "won't make it to New Year's."

This film is typical one liners that Bob Hope was famous for. This film however suffers because many of them are "flat" and have not held up over time!

This film runs about 90 minutes but it seems to run 3 hours. Some parts of this film however is funny but it has equal parts that are not funny. It is also hard to hear 48 year old Bib Hope refereed to as kid in this film.

This is a great film for Bob Hope fans. For the rest of us it is just an okay film. Not a bad film but not very good either!

Our entire family from great grandmother on down to the great grandchildren love this movie. It will never be outdated. It is funny, decent and there is never a dull moment. This movie is truly a classic and such a refreshing change from the liberal nonsense that the industry is spewing out today.

Bob Hope is the Lemon Drop Kid, a race-track tout who incurs the wrath of gangster Moose Moran when he convinces Moose's ditsy mistress to bet on what turns out to be the slowest horse in the race. Given until Christmas to raise the ten grand, the conniving kid sets up a fake 'Old Dolls Home' as part of a fake Santa Claus charity scam. This is a Christmas movie, so needless to say the larceny and gangland shenanigans of the first half gives way to a sentimental final reel. The film is loosely based on the eponymous Damon Runyon story but, other than character names like 'Gloomy Willie' and the frequent use of the term 'dolls', lacks a real 'Runyonesque' feel. As always, Hope's impeccable timing and delivery gets the most out of the material and the film is pretty funny at times (including the obligatory meta-reference to Bing Crosby, Hope's usually comedic foil). All in all, a fun family Christmas-film that introduced the classic seasonal charmer 'Silver Bells'. One additional plus: the film features the great Tor Johnson of 'Plan 9 from Outer Space' (1957) and 'The Beast of Yucca Flats' (1961) fame.

Hope's films always spun on his zany sense of humor. In this, a redo of a Damon Runyon story (see Little Miss Marker), Hope is at his best. I noted with interest the comments of one reviewer who bristling with politically correct indignation, accuses Hope of everything from Sexism to nearly murder. True, they were not as tuned into the careful not to offend anyone scene we are now but most of this stuff is pretty mild. Besides, being a senior citizen myself, I was hardly offended. The list of wonderful studio character actors in this film is delightful. Fred Clarke who was at his best as a villain or sleeze ball gives a delightful show as a gangster. And, then there's Marilyn Maxwell: her singing of "Silver Bells," gave us a new Christmas carol that is sung every holiday season. I'm sorry that some of our other reviewers were piqued by this film. I think it has held up well and I still delight at Hope's antics. I guess that dates me. I was in junior high when I saw this film. I loved it then and love it now.