Under the Yum Yum Tree

Under the Yum Yum Tree

Videocassette cover
Directed by David Swift
Produced by David Swift
Written by Lawrence Roman
Starring Jack Lemmon
Carol Lynley
Dean Jones
Edie Adams
Paul Lynde
Imogene Coca
Robert Lansing
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates
October 23, 1963
Running time
110 mins
Language English
Box office $5 million (US/ Canada rentals) [1]

Under the Yum Yum Tree is a 1963 comedy movie that stars Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, and Edie Adams, with supporting roles by Imogene Coca and Paul Lynde.

This sex comedy was a successful small comic movie that gained Lemmon a Golden Globe nomination. The film was based on a Broadway play that first ran in 1960–61.

Plot

Jack Lemmon stars as the playboy landlord Hogan, a swinging bachelor. Women are mere playthings to him, plus he's a master con man. His bachelor pad is a holy temple of seduction: blood-red walls, African sculptures, a well-stocked cocktail bar, a switch-operated fireplace, and mechanized violins that play romantic music at the touch of a button. He walks around wearing a scarlet cardigan (with matching socks and shirts) and a devilish smirk. As the landlord of a Californian apartment block, he only rents rooms to gorgeous single women at just $75 a month.

The film begins as Irene (Adams), a recently divorced tenant, has just concluded a relationship with Hogan. She's moving out of the apartment with the assistance of her friend Charles (Lansing). It is immediately snapped up by her naive niece, Robin (Lynley). Hogan is thrilled at the prospect of yet another beautiful tenant to seduce, but is initially unaware that Robin's short-tempered, frustrated, bumbling boyfriend David (Jones) is moving in with her—but in a 'platonic' capacity only, to determine their compatibility.

Temptation is naturally there, but Hogan does his best to prevent David and Robin from consummating their relationship. Irene, who has only lately come to realize the extent of Hogan's promiscuity, is determined to prevent him from getting his hands on her niece. Irene confronts him at his barber, and Hogan is self-defensive and self-deluded to comic effect.

An older married couple, handyman Murphy (Lynde) and maid Dorcas (Coca) work for Hogan, he the stereotypical harried husband, she the stereotypical loud and overbearing wife.

Irene's counsel/advice (about 'what love is') to the young couple at the end of the film is particularly moving, when considering Edie Adams had lost her real-life husband, Ernie Kovacs, the previous year.

Cast

Other versions

The film was adapted from a Broadway play by Lawrence Roman. Dean Jones was in the original Broadway cast, and Gig Young played Jack Lemmon's character. The stage production opened on November 16, 1960 at Henry Miller's Theatre and ran for 173 performances.[2]

Song

See also

References

  1. "All-Time Top Grossers", Variety, 8 January 1964 p 1969
  2. "Under the Yum-Yum Tree". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
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