Christmas-Reviewer 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 filmThe 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!

telegonus This is a terrific Christmas movie for adults, since it revolves around money and debt. Bob Hope is a racetrack tout who, for too many reasons worth going into here, winds up owing a gangster ten large during the Yuletide season, and comes up with an ingenious way to raise the cash. Hope fits in reasonably well with the general scheme (so to speak) of this Damon Runyon story, and Marilyn Maxwell is gorgeous. In able support are William Frawley, Sid Melton, Ben Welden and a gaggle of other big city types without whom this kind of movie can't work. Thanks in large part to them, it does. Only Lloyd Nolan, as Oxford Charlie, seems wrong for this one. His movie persona was too inflexible for Runyon antics. Maybe Brod Crawford wasn't available. But this is a minor quibble. The movie is a delight.

artzau 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.

teepee-9 Though this movie is a favorite of my Mother's, it inevitably is one of mine. Bob Hope is "ON" in this Season's Greeting which, by the way, introduced the world to the song "Silver Bells". A MUST-HAVE in your home library.