Under the Yum Yum Tree * (1963, Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, Imogene Coca, Paul Lynde, Edie Adams) – Classic Movie Review 6232

Co-writer/ director David Swift’s 1963 vehicle for Jack Lemmon is a ridiculously silly Swinging Sixties adult sex comedy about a couple, Robin Austin (Carol Lynley) and Dave Manning (Dean Jones), deciding to move in together to test their compatibility.

However, there is to be no ‘Yum Yum’ so Dave understandably isn’t keen. Unfortunately, it turns out that the randy landlord, Mr Hogan (Lemmon), who owns their Californian apartment, has designs on poor Robin and pretends to help Dave while really hindering.

The tawdry, low-grade, near-abysmal material, based on a play by Lawrence Roman, and scripted by Roman and Swift, makes for a sordid, pretty squalid comedy affair with sex as the sole unremitting subject matter and wit rarely seen on the menu.

Lemmon, inheriting Gig Young’s stage role, is far too good for this sub-mediocre material. But, even though he is obviously miscast and evidently struggling, he is still easily the best and classiest thing about this movie.

Imogene Coca (as the housekeeper Dorkus), Paul Lynde (as her hubby Murphy) and Edie Adams (as a divorced tenant, Irene) all raise a few laughs. But still, this is a candidate for Lemmon’s worst film.

Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen’s equally mediocre song Under the Yum Yum Tree is sung by James Darren.

Also in the cast are Robert Lansing, Jerry Antes, Army Archerd, Phil Arnold, Bill Bixby, Gloria Calomee, Cliff Carnell, Pamela Curran, Lyn Edgington, Bill Erwin, John Indrisano, Erskine Johnson, Matty Jordan, Asa Maynor, James Millhollin, Almira Sessions, Laurie Sibbald, Irene Tsu, Jane Wald and Gary Waynesmith.

It is shot by Joseph F Biroc, produced by Frederick Brisson, scored by Frank DeVol and set designed by Dale Hennesy.

Dean Jones, Disney icon and star of such family films as The Love Bug and That Darn Cat, died on 1 September 2015 at the age of 84.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6232

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