The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) was very loosely based on the short story "The Lemon Drop Kid" by Damon Runyon. The short story centred on the title character, a race track tout who cons a rich man out of $100 and then flees to settle down in a small town. It had been previously adapted as the movie The Lemon Drop Kid (1934), which was rather faithful to the short story. That having been said, about the only thing The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) has in common with the short story is that they are centred on a race track tout called the Lemon Drop Kid. In The Lemon Drop Kid (1951), Bob Hope plays the title character, who cons a woman into betting on a horse other than the odds-on favourite. As it turns out, the woman is the girl friend of gangster Moose Moran (Fred Clark), who demands the Lemon Drop Kid pay him the $10,000 his girlfriend lost on the bet. The Lemon Drop Kid then flees Florida for New York City in hopes of raising the money. It is December, so he concocts a scheme involving street corner Santas.
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) likely owed its existence to a previous Bob Hope movie inspired by a Damon Runyon short story. Sorrowful Jones (1949) was based on the Damon Runyon short story "Little Miss Marker," which had previously been adapted as the Shirley Temple movie Little Miss Marker (1934). Sorrowful Jones did brisk business at the box office, so another Bob Hope movie based on a Damon Runyon short story probably seemed like a sure thing. Indeed, the same director, Sidney Lanfield, directed both.
As to the casting of The Lemon Drop Kid (1951), Bob Hope insisted that Marilyn Maxwell be cast as his romantic interest, Brainey Baxter. At the time Marilyn Maxwell was far from being a household name. As might be expected, Paramount asked who she was. Bob Hope simply told the studio that he had worked with her in New York, and she was good. What Bob Hope did not tell Paramount is that he and Miss Maxwell were carrying on an affair. Of course, while Marilyn Maxwell might not have been particularly well known, The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) featured a slough of recognizable faces, including Fred Clark, Jane Darwell, Sid Melton, and Lloyd Nolan. Among these recognizable faces was the only actor who had appeared in 1934 version of The Lemon Drop Kid, William Frawley.
Of course, today The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) may be best known as the film that introduced the Christmas standard "Silver Bells." While Jay Livingston and Ray Evans had already written a number of hits, in 1950 their career was in such a lull that the two worried Paramount might release them from their contract. It was at this time that the studio asked the two to write a Christmas song. Jay Livingston and Ray Evan's stories about the inspiration behind "Silver Bells" differ. Jay Livingston said that the song was inspired by the bells used by Salvation Army Santas and others on New York City street corners during Christmastime. Ray Evans said it was inspired by a bell that sat on the desk he shared with Jay Livingston. Regardless, of its inspiration, the song started out as "Tinkle Bells." The song's title changed immediately after Ray Evans's wife informed him that "tinkle" was a slang term for urination.
Once The Lemon Drop Kid (1931) was completed, Bob Hope was not particularly happy with the finished product. Bob Hope asked gag writer Frank Tahslin (who had also been an animator at Warner Bros.) to rewrite a number of scenes. Frank Tashlin agreed provided he could direct the retakes. This did not sit well Sidney Lanfield, who would never work with Bob Hope again.
Among the retakes directed by Frank Tashlin was the sequence involving "Silver Bells." The original "Silver Bells" sequence as directed by Sidney Lanfield was simply the cast standing in an empty casino singing the song. Aside from Mr. Lanfield's reportedly uninspired staging of the song, Bob Hope may well have had another reason for wanting the "Silver Bells" sequence to stand out more. Bob Hope's friend and Road to... movie co-star Bing Crosby had recorded his own version of the song, that had been released in October 1950. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby had always had a friendly rivalry, so naturally Mr. Hope did not want to be shown up by Mr. Crosby. To this end Frank Tashlin moved the action of the "Silver Bells" sequence to a busy New York City street at the peak of Christmas shopping season. In the end it is not only the most impressive scene in the movie, but one of the most impressive scenes touching upon Christmas in any movie.
Despite being released in April, The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) did well at the box office. And while it may not be as highly regarded as such classics as Christmas in Connecticut (1945), It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), or The Bishop's Wife (1947), The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) remains a holiday favourite of many classic movie fans. While it may be best known as the movie that introduced the Christmas standard "Silver Bells," many realize it has much more to offer.
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