Very funny 1951 Bob Hope film where he plays a small-time gangster who has accidentally dropped money of a bigger mob person at the track and then finds an ingenious way to get the money back.The gags are great with Marilyn Maxwell as Hope's girlfriend and eventual partner in the scheme.Jane Darwell showed a gift of comedy in this hilarious film. As one of the old dolls, she brings plenty of humor as the wife of a convicted safe-cracker about to be released at holiday time.Hope's great idea of setting up a licensed home for old dolls is very humorous. How will he pay for the home in a gambling home? He sends his band of crooks out playing Santa Claus and soliciting money.All goes well until Lloyd Nolan, a real big-time gangster, gets wind of the scheme and steals the money from Hope. Bob has to retrieve the money and free the dolls who have been taken hostage by a ruthless Nolan.Funny and yet very poignant with the holiday-spirit like ending.

Far too many reviewers of these old movies refuse to put aside their modern desire to be offended and harp on things, like smoking, that were accepted and not even noticed or commented on at the time the film was made. So many actually want to be offended that they miss the main story of the movie. There are only a couple of Bob Hope films that I really like, several that I sort of like and a few that were, to say the least, lousy. This is one of his best and shows how even a low-life cheat, gambler and scam artist can turn his life around. The story is flawless, the acting is superb and the main song, "Silver Bells" is a classic. Watch the film with an unbiased and open mind and you will enjoy it.

********************Mild Spoilers Ahead********************************This is a sassy comedy for Bob Hope who is a two timing con artist that somehow is likable. Bob Hope manages to pull it all together and hold the weak plot together for a few laughs. He's the whole show in this one.The Lemon Drop Kid (Bob Hope) double crosses the wrong guy in this movie and he has to run for his life. It becomes apparent that the Lemon Drop Kid would sell out his mother to save his own neck. He even cooks up a scam to get money by dressing up as Santa Claus and ringing a bell at Christmas time. Then he enlists a bunch of cronies to work for him in the Santa Claus bell ringer scam and cheats a bunch of old ladies out of their money. What a heel!It's a fairly good movie and it does move along nicely, but some of the top billed actors are too corny in their roles for my tastes, namely Marilyn Maxwell, Jane Darwell and William Frawley. They just aren't pulling it off in this one like Bob does. Even Bob goes over the top at times which causes the move to fall sporadically flat . I thought the bit with Bob Hope and the mechanical mannequin in the store window was different and unusual. Bob walking in the wind and cold and stealing the dog's knitted sweater was also memorable. He also made me laugh when he dressed up as an old lady to sneak into the Home for Old Dolls(women).This one is kind of fun, but it's no classic. My Favorite Brunette and The Son of Paleface are the two comedies of Bob's that I would recommend before this one. Worth watching, though, if you are a big fan of Bob Hopes and just want to see something with him in it. I suggest you stay away from The Road To Bali which is the worst Bob Hope Comedy I've seen so far...but I haven't all of them. I give The Lemon Drop Kid 75/100. It's average comedy with some sparks of hilarity thrown in here and there.

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.