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 Under the Yum Yum Tree (1963), which stars Jack Lemmon as a sex-crazed landlord, shows just how zany this noted actor could be. Among the sex comedies of the early 1960s, a time when sex in films was tempered, Yum Yum Tree was far more about the comedy than the sex. Lemmon plays a landlord who rents to women only; and he's willing to trade almost anything for the rent. The cast includes Paul Lynde, Dean Jones, Edie Adams, Imogene Coca and Carol Lynley as the new tenant, Robin.
Dean Jones & Carol Lynley
Young and beautiful, Robin (Carol Lynley) has decided she's receptive to new ideas for the 1960s. She thinks she and her fiancé David (Dean Jones) should live together platonically before getting married. David is so in love with her, he'll agree to anything. Although both are still in school, they decide to move into a lovely apartment where Hogan, the landlord, is more than happy to rent to Robin and her roommate, thinking of course she's a female.
Edie Adams & Carol Lynley
When Robin reveals this idea in her marriage class to her teacher, Irene (Edie Adams), also her aunt, Irene is against the idea. Also of Robin taking over her apartment because, tired of Hogan's behavior, she is moving back on campus. Edie is quite believable as the scorned woman who really loves Hogan but realizes he's a lost cause and is ready to move on with her life.
Hogan is a real piece of work. His morning begins with a stroll our in the apartments where every view is into one of the girl's apartments where they are still in baby doll pajamas or already sunbathing in a at-that-time movie-acceptable bathing suit.
Imogene Coca
To offset Hogan's continious out-of-control behavior, is his housekeeper. Played exquisitely by Imogene Coca, her name Dorcus is perfect as she is constantly in his face about his sordid behavior. "The mind shutters with you do with your nights in this place, literally shutters," she says as she picks up nylons  from his famous bachelor pad, pushing the button to turn off the fireplace and the button that closes the two playing violins and closing the door to his cabinet with extra door keys to all the apartments. Her goofy demeanor is mirrored by her husband's, Murphy, who is the groundskeeper. Paul Lynde is outrageous as he lusts after his boss' world, while getting knocked to reality by Dorcus.
The story, which first ran as a play on Broadway in 1960 at the Henry Miller Theatre in New York ran for 173 performances, is trite and would be nothing without Lemmon. He's the Buster Keaton or Harold Lloyd of Lemmon's era. He could have played the entire film without sound, as he can change a look in a second that conveys the exact temperament of the scene.
  For example, when he hands Irene back her heart-shaped key telling her he made it just for her and to hold onto in case - he next runs to the cabinet the minute she's gone and makes another just like it. Or his look of contempt when he lets himself into Robin's apartment and finds a shirtless man shaving in her bathroom. Or Hogan's obvious disregard that her fiancé is now living with her as he puts a glass to the door to hear their conversation.
Lemmon is also superb in all the sexual innuendo scenes. As Robin bends over to inspect something in the apartment and ask if he wants to see her references, he replies, "I've already seen your references." And no matter how many times Hogan is thrown out by David, fallen into the bushes from eavesdropping or rebuffed by Robin, he's sure his persistence will pay off.
The fact that Lemmon made this film work is even more incredible if the rumors that he detested this film are true. He was nominated for a Golden Globe- among his 21 others and six wins - for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical/Comdey for his role.
The minor cast holds its own in the film with Lynley and Jones a tad over the top but there's really only two reasons to see Under the Yum Yum Tree - Jack Lemmon and lots of laughs.
Director: David Swift
Writer: Screenplay - David Swift, play - Lawrence Roman
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Paul Lynde, Dean Jones, Edie Adams, Imogene Coca,
Rating: Not Rated, suitable for teens & older (Mature themes)
Classic Movie Guide Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Run Time: 110 minutes
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Format: Black & White
Photo credits: Columbia Pictures
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