Under the Yum Yum Tree

Plot

Jack Lemmon stars as the playboy landlord Hogan, a swinging bachelor. Women are mere playthings to him, plus he's a master con man. His bachelor pad is a holy temple of seduction: blood-red walls, African sculptures, a well-stocked cocktail bar, a switch-operated fireplace, and mechanized violins that play romantic music at the touch of a button. He walks around wearing a scarlet cardigan (with matching socks and shirts) and a devilish smirk. As the landlord of a Californian apartment block, he only rents rooms to gorgeous single women at just $75 a month.

The film begins as Irene (Adams), a recently divorced tenant, has just concluded a relationship with Hogan. She's moving out of the apartment with the assistance of her friend Charles (Lansing). It is immediately snapped up by her naive niece, Robin (Lynley). Hogan is thrilled at the prospect of yet another beautiful tenant to seduce, but is initially unaware that Robin's short-tempered, frustrated, bumbling boyfriend David (Jones) is moving in with her—but in a 'platonic' capacity only, to determine their compatibility.

Temptation is naturally there, but Hogan does his best to prevent David and Robin from consummating their relationship. Irene, who has only lately come to realize the extent of Hogan's promiscuity, is determined to prevent him from getting his hands on her niece. Irene confronts him at his barber, and Hogan is self-defensive and self-deluded to comic effect.

An older married couple, handyman Murphy (Lynde) and maid Dorcas (Coca) work for Hogan, he the stereotypical harried husband, she the stereotypical loud and overbearing wife.

Irene's counsel/advice (about 'what love is') to the young couple at the end of the film is particularly moving, when considering Edie Adams had lost her real-life husband, Ernie Kovacs, the previous year.

Cast

Other versions

The film was adapted from a Broadway play by Lawrence Roman. The stage production opened on November 16, 1960 at Henry Miller's Theatre and ran for 173 performances. The original cast included Gig Young as Hogan, Sandra Church as Robin, and Dean Jones as David.

Song