The Lemon Drop Kid

Bob Hope is wonderful as The Lemon Drop Kid, who makes his money tricking people into betting on ponies with his phony insider information and agreeing to cut him in on the winnings...only he mistakenly convinces a gangster's mol into betting on a different pony than she was supposed to with $2000! As a consequence, the gangster looses out on a $10,000 payout. He tells the Lemon Drop Kid he has until Christmas Eve to pay him back the $10,000. So The Kid travels to New York where he is hoping to call upon his friends to help him out...only they don't because either they can't or because he has taken advantage of their kindness one too many times, including the lovely lady "Brainy". Down on his luck and with just enough money to get his winter clothes out of hawk he sees a bell ringing Santa...and is struck by the idea that he could raise money for a charity...his save a life charity.

This was a great vehicle for Bob Hope and he is at the top of his game in this film. I was eager to see this film because I ordered sheet music for my favorite Christmas carol..."Silver Bells" and found out it came straight out of this film The Lemon Drop Kid which I had never heard of. I don't know that this will be a Christmas regular for me, but it was worth seeing...contained my favorite Christmas carol, and had some interesting scenes from a by gone era...including tinsled trees and Christmas store windows.