Product Description

Eminently versatile, two-time Oscar® winner Jack Lemmon (Save the Tiger [Best Actor], 1973; Mr. Roberts [Best Supporting Actor], 1955) was an actor's actor - the sort who made it look easy as he lit up the screen in everything from powerful dramas to irresistible comedies. Now for the first time on DVD are five of his best-loved Columbia comedy classics, along with a must-see bonus disc hosted by Jack's son and biographer, Chris Lemmon. This disc features intimate interviews with friends and colleagues plus never-before-seen personal photos. Included in this exclusive collection are Phffft!, featuring Kim Novak with a script by George Axelrod (Breakfast at Tiffany's); Operation Mad Ball and The Notorious Landlady featuring Fred Astaire, both co-written by Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther); and, from writer/ director David Swift (Pollyanna), Under the Yum Yum Tree and Good Neighbor Sam. It's pure comic gold - with a twist of Lemmon!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23132 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2009-06-09
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Box set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 6
• Running time: 555 minutes

Amazon.com
Stills from The Jack Lemmon Film Collection (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews

Some lesser known performances by the great Jack Lemmon
The five films that the other reviewer mentioned are accompanied by a bonus disc of yet undisclosed extra features. No box set has yet been dedicated to Jack Lemmon, and it is about time.

Don't judge this set by some of Sony's early ventures into classic films. I have some DVDs made by Sony early in this century that look like VHS transfers or something that was projected against a bedsheet. However, Sony has begun to turn the corner with such outstanding entries as theThe Cary Grant Box Set (Holiday / Only Angels Have Wings / The Talk of the Town / His Girl Friday / The Awful Truth).

1954's Phffft has the great chemistry of Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon in a film that examines how you deal with somebody that gets on your nerves yet is in your blood at the same time. Jack Carson plays his usual bad influence part as Lemmon's friend.

I haven't seen Operation Madball in years. As I remember, it was no Mister Roberts, but it had a madcap air about it as a bunch of servicemen compete for the attention of only a few nurses. I particularly remember a piece of dark humor not typical for 50's comedies in which Jack Lemmon tries to convince one of the other servicemen that he buried a man alive.

"The Notorious Landlady" is another one that I haven't seen in years. I have to admit I remember it more because of Fred Astaire than Jack Lemmon. It was one of his roles after he ceased being a purely musical talent. Jack Lemmon plays an American who rents a room in London when his job brings him there. However, not until he has signed the lease and begun to fall in love with the landlady (Kim Novak) does he find out that everyone including the authorities believe that she has killed her husband. However a body has never been found, and this has caused her to be ostracized, but not arrested. Plus there are plenty of mysterious goings on in the house in the middle of the night. It is a kind of "The Lodger" in reverse.

"Under the Yum Yum Tree" IMHO, is quite a bust. Jack Lemmon plays the leacherous type in several films and does it well. However, this is usually because underneath his actions is some virtue just waiting to get out. The person he plays here has no depth, just a desire for more female conquest. It is a so-called comedy about Lemmon's character making play after play for a woman who is living with her boyfriend in a trial marriage without s ex. I guess one bad film out of five isn't bad.

"Good Neighbor Sam" is the kind of part Jack Lemmon usually did so well under the direction of Billy Wilder - a good guy caught up in larger events that forces him into ridiculous actions in hilarious situations. Here Jack plays a family man who hates his job. However, he wins a promotion based on the fact that the boss wants a well-behaved family man in the job and Jack is the only guy in the company that fits the bill. This is complicated when his wife's friend inherits fifteen million - if she is married. A funny turn of events has Jack playing the heiress' husband to the other potential heirs, who are keeping a solid eye on the situation and Jack, at the same time he is trying to not look like a two-timer to his boss.

Four out of five of these films are definite keepers, plus there is the bonus disc. This set is probably 4.5 out of 5, but I'm rounding it up to a five.

GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM...CLASSIC JACK LEMMON!! HILARIOUS! FOUR STARS!
MR. JACK LEMMON: The man is a CLASSIC!
Best two flics here, in my opinion are GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM -
and UNDER THE YUM-YUM TREE. My question is, why are we forced to buy a whole set of movies if we just prefer certain ones? This seems to be a
bit unfair. It would be nice to be able to order the two flics I
mentioned above. Come on, COLUMBIA, dont force us to buy films we dont want. Please be so kind and release some of these flics Seperately!!
( GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM is the best flic here. HILARIOUS! CLASSIC LEMMON!)

Can't wait!!!!!
FINALLY!!!!! I'm a great Jack Lemmon fan and am glad that these films will be on DVD for the first time. Here are the films included in the set:

PHFFFT! (1954) w/ Judy Holliday, Jack Carson & Kim Novak
OPERATION MAD BALL (1957) w/ Mickey Rooney
NOTORIOUS LANDLADY, THE (1962) w/ Fred Astaire & Kim Novak
UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE (1963) w/ Carol Lynley & Dean Jones
GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM (1964) w/ Romy Schneider & Edward G. Robinson

These films showcased the comical performance of Jack and I am looking forward in seeing them again. The set is a great addition to my DVD collection.