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6.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Mr. Lemon of Orange remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so, Mr. Lemon of Orange – is it worth digging up today? Well, that depends. If you're into those old, really *loud* farces, the kind where everyone's shouting and running around like headless chickens, then absolutely. It's a quick, energetic ride. Folks who like their comedy a bit more subtle, or even just *sensible*, will probably hate it. This movie is anything but. It's a delightful, dizzying mess if you're in the right mood. 🤪
The whole thing just explodes onto the screen. It doesn’t waste any time getting into the swing of things. Within five minutes, you’ve got guys in fedoras chasing each other, and someone's already hiding in a closet. The energy levels are just off the charts, almost too much sometimes. You can almost feel the camera trying to keep up. 🏃♂️💨
El Brendel, playing some version of a Swedish fellow, is truly the secret sauce here. His particular brand of bewildered charm, even if it feels a little… dated now, really grounds some of the more absurd moments. He's trying to have this big 'Swedish boy's night out,' and everything just goes sideways. Every single thing. You genuinely feel for the guy, even when he’s the cause of half the chaos. His earnestness is a riot.
There’s a scene where John Kelly's character, I think he was named 'Knuckles' or something equally subtle, tries to strong-arm information out of Brendel. But Brendel keeps misunderstanding everything. He just keeps nodding and agreeing to the wrong things. The scene goes on about 20 seconds too long, and the silence starts to feel awkward rather than emotional. Then it breaks into another shouting match. It’s a very specific kind of humor. 😅
Joan Castle, as one of the gun molls, totally steals her moments. She has this way of looking utterly exasperated with all the men, but still manages to be sharper than any of them. One reaction shot, when a whole tray of glasses falls over, lingers so long it becomes funny. You can see her internal monologue playing out: 'Here we go again.'
The pacing is relentless. Seriously, it's like they had an espresso IV drip on set. The movie gets noticeably better once it stops trying to set up plot points and just leans into the pure chaos. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, but then it just gives up and goes for another chase sequence. Who needs a motive when you have pratfalls? 🤷♀️
Don Dillaway, playing the slightly dim-witted henchman, has this one bit where he keeps trying to tie up a rope, and it just gets more and more tangled. It’s a small, blink-and-you-miss-it gag, but it perfectly sums up the film’s attitude: everything is just a little bit inept. Even the bad guys are kind of clumsy.
The crowd scenes, especially during the 'night out' part, have this oddly empty feeling, like half the extras wandered off for a smoke break. You see a handful of people reacting to total pandemonium, and it just looks a bit sparse. But honestly, for a film like this, it kinda works. It adds to the feeling that this whole crazy thing is happening in its own little bubble.
And the dialogue! Oh, the dialogue. It's machine-gun fast. Everyone's talking over everyone else. It’s not about witty banter so much as just a constant stream of frantic words. There's this one exchange between Ernie Adams and Harry Semels, two smaller gangster types, about who gets the last donut. It goes on for a good minute and a half and has absolutely zero bearing on the plot. But it’s just so absurdly committed to its own triviality.
I found myself smiling a lot, even when I wasn't entirely sure what was happening. It's the kind of movie you don't really analyze. You just let it wash over you. It's like watching a train derail in slow motion, but everyone on the train is having a great time. 😄
The ending is, predictably, a giant pile-up of misunderstandings and happy accidents. No big revelations. Just a lot of people bumping into each other and everything somehow working itself out. It feels very much of its time, a true relic of a specific kind of screwball filmmaking. If you need a break from serious films, or just want to see some old-school actors go completely wild, give Mr. Lemon of Orange a shot. But maybe have a cup of coffee ready. You'll need the energy to keep up. ☕
IMDb 6.8
1923
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