Kovacs' scenes with Dick York, who plays a frustrated corporal pretending to be a mole for the oblivious captain. Kathryn Grant plays a nurse pursued by both Lemmon and Kovacs, and Arthur O'Connell is the ineffectual base commander.

And be sure to check out the film's hilarious trailer, hosted by Kovacs.

"The Notorious Landlady" (1962, b/w) is the other never-on-video title, Lemmon's third film with Kim Novak (after "Phffft" and "Bell, Book and Candle"). This one is a comic murder mystery set in London. Lemmon is the new guy at the American Embassy, working for harried Fred Astaire and unaware that his new landlady (Novak) is suspected of murdering her husband.

Like a "Law & Order" episode, the first half explores the mystery, then switches to something else for the second half, but both are equally satisfying, and all three stars are showcased well. Climaxed by a very funny foot chase set to Gilbert & Sullivan tunes.

"Under the Yum Yum Tree" (1963, color) is a dated and silly sexist door-slamming farce based on a popular stage play of the period. Lemmon stars as a lecherous landlord trying to seduce his new tenant, innocent Carol Lynley, despite interference from her platonic live-in fiance, Dean Jones. Edie Adams, Imogene Coca and Paul Lynde provide some amusement, but the film plays like a stagy, overlong TV skit.

"Good Neighbor Sam" (1964, color) is probably the most sought-after title here, but to my surprise it doesn't hold up terribly well. This is basically a widescreen suburban sitcom with huge slapstick set-pieces that occasionally stop the film in its tracks.

Lemmon is an ad exec married to Dorothy Provine but roped into pretending to be the spouse of her best friend, Romy Schneider, so she can inherit $15 million.

Things get complicated when a priggish client (Edward G. Robinson) sees Lemmon with Schneider and thinks they're married, and then Schneider's ex-husband (Mike Connors) shows up.

There are some warm and winning moments, but the film is overlong by at least half-an-hour, and the big, cartoony, over-the-top slapstick sequences just aren't funny.

So in my estimation, the best is "The Notorious Landlady," followed by "Phffft" and "Operation Mad Ball." "Under the Yum Yum Tree" and "Good Neighbor Sam" will probably please only die-hard Lemmon fans.

There is also an enjoyable 1954 half-hour comedy from the "Ford Theatre" TV anthology program (costarring Ida Lupino), and a pair of featurettes that sing Lemmon's praises (but the only clips are from the films in this set).

E-MAIL: hicks@desnews.com