Lemon Popsicle

Lemon Popsicle(Hebrew:אסקימו לימון,romanized:Eskimo Limon) is a 1978teencomedy-dramafilm co-written and directed byBoaz Davidson. It s the most commercially successful Israeli film of all time, which has led to the production of a series of sequels.Thecult filmfollows a group of three teenage boys in early-1960sTel Aviv.
The story begins in the summer of 1958. Benji (Bentzi in the Hebrew release, played by Yeftah Katzur), Bobby (Momoo in the Hebrew release, played byJonathan Sagall) and Huey (Yodla in the Hebrew release, played byZachi Noy) are three teenage boys in the city ofTel Avivin the late 1950s who study at the Shalva Gymnasium high school and pass the time, among other things, at the Montana Ice Cream Shop .
The three's class is joined by a beautiful new girl named Niki (Nili in the Hebrew release, played byAnat Atzmon), who caught Benji's eye. At the Friday party at Huey's, Benji sees Niki dancing with Bobby and Huey tells him that if she is in Bobby's hands, he has no chance with her. Learning that Nili is a virgin, Bobby brags to his friends that he will seduce, then dump her, much to Benji's dismay. However, Benji is too dependent on his friends and too reluctant to ruin their friendship to warn Niki of Bobby's intentions, and must watch as Bobby and Niki begin dating.The frustrated Benji drinks an entire bottle of wine and gets drunk, and Huey has to take him home. The next day Benji goes to work selling ice, until a female customer calls out to the owner of the business from the window to send Benji to her with the ice. It turns out that the woman (Ophelia Shtruhl) is an olderolahnamed Stella ("the ultimate Stella") and she tries toseduceBenji, but he tells her that he has to go back to work and that he will come visit her. Benji calls Bobby and Huey to come with him to the woman's house. There, after drinkingwhiskyand dancing, they enter her room one by one and have sex with her. When it's Benji's, a friend of Stella's, Johnny the Sailor, enters the apartment. Bobby and Bentji manage to leave, but Huey, who tried to take his clothes, is beaten and finally flees the house in his underwear.
A few days later, Bobby asks Benji for the keys to his grandmother's apartment, so he can bring Niki there and Benji says he will get it for him. That evening, when the three meet at the ice cream shop, Benzi says that his mother hid the keys. Bobby gives up spending time with Niki and goes with the three to Ricki thewhore(Denise Bozaglou). The next day, all three feel itching in the groin area and it turns out that they gotpubic licefrom Ricky. They go to thepharmacyand ask him for anointmentfor this issue. A day later, Benji meets with Huey and a boy from their class named Froi'ka, who tells him that Bobby went with Niki to sail on theYarakon riverand they are about to have sex. Later in the evening, Bobby appears at the ice cream parlor and tells Benji about his time with Niki.
At the end of year school ceremony, Benji sees Niki arguing with Bobby and then sees her leaving the auditorium crying. Outside she tells him that she ispregnant. Benji comforts Niki and then bursts into the sports hall in a rage, and starts fighting with Bobby. Benji takes Niki to have anabortionand pays for it with his own money. He sells his bike, steals money from his mom, and takes out a loan from his boss, and ends up bringing her to live with him for a few days at his grandma's apartment, since they are supposed to be at summer camp with the whole class. Benji confesses his love to Niki and they kiss. She invites him to her birthday party next Monday and he confirms his arrival. Benji buys her a precious gold heart pendant with the words "To Niki with Love" engraved on it. When Benji arrives at the party, he looks for Niki and finds her in the kitchen - cuddling with Bobby. Niki and Bobby notice the shocked Benji, and he leaves the party heartbroken to the tune of the song "Mr. Lonely".
The actress who portrayed Riki, the prostitute in the film, was Denise (Deniz) Bouzaglo, who was involved in prostitution in real life. She was cast for the role after a spontaneous encounter with Davidson on Hayarkon Street, following the withdrawal of the originally cast actress due to pressure from her husband. In 1988,Hadashotnewspaper reported that she had been arrested on suspicion of heroin trafficking.
"Eskimo Limon"was produced by "Sarei Nahum" Studios, owned byMenahem GolanandYoram Globus, who were also responsible for its distribution and screening. Zeev Rav-Nof expressed the opinion that the company's dominance in the Israeli film market significantly contributed to its success.
According toBoaz Davidson, the screenplay was inspired by his own youth as well as the American filmAmerican Graffiti.
The production budget amounted to three million ILs, of which one million was paid as royalties to the copyright holders of the songs in the soundtrack. The film’s music was adapted to the era and includes hits from the late 1950s and early 1960s, featuring songs such asRock Around the ClockbyBill Haley,Tutti FruttiandLong Tall Sally(Little Richard),Put Your Head on My Shoulder,You Are My Destiny,Diana(Paul Anka),Greenfields(The Brothers Four),To Know Him Is to Love Him(Phil SpectorandThe Teddy Bears), and the hitPiove(Domenico Modugno, better known asCiao, Ciao Bambina).
"Eskimo Limon"became a massive box-office success. By late December1978, it had sold 1,268,000 tickets in Israel, generating 12.5 million ILs in revenue. It was also distributed in 700 copies across Europe, earning an additional $650,000.
The Israeli Film and Play Review Council restricted the film to audiences aged 16 and older due to its explicit sexual content. However, the press reported widespread instances of younger teenagers sneaking into screenings.
In total,Eskimo Limonsold 1,350,000 tickets in Israel, making it the highest-grossing Israeli film of all time.Kazablanranks second with 1,222,500 tickets sold, followed bySallah Shabatiwith 1,184,900. The film also achieved significant success inWest Germany, ranking 11th at the box office with 2,700,000 tickets sold.
On April 19, 1978,Eskimo Limonwon first prize in the annual Israeli feature film competition, accompanied by a grant of 120,000 ILs.Boaz Davidsonreceived the Best Director award,Adam Greenbergwon BestCinematography, and Yiftach Katzur was awarded Best Actor. The awards were presented by Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labor Yigal Horowitz.
The film represented Israel at the 1978Berlin Film Festivaland was a finalist for theGolden Globe Awardfor Best Foreign Language Film.
The picture was produced at a budget ofIL3 million, of which a million was paid in royalties to the musicians (mostly American) whose songs were used in the soundtrack (such asBill Haley,Paul Anka,Little Richard,Frankie Laine,the ChordettesandBobby Vinton). ProducerMenahem Golanclaimed that the music rights cost more than the production of the film itself.
Lemon Popsiclebecame an immediate commercial success; by December 1978, the film had sold 1,268,000 tickets in its native country and grossed IL12.5 million. It was circulated in 700 prints in Europe, where it earned $650,000 during the same period.In total, it sold 1,350,000 tickets in the state, becoming the highest-grossing Israeli picture in history.In West Germany, it reached the 11th place at the 1978 box office, with 2.7 million tickets sold.Lemon Popsiclealso gained considerable popularity in the rest of Europe and in Japan.It was nominated for theGolden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Filmin the36th Golden Globe Awards, losing toIngmar Bergman'sAutumn Sonata.The film was also selected as the Israeli entry for theBest Foreign Language Filmat the51st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.
The series became a success in Germany under the nameEis am Stiel. Most of the films were also dubbed into English and were released in both theUnited StatesandUnited Kingdom. Since the release ofLemon Popsicle, seven official sequels have been made. These wereGoing Steady(Yotzim Kavua) (1979),Hot Bubblegum(Shifshuf Naim) (1981),Private Popsicle(Sapiches) (1982),Baby Love(Roman Za'ir) (1984),Up Your Anchor(Harimu Ogen) (1985),Young Love(Ahava Tzeira) (1987) andSummertime Blues(Blues La-Kayitz) (1988). A spin-off film,Private Manoeuvres(Sababa), starringZachi Noyas Yudale, appeared in 1983, and a reboot film,The Party Goes On(Hahagiga Nimshehet), which featured Noy as a restaurant owner, was released in 2001.
Hot Bubblegum(Hebrew:Shifshuf Naim) is the third film in theLemon Popsicleseries, set in Tel Aviv and released in 1981.
Benzi now has a girlfriend named Doris, but his feelings are put to the test when an old flame, Nikki comes back into his life. Unknown to Doris and despite the advice of his friends concerning Nikki's flirtiness, Benzi and Nikki begin dating, but eventually Doris catches them together. Meanwhile, Benzi's sexy cousin Frieda visits from Germany, and Yudale and Momo, as well as Benzi's father, end up lusting over her.
In 1982, Davidson wrote and directed an American remake,The Last American Virgin, starringLawrence MonosonandDiane Franklin.