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My Tomato

  • 1943
  • Approved
  • 8m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
177
YOUR RATING
Robert Benchley in My Tomato (1943)
SatireComedyShort

Joe Doakes is lamenting to his wife the lack of variety in his meals. In particular, he misses eating stewed tomatoes, the fruit which he believes incorrectly is being rationed as a war meas... Read allJoe Doakes is lamenting to his wife the lack of variety in his meals. In particular, he misses eating stewed tomatoes, the fruit which he believes incorrectly is being rationed as a war measure. Mrs. Doakes knows that tomatoes aren't rationed, but she doesn't correct him, especia... Read allJoe Doakes is lamenting to his wife the lack of variety in his meals. In particular, he misses eating stewed tomatoes, the fruit which he believes incorrectly is being rationed as a war measure. Mrs. Doakes knows that tomatoes aren't rationed, but she doesn't correct him, especially after he announces that he will grow enough tomatoes to feed the entire block. As he p... Read all

  • Director
    • Will Jason
  • Writers
    • Paul Gerard Smith
    • Sam Baerwitz
  • Stars
    • Robert Benchley
    • John Butler
    • Monte Collins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    177
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Will Jason
    • Writers
      • Paul Gerard Smith
      • Sam Baerwitz
    • Stars
      • Robert Benchley
      • John Butler
      • Monte Collins
    • 6User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast7

    Edit
    Robert Benchley
    Robert Benchley
    • Joseph A. Doakes
    John Butler
    John Butler
    • Cornelius Gidge
    • (uncredited)
    Monte Collins
    • Neighbor
    • (uncredited)
    John Dilson
    John Dilson
    • Neighbor
    • (uncredited)
    Ruth Lee
    Ruth Lee
    • Mrs. Doakes
    • (uncredited)
    May McAvoy
    May McAvoy
    • Gidge's Customer
    • (uncredited)
    Joe Yule
    Joe Yule
    • Hardware Store Man
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Will Jason
    • Writers
      • Paul Gerard Smith
      • Sam Baerwitz
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews6

    6.2177
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    Featured reviews

    7boblipton

    Along Comes A Cartoon Mile

    Robert Benchley determines to raise his own tomatoes, what with the war and rationing. Not that tomatoes are rationed, but Benchley, with his typically vague understanding of what is going on, thinks they are. So he purchases some seedlings, and is subjected to the usual contradictory advice of busybodies, all of which he takes.

    By this time, Benchley's series at MGM had changed from giving incomprehensible lectures to him playing "Joe Doakes" and subjected to the woes of dealing with problems of his own making, rendered worse through the advice of others. It's low-keyed comedy of depression, and this is a typically funny episode.
    7planktonrules

    Finally, a Robert Benchley short I can relate to!

    This is a somewhat confusing short to watch. This is because in this MGM short, Robert Benchley is caled 'Joe Doakes'....and it's easy to confuse this with the long-running Joe McDoakes shorts from Warner Brothers which never starred Benchley.

    This story is set during WWII when foot rationing was necessary for the war effort. Joe is frustrated as he cannot get one of his favorite foods, tomatoes, so his wife suggests he grow them himself...a common thing during this era. But Joe keeps getting conflicting advice from all the 'experts'. Can he manage to grow tomatoes...or at least A tomato?

    I can certainly related to this one, as I've grown vegetables over the years and sometimes getting a decent tomato crop is difficult. For this reason, I enjoyed the film much more than the usual Benchley short.
    Michael_Elliott

    Tomato Waste

    My Tomato (1943)

    ** (out of 4)

    Flat Robert Benchley short has him playing Joe Doakes, an every man who decides he wants to grow his own tomato to eat. The plan starts off simple but soon Joe starts to realize everyone has a plan for him to follow. This is a pretty lifeless short from start to finish. The concept of Joe having to work harder than expected to grow a tomato is an interesting idea but absolutely nothing is done with it. There's no laughs to be found, which is the main reason this film fails. I was really surprised that I didn't laugh once since Benchley is usually good for at least one chuckle. The gag at the end should have worked but it too failed.
    5ksf-2

    Much ado about tomatoes

    LONG snoozer tale about the best way to grow tomato plants. Robert Benchley buys tomato plant seedlings, and everyone he meets has different advice about how to grow them successfully. will he actually get tomatoes? tune in and watch. aint no big thang.... Directed by Will Jason, king of the short films. It's a filler bit, shown in between films on Turner Classics. Catch it. or don't. kind of a snoozer. Was during WW II, so maybe was entertaining as a Victory Garden piece?....... it's just very okay.. mildly entertaining.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Joe pays 20 cents for 6 tomato plants (in 2-inch pots). That amount equates to $3.63 in 2024.
    • Quotes

      Joseph A. Doakes: I love stewed tomatoes. Why do they have to ration everything that I like, and just leave me with fish and squash?

      Mrs. Doakes: Why, tomatoes...

      Joseph A. Doakes: You'd think that the armies were throwing tomatoes at each other over there, the way they cut us down. It's meat that's rationed, then it's butter - now it's tomatoes! They'll go too far, you know, one of these days.

      Mrs. Doakes: You - think tomatoes are rationed?

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 4, 1943 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Loew's
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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