My Tomato

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.

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.

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.

Playing studio hopscotch(?), Robert Benchley left MGM after many years to work at Paramount. Come a few years later -- he was back at MGM, and put to good use. After all, the studio didn't want to lose him in the first place.

This nutty episode marks his return, very topical, due to extreme rationing during WWII. The mistake (that Mr. Doakes makes) tomatoes are NOT on the ration list. Being a do-it-yourself, Joe decides to buy some tomato seeds anyway and plant a garden. Why not?

You know how it goes... He gets lots of confusing advice and its hilarious. Relatable, you bet. How many of us have gotten a ton of advice in doing things around the house. BIG question; Just WHOOO has the know-how? Watching Benchley in another mess is the whole thing, forget the tomatoes.

Some notable guest stars; Joe Yule, the father of Mickey Rooney, turns up as a store customer. Joe appeared in the JIGGS AND MAGGIE series. Noted character and bit actor Monte Collins plays Joe's neighbor with neighborly advice? Silent screen actress May McAvoy (JAZZ SINGER) plays a store customer.

Directed by Will Jason, short film expert, and doing a fine job here -- for a grande total of eight minutes! All us fans only wish it was longer.

Thanks TCM for the memories. Remastered dvd, the entire series. Some of the films are included as features in box sets with MGM or Paramount movies.

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.