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.
6 Reviews
Tomatoes were considered to be poisonous . . .
cricket3018 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
. . . throughout most of American History. If you add the people allergic to wheat and gluten together with those liable to croak from the smell of someone baking peanut butter cookies within a quarter mile of them, the combined number of folks sensitive to gluten and peanuts is less than half of the number of individuals liable to get at least a severe case of heartburn if not a life-threatening ulcer from tomato ingestion. The majority of Today's theologians have concluded that the tomato is the Garden of Eden's so-called "Forbidden Fruit" to which Genesis refers. You'll most likely agree with the clerics after viewing MY TOMATO.
Finally, a Robert Benchley short I can relate to!
planktonrules18 December 2021
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.
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.
Tomato Waste
Michael_Elliott2 May 2009
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.
** (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.
If you ever needed evidence for the well-known fact that . . .
oscaralbert13 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
. . . all the way through World War Two America was plagued by fellow-traveling Fifth Columnist Quislings, you do not have to look beyond MY TOMATO. During the run-up to the USA's Fight for Survival, Valiant True Blue Loyal Patriotic Warner Bros. fought the incipient Axis of Evil through a series of prophetic Looney Tune shorts and feature documentaries such as CONFESSIONS OF A NAZI SPY. On the other hand, the nefarious Confederate "Red State" Pachyderm Party Propaganda Machine (aka, The House of the Groaning Fat Cat One Per Centers) backed a pre-War "Neutrality" Policy to aid and abet their soul mate, Der Fuhrer. Once the devious Sneak Attack on Pearl Harbor enabled stalwart U.S. Hero/President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to unleash the full force of U.S. Might against the Freedom Haters, the Billionaire Boys' Club film studio still tried to demoralize the USA's Home Front with a steady stream of negative stories such as MY TOMATO. No doubt MY TOMATO had "Adolf," "Benito," and "Tojo" rolling in the aisles with gales of laughter at "Joe's" total inability to grow even one tomato regardless of whether his life depended upon it. Fortunately for Posterity, Bugs Bunny & Co. from Warner Bros. spurred American and its Allies to an Ultimate Victory against the Prussians and their Pachyderm Puppets!
A must-see for Benchley and Yule fans!
JohnHowardReid10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A Robert Benchley Miniature, copyright 4 December 1943 by Loew's Inc. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture. U.S. release: 4 December 1943. 669 feet. 7 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Mistakenly believing that tomatoes are rationed, Joe sets out to grow his own. After a great deal of effort — and contrary advice from tradesmen and neighbors — Joe succeeds after a fashion.
NOTES: The 44th of Benchley's 49 shorts — and his first back at his home base of M-G-M after a none-too-successful nine-entries stint at Paramount.
COMMENT: In my opinion, an entertaining, competently directed and well-produced short subject. I will admit, however, that it is far, far, far removed from M.G.M's typical Benchley short. And this is probably why the previous viewer gave this little movie such a bad review. I would certainly agree that if you were expecting a typical Benchley comedy, and you were served this particular movie in its place, you would most certainly be somewhat angry!
It didn't worry me at all, but some people will be annoyed and disappointed that some of Benchley's usual trade marks were missing from this M-G-M entry. For instance, there are no direct addresses to any audience, either an audience in the film or the audience watching the movie in a cinema.
In fact, "My Tomato" is served plain and straight. Fortunately, Benchley is a consummate comedian who can take this change of pace in style. And after all, as far as I'm concerned, it was not wholly unexpected. Benchley's role here is much more akin to the sort of role that he often plays in full-length feature films.
Ruth Lee, as usual, portrays the Benchley wife with her customary finesse, whilst Joe Yule has a nice scene as a know-it-all hardware retailer. He is photographed in profile and for once, as he speaks, we can see something in his face and features that reminds us of his super-famous son, Joe Yule, Jr. (Mickey Rooney to you). Just this little discovery alone makes "My Tomato" a must-see item.
SYNOPSIS: Mistakenly believing that tomatoes are rationed, Joe sets out to grow his own. After a great deal of effort — and contrary advice from tradesmen and neighbors — Joe succeeds after a fashion.
NOTES: The 44th of Benchley's 49 shorts — and his first back at his home base of M-G-M after a none-too-successful nine-entries stint at Paramount.
COMMENT: In my opinion, an entertaining, competently directed and well-produced short subject. I will admit, however, that it is far, far, far removed from M.G.M's typical Benchley short. And this is probably why the previous viewer gave this little movie such a bad review. I would certainly agree that if you were expecting a typical Benchley comedy, and you were served this particular movie in its place, you would most certainly be somewhat angry!
It didn't worry me at all, but some people will be annoyed and disappointed that some of Benchley's usual trade marks were missing from this M-G-M entry. For instance, there are no direct addresses to any audience, either an audience in the film or the audience watching the movie in a cinema.
In fact, "My Tomato" is served plain and straight. Fortunately, Benchley is a consummate comedian who can take this change of pace in style. And after all, as far as I'm concerned, it was not wholly unexpected. Benchley's role here is much more akin to the sort of role that he often plays in full-length feature films.
Ruth Lee, as usual, portrays the Benchley wife with her customary finesse, whilst Joe Yule has a nice scene as a know-it-all hardware retailer. He is photographed in profile and for once, as he speaks, we can see something in his face and features that reminds us of his super-famous son, Joe Yule, Jr. (Mickey Rooney to you). Just this little discovery alone makes "My Tomato" a must-see item.
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