See Your Doctor

Robert Benchley's droll sense of humor is on evidence in this fast one-reel farce. MGM's Benchley series began with Bob giving humorous lectures to the audience. By the late 1930s, plots were thrown into the mix. In this sketch, Benchley's brother-in-law insists that Bob visit a doctor after being bitten or stung by in insect in his garden. Instead of turning this into an exercise in frustration, Benchley laughs at the common human foibles. He doesn't need to participate in wild sight gags to get our laughs. Merely a look at the camera does the trick. This short shows Benchley at his undiluted best. Although he has made even better shorts, this one would be a good introduction to the humor of Benchley.

Robert Benchley gets stung by a bee. He wanders in, looking for some witch hazel, but brother-in-law Hobart Cavanaugh starts talking about Black Widow Spiders and rushes him to doctor Monty Woolley, who's busy on the phone but takes a few moments to aks him what he does for work.

All of which is part of his lecture about National Take Care Week. As with many of Benchley's shorts, the thing we should take care of most is not to let other people get their mitts on us, since they're more interested in.... well, like Benchley, I'm not sure what they're interested in, but it's not in helping you take care.

I am surprised that IMDb doesn't mention it, but in the opening credits, the film is from an idea by 'Parkyurkarkis' (park your carcass)! It's a wonder they didn't notice this.

This is a Robert Benchley comedy short. It begins with him getting a bee sting but his brother-in-law thinks MAYBE it was actually a black widow spider bite! As a result, they rush him to the hospital and completely overreact. The doctor (Monty Woolley) doesn't seem terribly concerned.

This is not an especially good short--mostly because it feels like it's missing a punchline. With a decent idea for a story, it does absolutely NOTHING with it and wastes the talents of those involved. Sad, as I wanted to see more of Woolley--he was a wonderful actor.

According to Robert Benchley's introduction, it's national "Take Care Week" and time to take care of your health. Something bites Mr. Benchley (as Joseph H. Doakes) while he's gardening. Benchley thinks it's a common bee sting, but cigarette smoking brother-in-law Hobart Cavanaugh believes it might be a deadly black widow spider bite. The panicky men leave wife Helen MacKellar (as Mabel) home and rush to see doctor Monty Woolley. After getting off the telephone, Mr. Woolley calmly suggests, if he survives the sting, Benchley should have to have his tonsils taken out. Ouch…

**** See Your Doctor (12/16/39) Basil Wrangell ~ Robert Benchley, Hobart Cavanaugh, Monty Woolley, Claire Du Brey

See Your Doctor (1939)

** (out of 4)

Minor Robert Benchley short has him playing your average guy who gets stung by a bee. He goes to ask his brother-in-law for something who then asks him if he's certain it wasn't a black widow that bit him. Benchley is well aware that it was a bee but soon the relative gets in his head so he's rushing to the doctor thinking it was the deadly black widow. This is really a one joke film as we get a small intro with Benchley giving a little speech and then we hit the "joke", which just isn't that funny. Even though the joke itself isn't that funny, the movie itself remains mildly entertaining thanks in large part to Benchley and his dry sense of humor. The banter between he and the brother-in-law will get a couple smiles but that's about it. This certainly isn't the best or worse short from Benchley so it might be a safe place to start for newbies so that they can get to see his brand of humor.