An intense epic about jealousy over a long-time pumpkin growing competition in some small town in some era, maybe the fifties. Polly Holliday owns most of the town but has never been able to win the pumpkin growing contest. She is mean spirited and vindictive. June Lockhart, Lassie's mother in a former life, is the goody two shoes, struggling woman with the heart of gold (that's another name for boring). A man visits Holliday and offers her a proposition. If she is willing to give him 20,000 dollars to expand his research to fight world hunger (he has raised a pea the size of a basketball, using a nutrient), he will give her enough of the stuff to win the pumpkin prize. Unfortunately, she will only offer half. If you don't see what is coming then you are of a lesser mind than yours truly. Anyway, it is just so lacking in much interest that it isn't worth the time.
3 Reviews
The giant pumpkin
sonnyschlaegel12 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Elma, a rich old lady, is very eager to win the annual pumpkin competition at the Yarborough County Fair. She has participated about 20 times and has never won yet. When her rival Mildred wins again, Elma is furious and claims that Mildred's win is based on manipulation. Mildred replies that it is those who are willing to give who will get something back, and that that is true for both gardening and other matters. It seems that Elma is just too miserly.
When Professor Carver visits her and tells her about his project to reduce hunger in the world, she isn't interested. She doesn't care about hungry people and won't give the professor the 10,000 $ he needs to complete his project. But when he offers to give her his new growth formula in return, she becomes interested. The formula could help her win the next pumpkin competition. She gives the professor 5,000 $ and gets the growth formula. It works, so there will be no one to stop her this time...
This is an o.k. episode in my opinion. But I liked other episodes better. One of the reasons for this is that the main character isn't likable. I think that the ending is interesting, but other parts of the story aren't very interesting. For example, I'm not interested in pumpkin competitions very much. However, I think it's very good that the story also deals with hunger, and I think the message of the story is that people should care more about hunger in the world. That is a good message.
As far as I can tell, the story is set in the 1950s. But I think that it probably wasn't any famines from the 1950s that inspired the story; I guess it was inspired by the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia (remember the original Live Aid?).
I like stories like 'Thanksgiving' (the previous episode) better because I think they are more amazing, but this one still deserves six points in my opinion.
When Professor Carver visits her and tells her about his project to reduce hunger in the world, she isn't interested. She doesn't care about hungry people and won't give the professor the 10,000 $ he needs to complete his project. But when he offers to give her his new growth formula in return, she becomes interested. The formula could help her win the next pumpkin competition. She gives the professor 5,000 $ and gets the growth formula. It works, so there will be no one to stop her this time...
This is an o.k. episode in my opinion. But I liked other episodes better. One of the reasons for this is that the main character isn't likable. I think that the ending is interesting, but other parts of the story aren't very interesting. For example, I'm not interested in pumpkin competitions very much. However, I think it's very good that the story also deals with hunger, and I think the message of the story is that people should care more about hunger in the world. That is a good message.
As far as I can tell, the story is set in the 1950s. But I think that it probably wasn't any famines from the 1950s that inspired the story; I guess it was inspired by the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia (remember the original Live Aid?).
I like stories like 'Thanksgiving' (the previous episode) better because I think they are more amazing, but this one still deserves six points in my opinion.
Utterly silly and fun
planktonrules23 June 2015
This episode of "Amazing Stories" stars Polly Holliday (the lady who played Flo on the TV show "Alice") as Elma. Elma is rich and a nasty old skinflint. When the annual pumpkin judging contest occurs and she loses for the 21st year in a row, this nasty piece of work throws a tantrum--claiming the contest is rigged. Regardless, Mildred (June Lockhart) is crowned champion and Elma is furious.
Later a professor approaches Elma. He claims to have a formula to help her grow ENORMOUS pumpkins and he'll sell it to her for $10,000, as he needs this money to continue his research. Considering how cheap she is, it's not surprising that she's only willing to give him $5000 and the man leaves disappointed...but gives her the formula.
Shortly before the next year's competition, Elma is so confident that her enormous pumpkin will win that she bets EVERYTHING that she'll beat Mildred...EVERYTHING. Considering Elma's pumpkin looks like it weighs several tons, it does seem like a sure bet. Still, in shows like "Amazing Stories", you know that karma has a way of evening out the scales of justice.
This is a very strange and very funny episode--totally original and very clever. The ending, fortunately, is a pip as well! Well worth seeing.
Later a professor approaches Elma. He claims to have a formula to help her grow ENORMOUS pumpkins and he'll sell it to her for $10,000, as he needs this money to continue his research. Considering how cheap she is, it's not surprising that she's only willing to give him $5000 and the man leaves disappointed...but gives her the formula.
Shortly before the next year's competition, Elma is so confident that her enormous pumpkin will win that she bets EVERYTHING that she'll beat Mildred...EVERYTHING. Considering Elma's pumpkin looks like it weighs several tons, it does seem like a sure bet. Still, in shows like "Amazing Stories", you know that karma has a way of evening out the scales of justice.
This is a very strange and very funny episode--totally original and very clever. The ending, fortunately, is a pip as well! Well worth seeing.
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