- Desk Set
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Desk Set 
VHS coverDirected by Walter Lang Produced by Henry Ephron Written by William Marchant (play)
Phoebe Ephron
Henry EphronStarring Katharine Hepburn
Spencer TracyMusic by Cyril J. Mockridge Cinematography Leon Shamroy Distributed by 20th Century-Fox Release date(s) May 1, 1957 Running time 103 minutes Country United States Language English Desk Set (His Other Woman in the UK) is a 1957 American romantic comedy film directed by Walter Lang and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The screenplay was written by Phoebe Ephron and Henry Ephron from the play by William Marchant.
Contents
Plot
Desk Set takes place at the "Federal Broadcasting Network" (exterior shots are of Rockefeller Center, headquarters of NBC). Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) is in charge of its reference library, which is responsible for researching and answering questions on all manner of topics, such as the names of Santa's reindeer. She has been involved for seven years with rising network executive Mike Cutler (Gig Young), with no marriage in sight.
The network is negotiating a merger with another company, but is keeping it secret. To help the employees cope with the extra work that will result, the network head has ordered two computers (called "electronic brains" in the film). Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy), the inventor of EMERAC (an allusion to the early computers UNIVAC and ENIAC) and an efficiency expert, is brought in to see how the library functions, to figure out how to ease the transition. Though extremely bright, as he gets to know Bunny, he is surprised to discover that she is every bit his match.
When they find out the computers are coming, the employees jump to the conclusion the machines are going to replace them, whereas they are merely intended to help ease the research. Their fears seem to be confirmed when everyone on the staff receives a pink slip printed out by the new payroll computer. Fortunately, it turns out to be a mistake; the machine fired everybody in the company, including the president.
Cast
- Spencer Tracy as Richard Sumner
- Katharine Hepburn as Bunny Watson
- Gig Young as Mike Cutler
- Joan Blondell as Peg Costello, Bunny's friend and co-worker
- Dina Merrill as Sylvia Blair, another reference desk worker
- Sue Randall as Ruthie Saylor, another reference desk worker
- Neva Patterson as Miss Warriner
- Harry Ellerbe as Smithers
- Nicholas Joy as Mr. Azae
- Diane Jergens as Alice
- Merry Anders as Cathy
- Ida Moore as Old Lady
- Rachel Stephens as Receptionist
Namesake
A Canadian radio program, Bunny Watson, was named for and inspired by Hepburn's character.
External links
- Desk Set at the Internet Movie Database
Films directed by Walter Lang 1920s The Golden Web (1926)1930s No More Orchids (1932) · Meet the Baron (1933) · The Mighty Barnum (1934) · Love Before Breakfast (1936) · Second Honeymoon (1937) · The Little Princess (1939) · Susannah of the Mounties (1939)1940s The Blue Bird (1940) · Star Dust (1940) · The Great Profile (1940) · Tin Pan Alley (1940) · Moon Over Miami (1941) · Week-End in Havana (1941) · Song of the Islands (1942) · The Magnificent Dope (1942) · Coney Island (1943) · Greenwich Village (1944) · State Fair (1945) · Claudia and David (1946) · Sentimental Journey (1946) · Mother Wore Tights (1947) · Sitting Pretty (1948) · When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948) · You're My Everything (1949)1950s Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) · The Jackpot (1950) · On the Riviera (1951) · With a Song in My Heart (1952) · Call Me Madam (1953) · There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) · The King and I (1956) · Desk Set (1957) · But Not for Me (1959)1960s Katharine Hepburn Filmography 1930sA Bill of Divorcement (1932) • Christopher Strong (1933) • Morning Glory (1933) • Little Women (1933) • Spitfire (1934) • The Little Minister (1934) • Break of Hearts (1935) • Alice Adams (1935) • Sylvia Scarlett (1935) • Mary of Scotland (1936) • A Woman Rebels (1936) • Quality Street (1937) • Stage Door (1937) • Bringing Up Baby (1938) • Holiday (1938)1940sThe Philadelphia Story (1940) • Woman of the Year (1942) • Keeper of the Flame (1942) • Stage Door Canteen (1943) • Dragon Seed (1944) • Without Love (1945) • Undercurrent (1946) • The Sea of Grass (1947) • Song of Love (1947) • State of the Union (1948) • Adam's Rib (1949)1950sThe African Queen (1951) • Pat and Mike (1952) • Summertime (1955) • The Rainmaker (1956) • The Iron Petticoat (1956) • Desk Set (1957) • Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)1960sLong Day's Journey Into Night (1962) • Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) • The Lion in Winter (1968) • The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969)1970sThe Trojan Women (1971) • A Delicate Balance (1973) • The Glass Menagerie (1973) • Love Among the Ruins (1975) • Rooster Cogburn (1975) • Olly, Olly, Oxen Free (1978) • The Corn Is Green (1979)1980sOn Golden Pond (1981) • Grace Quigley (1985) • Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry (1986) • Laura Lansing Slept Here (1988)1990sThe Man Upstairs (1992) • This Can't Be Love (1994) • Love Affair (1994) • One Christmas (1994)
Related articles Awards and nominations • Coco • Houghton family • The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center • Katharine Houghton • Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn • The Lake • Spencer TracyThe Tracy & Hepburn films Woman of the Year (1942) • Keeper of the Flame (1943) • Without Love (1945) • The Sea of Grass (1947) • State of the Union (1948) • Adam's Rib (1949) • Pat and Mike (1952) • Desk Set (1957) • Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
Categories:- English-language films
- 1957 films
- American films
- Computers in films
- Films based on plays
- 1950s romantic comedy films
- Fictional librarians
- Films shot in CinemaScope
- Films directed by Walter Lang
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