Desk Set (1957)

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Phoebe Ephron (screenplay) and
Henry Ephron (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 May 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Make the office a wonderful place to love in!

Plot:

Two extremely strong personalities clash over the computerization of a TV network's research department.

Plot Keywords:

Research | Office | Computer | Christmas | Bathrobe

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Richard Sumner
Katharine Hepburn	...	Bunny Watson
Gig Young	...	Mike Cutler
Joan Blondell	...	Peg Costello
Dina Merrill	...	Sylvia Blair
Sue Randall	...	Ruthie Saylor
Neva Patterson	...	Miss Warriner
Harry Ellerbe	...	Smithers
Nicholas Joy	...	Mr. Azae
Diane Jergens	...	Alice
Merry Anders	...	Cathy
Ida Moore	...	Old Lady
Rachel Stephens	...	Receptionist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Duray	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Harry Evans	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Jesslyn Fax	...	Mrs. Hewitt (uncredited)
Richard Gardner	...	Fred (uncredited)
Charles Heard	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Jack G. Lee	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Renny McEvoy	...	Man (uncredited)
Martin Milner	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Shirley Mitchell	...	Myra Smithers (uncredited)
King Mojave	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)
Sammy Ogg	...	Kenny (uncredited)
Don Porter	...	Elevator operator Don (uncredited)
Lou Southern	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Member of the Board (uncredited)

Directed by
Walter Lang

Writing credits
Phoebe Ephron		(screenplay) and
Henry Ephron		(screenplay)
William Marchant		(play)

Produced by
Henry Ephron	....	producer

Original Music by
Cyril J. Mockridge

Cinematography by
Leon Shamroy

Film Editing by
Robert L. Simpson		(as Robert Simpson)

Art Direction by
Maurice Ransford
Lyle R. Wheeler

Set Decoration by
Paul S. Fox
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Charles Le Maire		(executive wardrobe designer) (as Charles LeMaire)

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal Herman	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound
E. Clayton Ward	....	sound

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde Taylor	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Leonard Doss	....	color consultant

Music Department
Lionel Newman	....	conductor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Lawrence Carr	....	producer: play
Robert Fryer	....	producer: play

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Other Companies

• International Business Machines (IBM)  acknowledgment

Also Known As:

His Other Woman (UK)

Runtime:

103 min | Germany:98 min | Argentina:102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #18461) | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp | UK:U

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Improvised Scene: Sumner is leaving Bunny's apartment, shortly after Mike leaves and Peg arrives, when Bunny and Sumner are recapping the afternoon's events for Peg. Tracy goes "offstage" and returns with his hat pulled down over his ears, his shirt dangling out of his pants, staggering as though drunk and talking crazy. This moment, including the women's hysterical laughter and Hepburn's literally falling out of her chair, is not in the script.

Goofs:

Continuity: Before Bunny Watson turns to ask Richard Sumner her question during the Christmas party, she puts the bottle on the desk, but in the next shot, she is holding it again.

Quotes:

Bunny Watson: Have some tequila, Peg.
Peg Costello: I don't think I should. There are 85 calories in a glass of champagne.
Bunny Watson: I have a little place in my neighborhood where I can get it for 65.

Movie Connections:

References "Lassie" (1954)

Soundtrack:

Night and Day

I adore this movie.

It comes as no surprise that the 30-second attention span generation finds this jewel a little dull. There is no quick-cut music video cinematography. The characters are all actually old enough to be believable in their roles. which are not based on clothing or haircuts. It depends on talent rather than hype. And most of all, it is far too intelligent, witty and literate for today's garbage-numbed Philistine.

The story is simple, as all good stories are. Hepburn feels her job, and those of her staff, are threatened by Tracy and his ominous computer. It may not sound like much in this day of computer ubiquity, but substitute dot.com flop or outsourcing for computer and you have a contemporary comedy that still works.

Let's ignore the leads for just a moment. The supporting cast, which includes Joan Blondell as the arch-typical right-hand man, or should I say woman, and Gig Young as the chauvinistic, corporate climbing fiancé, easily outclasses what passes for marquee stars today. Husband and wife team Henry and Phoebe Ephron, parents of Nora Ephron, contribute a brilliantly witty script that, unfortunately for modern moviegoers, isn't peppered with vaudevillian pratfalls to help point out the funny parts. Instead, it relies on the intelligence of the audience and draws on that of the cast to produce a humor that never ages.

Hepburn is almost universally considered the greatest film actress ever. Tracy is utterly magnificent, and the chemistry between the two of them, owing of course in part to their long-standing relationship, is palpable.

I adore this movie, and if there were a Canon of Cinema, this would be in it.