IMDb > Desk Set (1957)
Desk Set
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips
Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) Videos
Desk Set (1957) -- Trailer for this classic directed by Walter Lang

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   2,635 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Walter Lang
Writers:
Phoebe Ephron (screenplay) and
Henry Ephron (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Desk Set on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 May 1957 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance more
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. full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Retro Productions Announces 2009-2010 Season, Kicks Off With Holy Days
 (From BroadwayWorld.com. 25 August 2009, 5:33 AM, PDT)

Price of a Movie: 6.3.09
 (From Tribeca Film. 1 June 2009, 8:35 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Trivial Pursuit with Emirac more (68 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited 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
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
His Other Woman (UK)
more
Runtime:
103 min | Germany:98 min | Argentina:102 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo | Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #18461) | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp | UK:U

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
This is the first film that Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn did in color and the eighth of the nine films they starred in together. Their next, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), came ten years later. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When EMERAC begins to print out "Curfew Must not Ring Tonight," Bunny Watson says, "That old poem has about 80 stanzas." In fact, it has 10 stanzas, of 6 lines each. more
Quotes:
Mike Cutler: [to Richard Sumner] I supposed I should have called first?
Richard Sumner: Yes, do that next time.
more
Movie Connections:
References "Lassie" (1954) more
Soundtrack:
Jingle Bells more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful.
Trivial Pursuit with Emirac, 1 May 2005
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

Desk Set was the next to last teaming of Tracy and Hepburn and the first one away from MGM. It does have a different look to the product they did at MGM. Still good, but different. Probably because this was done in Cinemascope and Technicolor.

Hard to believe that Cinemascope would be used on a film essentially set indoors and on one set, the set being Hepburn's office. But that was to show the immense size of Emirac the giant computer being installed there which Katharine and her staff think is going to replace them.

Desk Set had been on Broadway two year ago and had a respectable run. It starred Shirley Booth in Katharine Hepburn's part and the rest of the cast were not names by any means. I'm sure Spencer Tracy's role had to be built up from the stage version.

Even so, the film is essentially Hepburn's. As usual in their films she has a rival to Tracy. In the past that part was played by such people as Melvyn Douglas, David Wayne, William Ching, and now Gig Young. It seemed like every movie comedy in the late 50s and early 60s had either Young or Tony Randall as the defeated rival role. Young gives his patented performance here.

A running gag throughout the film are the calls handled by Hepburn's staff at the broadcast network for inane information. Like someone up in the corporate headquarters is playing trivial pursuit.

Also look for good performances by Joan Blondell, Sue Randall, and Dina Merrill as Hepburn's staff and Neva Patterson as Emirac's installer and keeper.

A good addition to the Tracy-Hepburn pantheon.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (68 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Desk Set (1957)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
'Mexican Avenue Bus'... mcwhat-1
Uncharacteristicall y Bad Acting/Direction Littlelep
Richard Sumner's absent-minded behavior arkansasengineer
Pan and scan - vmwrites
On Golden Pond Reference to Desk Set Character jobie123
tracy's wrong shoes exit scene holmesovals
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Shadow of a Doubt On the Town Heaven Can Wait Has Anybody Seen My Gal El método
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.