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 | Drinking | Romantic Misunderstanding

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		(director of photography)

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
Lyman Hallowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Lionel Newman	....	conductor
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator
Ken Darby	....	vocal coach (uncredited)

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 Germany (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Other Companies

• Bausch & Lomb  CinemaScope lenses
• Deluxe  color (as De Luxe)
• International Business Machines (IBM)  we gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of (as The International Business Machines Corporation)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation  CinemaScope is the registered trademark of (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The sound effects created for EMARAC were re-used in numerous movies and TV series, notably Fantastic Voyage (1966).

Goofs:

Continuity: Mike has just been made a vice president. When he closes the door to shut out the sound of the bongo drums, the bottom map behind him briefly changes to be of South America. For the rest of the scene the map is of Central America.

Quotes:

[Sumner answers the phone while the girls are at a Christmas party]
Richard Sumner:Hello? Santa Claus's reindeer? Of course I can... let's see, there's Dopey, Grouchy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Happy, Bashful, Rudolph and Blitzen! You're welcome!

Movie Connections:

References "Lassie" (1954)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

So...how much DOES the Earth weigh?

One of the better Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn films: a light comedy which doesn't necessitate his anger or her stridency. Hepburn heads up a charming group of gals in the research department of a broadcasting firm; Tracy is a computer man eager to install his latest creation in their office. Adapted from the Broadway play--and looking it--with large, flat sets stretched across the screen and all the actors moving from stage right to stage left. Still, the cast is colorful (except for Gig Young, stuck in the eternal Gig Young role, that of an SOB second banana who eventually ends up eating crow), and the thing is bubbly fun right to the end. It disappears from memory as fast as it came, but this kind of lightweight venture can be enjoyable on an afternoon viewing. **1/2 from ****