Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Desk Set

  • 1957
  • G
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
9.1K
YOUR RATING
Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
Trailer for this classic directed by Walter Lang
Play trailer2:18
1 Video
40 Photos
ComedyRomance

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

  • Director
    • Walter Lang
  • Writers
    • Phoebe Ephron
    • Henry Ephron
    • William Marchant
  • Stars
    • Spencer Tracy
    • Katharine Hepburn
    • Gig Young
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    9.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Walter Lang
    • Writers
      • Phoebe Ephron
      • Henry Ephron
      • William Marchant
    • Stars
      • Spencer Tracy
      • Katharine Hepburn
      • Gig Young
    • 117User reviews
    • 42Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Desk Set
    Trailer 2:18
    Watch Desk Set

    Photos40

    5758-4 Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in "Desk Set"
    5758-2 Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Joan Blondell in "Desk Set" 1957 MPTV
    5758-1 Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in "Desk Set"
    5758-5 Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in "Desk Set"
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Joan Blondell in Desk Set (1957)
    Spencer Tracy and Dina Merrill in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Joan Blondell in Desk Set (1957)
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Spencer Tracy
    Spencer Tracy
    • Richard Sumner
    Katharine Hepburn
    Katharine Hepburn
    • Bunny Watson
    Gig Young
    Gig Young
    • Mike Cutler
    Joan Blondell
    Joan Blondell
    • Peg Costello
    Dina Merrill
    Dina Merrill
    • Sylvia Blair
    Sue Randall
    Sue Randall
    • Ruthie Saylor
    Neva Patterson
    Neva Patterson
    • Miss Warriner
    Harry Ellerbe
    Harry Ellerbe
    • Smithers
    Nicholas Joy
    Nicholas Joy
    • Mr. Azae
    Diane Jergens
    Diane Jergens
    • Alice
    Merry Anders
    Merry Anders
    • Cathy
    Ida Moore
    Ida Moore
    • Old Lady
    Rachel Stephens
    • Receptionist
    Pamela Curran
    Pamela Curran
    • Bit Part
    • (uncredited)
    Bill Duray
    • Member of the Board
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Evans
    • Member of the Board
    • (uncredited)
    Jesslyn Fax
    Jesslyn Fax
    • Mrs. Hewitt
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Gardner
    • Fred
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Walter Lang
    • Writers
      • Phoebe Ephron
      • Henry Ephron
      • William Marchant
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Pat and Mike
    6.9
    Pat and Mike
    Woman of the Year
    7.1
    Woman of the Year
    Adam's Rib
    7.4
    Adam's Rib
    State of the Union
    7.2
    State of the Union
    Keeper of the Flame
    6.7
    Keeper of the Flame
    Without Love
    6.6
    Without Love
    The Iron Petticoat
    5.1
    The Iron Petticoat
    Father of the Bride
    7.1
    Father of the Bride
    Stage Door
    7.7
    Stage Door
    Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
    7.8
    Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
    Pillow Talk
    7.4
    Pillow Talk
    Holiday
    7.7
    Holiday

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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. Sumner puts on the ruined shoes and grimaces as he tries to walk in them, which causes Bunny to laugh. He hobbles off stage 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 Katharine Hepburn's nearly falling out of her chair, is spontaneous and not in the script.
    • Goofs
      In the opening shot of the film, at Rockefeller Center, the shot begins at ground level and tilts up the building, but it was clearly shot from the top of the building down to ground level and then reversed because all the people on the ground are walking backwards.
    • 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.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits: "The filmmakers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of the International Business Machines Corporation."
    • Connections
      Featured in 20th Century-Fox: The First 50 Years (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
      (uncredited)

      Music by Felix Mendelssohn

      Lyrics by Charles Wesley

      Sung by a chorus during the shot of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree

    User reviews117

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    The Very Best Hepburn/Tracy Teaming!
    Katherine Hepburn is in top form as a middle aged head of the all girls research department who feels threatened when a mysterious "efficiency expert" (Spencer Tracy) is sent in to introduce his great invention "EMEREK", the ultimate information source. Now the ladies in research fear that a computer will make their "human brain work" obsolete.

    The boss's favorite, a dapper climber of the success ladder who has been engaged to Hepburn for years but never quite mustered up the courage to pop the question, takes Hepburn's devotion to him for granted and suddenly realizes that she is not the doormat he had seen in her for so long. Tracy, up to this point a bachelor at heart, is quite smitten by this clever research lady. The outcome is predictable.

    This is top notch entertainment with a smart script and great acting. The chemistry between the two leads is delicious. Look for the gorgeous fashions flaunted by all women in this movie. With the money a working girl of the 50s took home, such extravagances would have been quite impossible. But after all, this is Hollywood, not the real world. "Desk Set" is a five-star gem!*****
    helpful•49
    3
    • thursdays
    • Jun 5, 2004

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 2, 1957 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Eine Frau, die alles kennt
    • Filming locations
      • Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • 4-Track Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in Desk Set (1957)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Desk Set (1957) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.