Product Details

• Actors: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Gig Young, Joan Blondell, Dina Merrill
• Directors: Walter Lang
• Writers: Henry Ephron, Phoebe Ephron, William Marchant
• Producers: Henry Ephron
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Dubbed: French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• DVD Release Date: May 4, 2004
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (166 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0001NBMAS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,961 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Desk Set" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

One of the later Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn matchups, this time pitting efficiency expert--sorry, that's "methods engineer"--Richard Sumner (Tracy) against TV-network research whiz Bunny Watson (Hepburn) over adding a new-fangled computer--again, sorry, that's "electronic brain"--to her department, thereby threatening her and her colleagues' livelihoods. Gig Young appears as Bunny's beau, an ambitious network executive who strings her along and becomes apoplectic at the idea that she doesn't need him. But as always, it's Hepburn and Tracy's bickering-flirting that makes this such a winning enterprise--a lunch date that turns into an interrogation and their sly repartee during a Christmas party are a couple of the movie's hilarious highlights. Interestingly, what starts out as something of a technophobic exercise--Hepburn fears for her job, and a computer goes haywire--takes an abrupt turn (perhaps the IBM product placement had something to do with that). Briskly scripted by Henry and Phoebe Ephron (Nora and Delia's parents) from a play by William Marchant. --David Kronke

Product Description

Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) heads up the research department at the Federal Broadcasting Company, a major TV network. And she does her job very well, thank you very much. Assigned by the network president to introduce computers into some of the department?s functions, Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy) arrives at Bunny?s well-run division to observe daily activities. Unfortunately, however, Sumner is ordered to keep his mission secret. As a result, the whole staff believes they are being replaced. To make matters worse, there appears to be more than a little electricity between Bunny and Sumner, which upsets Bunny?s boyfriend Mike (Gig Young). As the tension mounts in the office, so do the laughs in this classic romantic comedy.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 107 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tracy and Hepburn = Magic January 26, 2011

By E. Hornaday

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

For classic film fans, it doesn't get any better than the films featuring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, but the special magic was in the movies they starred in together.

This latest and greatest offering provides all of their movies in one package, two that haven't been released on DVD before. For fans who have been buying each of their films as they've been released, there is little reason to duplicate those purchases here, as the two remaining films are also now being released. This is, however, a wonderful boxed set for fans new to these amazing actors, or for others who only have one or two of their movies.

Tracy and Hepburn are truly iconic: their sparkle on screen was a chemistry that was not only acting but very, very real. They were a committed couple for decades, but because Tracy was married but separated, they never publicly acknowledged their relationship during his life time. Tracy was a Catholic back in the days when divorce was not an option, so he and his wife had a quiet separation, that was respected by the media, which never "outed" them. Hard to imagine in this day and age of the stalkarazzi!

In addition to their films, this boxed set includes a special tribute to Tracy that Hepburn made, in which she finally publicly discussed their private relationship. Hepburn only produced the film after Mrs. Tracy passed away, because she didn't want her to be embarrassed by the disclosure.

Hepburn describes when they first met, saying that she had made a quip to him about being taller than he was, to which he replied something like, "Don't worry, I'll cut you down to size."

This set includes Woman of the Year; Keeper of the Flame (first time on DVD); Without Love; The Sea of Grass (first time on DVD); State of the Union; Adam's Rib; Pat and Mike, which was written especially for them to star; Desk Set; and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, about a white couple coming to grips with their daughter's engagement to a black man.

Tracy was very ill during the production of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, but by sheer force of his amazing personality he managed to finish the film. He died a very short time later. (Look for an unforgettable scene in which his character tells his 'wife' played by Hepburn, how much he loves her. Fans have long believed it was his on-screen TRUE love declaration to Hepburn, whose eyes brim with real tears as he talks.)

If you're a first-time viewer of these films, you owe it to yourself to buy this great collection. They are more than worth watching, they are worth owning and enjoying again and again.

57 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "A Rare Tropical Fish -- Like You!" July 9, 2003

By rctnyc VINE™ VOICE

Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase

I hesitate to write this review, since "Desk Set" is not merely my favorite Hepburn-Tracy movie, but also my favorite movie. Moreover, it includes my favorite scene in the movies, the "scene on the roof." Hence, I ain't objective. The roof scene, in which Tracy gives Hepburn what is essentially an I.Q. test, and Hepburn aces it, is not merely brilliant Tracy/Hepburn (told you I was biased), but a classic example of the jousting that occurs when a very smart guy meets a very smart woman. Inevitably -- because this is Tracy and Hepburn -- Richard Sumner admires and, eventually, falls madly in love with Bunny Watson, who dumps her long-time, self-centered, unappreciative boyfriend in order to marry him.

Everything about this film is delightful, from Tracy's cautioning Hepburn, "Never assume!" before relating the famous "detective" problem (see title of this review), to the office jokes between the legal department and the librarians, the floating-island dessert, Tracy's bongo drums, and the rousing climax in which, as the new library computer spews out all 87 verses of the poem, "Curfew," instead of data about the island of Corfu (having been mis-programed by a female in god-forbid -- a suit), Hepburn theatrically recites the poem, rounding off each verse with a resounding, "Curfew will not ring tonight!"

"Should Bunny Watson marry Richard Sumner?" Tracy types into his computer. "I thought that you said that it couldn't evaluate?" asks Hepburn. "I programmed in the answer," Tracy responds.

So have I. This is a great movie: it has humor, romance, intelligence and wit. Love it. Buy it. Most importantly -- make the studio put it out in DVD.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff, but not much new April 16, 2011

By jrc

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Hats off to Warner Brothers for making this set available, and at a great price. Only SEA OF GRASS and KEEPER OF THE FLAME are new to DVD. In fact, all of the other titles aren't even remastered, just ported over from previous DVD releases. The Kramer Collection edition of GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER is presented, including all of its extras. Likewise, the Fox edition of DESK SET includes all of its extras. The previous Universal DVD release of STATE OF THE UNION, with no extras (as per original release) is also included. The "bonus" disc, THE SPENCER TRACY LEGACY: A TRIBUTE BY KATHERINE HEPBURN, is the same program previously paired with FURY on an early WB DVD.

For non-die-hard fans who own previous editions of these films, Warner has kindly released SEA OF GRASS and KEEPER OF THE FLAME separately. If you don't already have any of these films, this set is a great value.

As to the mention by a previous reviewer that these discs are not DVD-Rs, that is certainly true. BUT, don't be discouraged by WB's DVD-R Archive Collection titles. WB stands behind this format and will replace any disc that might become defective over time. Current DVD-R discs should last in excess of decades. I've had pressed DVDs go bad over time and NO DVD-Rs to do so. Please don't deprive yourself of WB's classic library because of a fear of the DVD-R techology. I'm afraid that it's the wave of the future, as many classic titles just don't sell in volume. Everybody these days wants to see horrid remakes of movies that were only made originally less than 20 years ago!