Let’s face it: working is tough. Whether you’re a librarian, a doctor, or even a professional lion tamer, not everyone has it easy…. And not everyone enjoys their job. It’s no surprise that having a bad job would be the subject of many memorable films, such as Office Space (“Excuse me, but I believe you have my stapler…”) and 9 to 5 (“If you ever say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, I'm gonna get that gun of mine, and I'm gonna change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot!”). However, there’s one particular film that makes working in the office seem like a ball: the 1957 romantic comedy Desk Set.
Directed by Walter Lang and written by husband-and-wife team Henry and Phoebe Ephron, Desk Set is the story of Bunny Watson (played by the amazing Katherine Hepburn), a woman in charge of the reference department of the Federal Broadcasting Network (which was actually NBC) and the senior of the other girls who work there. Bunny is smart as a whip and has an amazing memory for things, such as the entire verse of “the Song of Hiawatha”, and the ability to solve complex word problems. The rest of the girls in the office are rather clever themselves; they enjoy what they do and definitely look up to Bunny. However, things begin to change as the ladies of the reference library began getting visits from a man named Richard Sumner (played by Spencer Tracey).
Richard Sumner is an “efficiency expert” (or what we’d today call a “systems analyst”), who wanted to see how the library was run. Obviously, it began to raise suspicion for the reference girls as he walked around the room with a tape measurer and began going through their personal files. Bunny, whom was especially curious, did some digging and discovered that Sumner was the creator of an “electronic brain” called EMERAC that purposively would be able to compute information in a matter of minutes…. And undoubtedly put the girls out of a job.
Despite the “machines taking over human labor” portion of the plot, Desk is a fun movie and has some memorable moments, including the wildest office Christmas party you’ll ever witness (and secretly wish you were a part of). Also notable is the chemistry between Hepburn and Tracey; the dialog between them is playful and witty and both of their characters seem to be the perfect match for each other. Even with the drama of “Emmy” taking over the reference library (and Bunny struggling with her boyfriend of seven years, the president of the company), the film ends on a sweet note and leaves you in a good mood for the rest of the day. Another reason I love this film so much is the fact that I’ve seen it several times with my mother and the both of us have fond memories of watching it, curled up on the couch in the living room surrounded by snacks and reciting some of the dialog to each other. While it is a classic film, Desk Set is definitely a movie that deserves the “classic” label; it’s memorable, funny, and charming.
You can find Desk Set at Amazon.com and anywhere else that carries your favorite DVDs!
