DESK
SET ($15) is a personal favorite from my youth- a film that
continually played broadcast television during the afternoons, in the days
before trashy talk shows came to dominate the airwaves. Today, I look at DESK
SET and see a lot of nostalgic charm surrounding its story of
computers and office automation entering the workplace for the first time.
Sure, the story seems dated in this day and age, but the movie remains a
whole lot of fun, thanks to the presence of its legendary performers.
Based upon a play by William Marchant, DESK SET stars Spencer Tracy
and Katharine Hepburn in this light and frothy romantic tale, set inside
the research department of a fictional television network.
Hepburn
portrays department head Bunny Watson, who discovers that a high tech
monkey wrench is about to be thrown into her well-oiled machine. That high
tech monkey wrench comes in the form of efficiency expert/computer
engineer Richard Sumner (Tracy), who will be installing the latest
electronic brain into the research department. Since the story takes place
in 1957, the entire research department expects to be replaced by the
machine. Of course the fear of termination, doesn’t stop romantic sparks
from flying between Bunny and Richard, even though she has had a
relationship with her boss, Mike Cutler (Gig Young), for the last seven
years. The charming cast of DESK SET also features Joan Blondell,
Dina Merrill and Sue Randall.
20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment has made DESK SET available on DVD
in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that has been enhanced for 16:9
displays. After having sat through pan and scan presentations of DESK
SET all throughout my youth, this beautiful looking DVD really is a
thrill- there is nothing like seeing a CinemaScope movie in its wide
screen splendor. The film element used for the transfer is in excellent
shape, displaying only very mild blemishes and just a smidge of
perceivable grain. This transfer marks the sharpest and best-defined
presentation of DESK SET that I’ve seen in the home venue. Colors
reproduction is also quite impressive for this DeLuxe film- boasting
stronger, more stable hues than I’ve seen at any time in the past.
Opticals and fades are a little inconsistent, but it is what I’ve come
to expect from films of this vintage. Blacks are right on the money,
whites are clean and contrast is very good. Digital compression artifacts
are never a cause for concern.
DESK
SET comes with English Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural and stereo
soundtrack options. Although the pseudo-stereo version will decode to
surround, it actually plays better in two channels. In stereo, the
soundtrack seems to have more breathing room and a bit more character than
monaural. The amusing sound effects attached to the film’s behemoth
computer work nicely across the forward soundstage, as does the soundtrack’s
musical content. Fidelity is more than respectable for a movie encroaching
on its fiftieth anniversary. Both the stereo and monaural versions have
been sonically scrubbed of excessive background his and surface noise. A
Spanish language track is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English and
Spanish subtitles. The basic interactive menus allow one access to the
standard scene selection and set up features, as well as a running audio
commentary with actress Dina Merrill and John Lee, a Movietone Newsreel, a
still gallery, a theatrical trailer and bonus trailers for ALL ABOUT
EVE, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR and THE
SEVEN-YEAR ITCH.
DESK
SET is a delightful movie that features another memorable pairing of
screen legends Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. As for the DVD, Fox
has done a fine job with the film’s presentation- providing a very
good-looking transfer and solid sound. If you are a fan of the film or its
stars, then this is a DVD you will want to add to your collection.
DESK
SET ($15) is a personal favorite from my youth- a film that
continually played broadcast television during the afternoons, in the days
before trashy talk shows came to dominate the airwaves. Today, I look at DESK
SET and see a lot of nostalgic charm surrounding its story of
computers and office automation entering the workplace for the first time.
Sure, the story seems dated in this day and age, but the movie remains a
whole lot of fun, thanks to the presence of its legendary performers.
Based upon a play by William Marchant, DESK SET stars Spencer Tracy
and Katharine Hepburn in this light and frothy romantic tale, set inside
the research department of a fictional television network.
Hepburn
portrays department head Bunny Watson, who discovers that a high tech
monkey wrench is about to be thrown into her well-oiled machine. That high
tech monkey wrench comes in the form of efficiency expert/computer
engineer Richard Sumner (Tracy), who will be installing the latest
electronic brain into the research department. Since the story takes place
in 1957, the entire research department expects to be replaced by the
machine. Of course the fear of termination, doesn’t stop romantic sparks
from flying between Bunny and Richard, even though she has had a
relationship with her boss, Mike Cutler (Gig Young), for the last seven
years. The charming cast of DESK SET also features Joan Blondell,
Dina Merrill and Sue Randall.
20th
Century Fox Home Entertainment has made DESK SET available on DVD
in a 2.35:1 wide screen presentation that has been enhanced for 16:9
displays. After having sat through pan and scan presentations of DESK
SET all throughout my youth, this beautiful looking DVD really is a
thrill- there is nothing like seeing a CinemaScope movie in its wide
screen splendor. The film element used for the transfer is in excellent
shape, displaying only very mild blemishes and just a smidge of
perceivable grain. This transfer marks the sharpest and best-defined
presentation of DESK SET that I’ve seen in the home venue. Colors
reproduction is also quite impressive for this DeLuxe film- boasting
stronger, more stable hues than I’ve seen at any time in the past.
Opticals and fades are a little inconsistent, but it is what I’ve come
to expect from films of this vintage. Blacks are right on the money,
whites are clean and contrast is very good. Digital compression artifacts
are never a cause for concern.
DESK
SET comes with English Dolby Digital 2.0 monaural and stereo
soundtrack options. Although the pseudo-stereo version will decode to
surround, it actually plays better in two channels. In stereo, the
soundtrack seems to have more breathing room and a bit more character than
monaural. The amusing sound effects attached to the film’s behemoth
computer work nicely across the forward soundstage, as does the soundtrack’s
musical content. Fidelity is more than respectable for a movie encroaching
on its fiftieth anniversary. Both the stereo and monaural versions have
been sonically scrubbed of excessive background his and surface noise. A
Spanish language track is also encoded onto the DVD, as are English and
Spanish subtitles. The basic interactive menus allow one access to the
standard scene selection and set up features, as well as a running audio
commentary with actress Dina Merrill and John Lee, a Movietone Newsreel, a
still gallery, a theatrical trailer and bonus trailers for ALL ABOUT
EVE, AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR and THE
SEVEN-YEAR ITCH.
DESK
SET is a delightful movie that features another memorable pairing of
screen legends Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. As for the DVD, Fox
has done a fine job with the film’s presentation- providing a very
good-looking transfer and solid sound. If you are a fan of the film or its
stars, then this is a DVD you will want to add to your collection.
