Monday 29 August 2022

Desk Set (1957 Walter Lang)

Written by Phoebe Ephron and her husband Henry (parents of Nora and Delia), following a newspaper interview in which Hepburn begged for another good Hepburn-Tracy comedy. They adapted a minor Broadway hit which Fox had acquired, a play by William Marchant. (Charles Brackett had attempted the adaptation but found he was just making the material worse.) The stars worked with the writers to get the script into better shape. They also did all their own rehearsing and blocking - the director just had to set the camera. (The cameraman, four time Oscar winner Leon Shamroy, was apparently a bigger drinker than either Tracy or co-star Gig Young and liked cigars and betting on the horses.)

Hepburn's enactment of 'Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight' is absolutely hilarious. Great scene with Tracy and Hepburn in dressing gowns and Gig Young turns up. "I suppose I should have called first." "Yes - do that next time." Great scene where Tracy quizzes her.

With Joan Blondell, Dina Merrill, Sue Randall, Neva Patterson.





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