The Desk Set (1957)

Speaker A: 00:00:03

Oh, hello there, Heidi who Happy welcome in. Happy Christmas season. Did you get cured off the Wild Turkey yet?

Speaker B: 00:00:17

I think that was Wild Turkey. I mean it was enough buckshot in it.

Speaker A: 00:00:24

Now, now that was just her home. Home jewelry making kit fell over because her, her place is small. She keeps everything on that little peninsula in the kitchen there. And it.

A few things got knocked over when her pet chinchilla got loose. But.

Speaker B: 00:00:41

Yeah, I'm just wondering how much propane she went through to cook a chicken in her double wide.

Speaker A: 00:00:51

Yeah, speaking of the things that we were thankful of for then. Oh yes, Aunt Gloria, she did manage to wear pants. Although I couldn't tell you that. I predicted that cousin Estrogen there was going to run off with.

With Johnny's twin brother, but.

Speaker B: 00:01:11

Yeah, I wonder if she realizes that they were related. Yeah, I'm not even going to go there anyway, but it was, it was interesting getting to know Cooter Jack a little bit better.

Yeah, I mean he says two words, not just the one. Yeah, that, that's pretty good. He said. Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:01:31

When we first met I thought he was an Elvis impersonator.

Speaker B: 00:01:37

Yeah, but most Elvis impersonators don't carry an ax with them everywhere.

Speaker A: 00:01:42

Well, he says it's just for cleaning up the landscaping because that's his side gig when he's not fixing the television sets.

Speaker B: 00:01:51

Yeah, I'll fix the television. I think his code for taking care.

Speaker A: 00:01:54

Of the Lula May's needs.

Speaker B: 00:01:57

Yeah, which I thought she was a lesbian. It's very weird, but I, I don't judge.

Speaker A: 00:02:04

I mean there are, there are support groups for every 12 step program. I guess that's true.

Speaker B: 00:02:10

I could tell you stories.

Speaker A: 00:02:11

Yeah, we're. We're all thankful that we, we survived the Thanksgiving dinner over there in the park behind the store here. And it's. It's been long enough.

Speaker B: 00:02:21

That Turkey in 30 degree weather. It was really fun.

Speaker A: 00:02:25

Yeah. I'm just glad that I didn't have to take any leftovers home.

Speaker B: 00:02:32

Yeah, they were kind of stuck to the pan.

Speaker A: 00:02:34

We're in the month of December and we've got some more family obligations coming around the corner here, but. Well, Hooter Jack has come up.

Speaker B: 00:02:48

Breaking us.

Speaker A: 00:02:50

I suppose we're gonna put that in VCR and figure out what we're talking about today. Okay.

Speaker B: 00:03:04

travelers, you've landed. In: 1957

President Eisenhower sent federal troops to Little Rock to enforce school integration and leave it to Beaver debuted, redefining American family tv. It was also the birth year of future icons.

Spike Lee, who would shape modern cinema with bold storytelling, and pop legend Gloria Estefan, whose voice would help define a generation. The year wasn't without loss. Hollywood mourned the tragic death of Humphrey Bogart, while literary circles said goodbye to author James Agy.

atellites to cultural shifts,: 1957

Speaker A: 00:03:54

1957 A. That's. That's just a couple of years after Marty went back into the past and met his folks before they were. He was a twinkle in their eye, I think.

Think that was a little density.

Speaker B: 00:04:14

What?

Speaker A: 00:04:15

roblematic being back here in: 1955

Do you have anything that you need to avoid running into?

Speaker B: 00:04:28

Well, let's see.: 1957

Speaker A: 00:04:37

Yeah, we. We don't have to want. We don't have to worry about slowing down at Crossw.

Speaker B: 00:04:46

I never slow down at a crosswalk. Never.

Speaker A: 00:04:50

Well, I mean, one foul tap on the accelerator and you might not be here.

Speaker B: 00:04:57

Oh, that's true. Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:04:59

We have to be really careful when we go back this far and fast.

Speaker B: 00:05:03

Okay. And.

Okay, speaking of back to the future, the whole reason he got hit by the car was because he was in the tree with binoculars, spying on her while she was changing and. Right. And yet that's not creepy. Come on. Come on.

Speaker A: 00:05:20

it was socially acceptable in: 1950

Speaker B: 00:05:26

Of the old people that we're dealing with now anyway.

Speaker A: 00:05:30

I mean, at least he wasn't going to somebody's private island with underwear.

Speaker B: 00:05:33

What? I don't know what you're talking about.

Speaker A: 00:05:35

Yeah, right. But, yeah, I think this is probably the furthest back we've gone. The seasons be careful. It's like walking on the pond in the winter.

You're not quite sure if it's ready for you to go ice skating on yet. Be a little bit careful. All right. Speaking about being careful going out and being social and trying to have a good time in this thing we call life.

Matt, have a look in.

Speaker B: 00:06:07

Yeah, let's see here the Gopher Gulch times.

Speaker A: 00:06:10

And tell us what's out there for the nightlife.

Speaker B: 00:06:13

Okay. Well, not much, actually, Apparently. Okay. A Bridge on the River Kwai is playing. That's got William Holden in it. Yeah. 12 angry men with Henry Fonda.

I Hear. That was good. I never did see it. Oh, An Affair to Remember with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. She just sleeps in there.

Speaker A: 00:06:37

Inspiration for our generations. You've got mail. Because that was the original.

Speaker B: 00:06:43

The An Affair to Remember.

Speaker A: 00:06:45

Yeah, they even watched it in part of it.

Speaker B: 00:06:48

Oh, okay, I need to watch that again. It's been a while back when we.

Speaker A: 00:06:53

Used to think email was like new. And they showed them writing to each other on screen.

Speaker B: 00:06:59

I know, like on AOL and stuff.

Speaker A: 00:07:01

Right, right.

Speaker B: 00:07:02

How many discs did we have? Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. Oh, there was dancing in that of Dancing Through Life. Okay. No.

Anyway, Paths of Glory with Kirk Douglas. I haven't heard of that one.

Speaker A: 00:07:20

I mean it sounds like a different kind of movie than it is, but go ahead.

Speaker B: 00:07:25

And then the Seventh Seal with Max Von Snowden. Oh, Snowdow.

Speaker A: 00:07:32

Si Dow.

Speaker B: 00:07:33

Something like. Okay, that too. We'll go with that. And then the Smell of Sweet Smell of Success with Burt Lancaster attorney Tony Curtis said Heather.

Speaker A: 00:07:44

What I haven't seen with a title like that. It sounds like they're coming up with like a trendy perfume or something.

Speaker B: 00:07:52

Yeah, well, it is Tony Curtis, but I wonder what we're gonna. Which one we're gonna see.

Speaker A: 00:08:01

ere. What are we gonna see in: 1957

Speaker B: 00:08:11

tching today is desk set from: 1957

And she is fearful that the new computers will automate her and her information research team out of their jobs just in time for the new year. Wow.

Speaker A: 00:08:38

From: 1957

Speaker B: 00:08:43

No, no, it's a Cathry Hepburn.

Speaker A: 00:08:45

I'm sorry, I always get the Hepburns mistaken.

Speaker B: 00:08:49

I know.

Speaker A: 00:08:52

They were not even related. Wow.

Speaker B: 00:08:55

Okay. I always thought they were. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker A: 00:08:57

Something about those 50s there.

Speaker B: 00:08:59

He.

Speaker A: 00:09:00

There's that rock and roll guitar rewind.

Speaker B: 00:09:03

Through time into movie night blockbusters from.

Speaker A: 00:09:10

80S thrills to silver screen dreams.

Speaker B: 00:09:14

Trapped in the past by a timeless sea.

Speaker A: 00:09:21

And not to explore the lore. The past is present and you're gonna want. There's some air guitar going on there.

Speaker B: 00:09:36

Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:09:37

Oh, well, the 50s. Matt.

This is certainly the heyday of Sweet dad's movie going days because a lot of those titles that we shot off There were his collection, especially things like the Bridge on the River Kwai. Dad was a fan of those Time movies because each of his brothers were in the service.

Speaker B: 00:10:00

Oh, yeah.

Speaker A: 00:10:01

By the time his turn came around, he was already in the family way. It was.

Speaker B: 00:10:06

Oh, your dad was pregnant.

Speaker A: 00:10:08

Yeah. The desk set. Now, that's such a cute little name. And I'm sure that nobody from today's generation would even get what that's referring to.

Speaker B: 00:10:18

Yeah, because there's no desks anymore. I mean. Wait, no. Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:10:23

Well, I mean, when we went to school, you had different things that you wrote with. If you. You weren't sure it was going to be permanent, you wrote it out in pencil.

Speaker B: 00:10:35

Yeah. Only need five pencils. You don't need 49 pencils.

Speaker A: 00:10:40

But if you were pretty sure that it was going to be the final draft, what did you use?

Speaker B: 00:10:45

Oh, well, we had to use pen then, but you had to use pencil in the first part because. Oh, my goodness. Oh, this one time. I'll make this short. This one time, I was in seventh, eighth grade. I think it was in eighth grade in my home room.

We were taking this test, and I was always told that when you take math tests, you use the edges of the paper so that you can put it, like, right under the part of the thing, and you can, like, do the work on it. Right. I wrote my name on the paper, like, in the middle, the big part.

And man, my homeroom teacher screeched at me now that you proceeded to use the whole paper. And he scratched, slammed the. The things on my. The test packets on my desk. And I went. I will.

In this, like, voice that, like, made him kind of look twice, like, oh, oh, oh, I think he's got a demon in him. It was horrible.

Speaker A: 00:11:45

But anyway, I mean, that was before you paid for that to be done.

Speaker B: 00:11:49

I know, right? It's like, where did that come from? Because. Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:11:54

And I mean, just be thankful you didn't go to Catholic school. He might have been in a different problem there.

Speaker B: 00:12:01

Oh, he could have spanked me with a ruler. I would have been okay with that, too.

Speaker A: 00:12:06

Oh, is that what we're calling it now? The desk?

Speaker B: 00:12:09

Anything that's 12 inches. Right.

Speaker A: 00:12:13

And it probably had metal, too. The desk set. Yeah. We were saying, yes, yes. A pencil and a pen. Or a pen and a pencil. That's what a desk set is. You.

You have this cute little thing that you sat on the front of your desk back in the day, and in some places where you might have been important enough that you were like, the boss or in charge of the department. You had your name plate. When people came to your desk, they knew who you were and you had. They knew who you were and you had a pen and a pencil.

It was a desk set. And sometimes those were a present, like when you graduated.

And like when I graduated high school, I got an engraved, a pen that had my name engraved on it. And no, I, I didn't graduate in 57, but you know, it's, it's a traditional gift. All right, we're going to introduce the elements of the story here.

We've got the setup. The problem that we start off with here. Let's see. We already played the clip.

Speaker B: 00:13:19

Okay.

Speaker A: 00:13:20

Bunny Watts. Yes, that's quite a name there, Bunny. I wonder if that was her legal first name. Somehow I doubt it.

But Bunny confidently runs the television network's research department, relying on sharp memory, teamwork and human intuition. Her world is efficient, collegial and deeply personal. Her identity is tied to her expertise.

That stability is shaken when Richard Sumner arrives to install Amarak. Now, everything with a name like that sounds like a miracle. Drugs.

ur workplace. But it's in, in: 1957

And though polite and charming, Sumner's presence introduces fear and uncertainty, especially as rumors spread that the machine will replace Bunny and her staff. Now, keeping in mind, folks, Bunny is our leading lady. That's Ms. Katherine Hepburn, Mr. Richard Sumner.

That's her real life partner, Spencer Tracy, who she was with for 26 years. We'll talk about that more in a moment here.

But you have some, some thoughts that run around in your head when you think about the elements of a story here. There, there's the problem there. We set it up for you, Matt, what kind of things are going on in your head there?

Speaker B: 00:15:00

One of the things that, One of the things, before I get to that, one of the things that I noticed when I watched it this time, which I hadn't noticed the.

Because I watch this about every year, is, is that Spencer Tracy's character, Richard Sumner, the, the boss of the network, said to him, don't tell the girls, don't tell Bunny and the girls in the department what you're doing there. And I hadn't.

I. I guess I just skipped over that part, like, not really paying attention because I was like, why don't you just tell them what the heck they're doing there? But then he was specifically directed not to by the boss. Right. I guess you have to have the. Otherwise the plot isn't very interesting.

should aspire to have been in: 1957

And yeah, here comes this other guy who just was all like, hey, I'm going to be here and I'm going to ask you a bunch of questions and I'm going to try to get you rattled here. But he's not really trying to get her rattled. Right. But here's just a random question to throw out for you.

How much of Bunny's identity do you think is tied to her work and why does it matter deeply to her? But I will give you one. One. One more aspect to that. Why do you think that she is so.

Because she's so protective of her, of her girls in the department. And why do you. Why do you think that her job and that place matters much to her?

Speaker A: 00:16:57

Well, speaking as somebody who was not from a big city, because this is presumably a big city. I think it actually is New York that it's set in.

Speaker B: 00:17:08

Yes.

Speaker A: 00:17:10

It. In that in those days, women could not have their own bank accounts. I.

There are all sorts of questions that come to mind of how she achieved this station in life. But certainly she's got to take her job seriously because if this doesn't work out, what's her backup plan?

Speaker B: 00:17:31

Right, Exactly. Yeah. And I think that's. Of all the girls that were there, the ones that are being nurtured as well.

Speaking of that, while actually it's based on a research department at CBS, the exterior shots were actually of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, which is the location of NBC.

Speaker A: 00:17:55

And where they have the big crema tree.

Speaker B: 00:17:58

Yes. You noticed that, did you?

Speaker A: 00:18:02

Because just like Die Hard, this is a movie that is not a Christmas movie, but it takes place at Christmas.

Speaker B: 00:18:11

Right. One of the things that I think is really interesting about this, too, and these are all undertones, these aren't things that are outright said.

But here is this strong, confident, knowledgeable woman who takes no BS from a guy. Right, right. And here comes. And then she. She is. She's in. In love with this guy who's kept her on the string for 10 years named.

Well, I think his name is Gig.

Speaker A: 00:18:41

That was the actor. It's Mike.

Speaker B: 00:18:43

Yeah, it's Mike and Thing. But the actor's name Is gig. Right, right. Anyways, she's got this boyfriend that is like the an. On again, off again.

Constantly disappointing her, constantly standing her up, constantly keeping her on the string for 10 years. And, like. And is familiar enough that he just drops by her apartment with no problem. Right.

And yet when she's with him, her demeanor changes and she tries to become less than. She tries to become more meek and more. More feminine and more. Oh, dear. But when she's with Richard, she doesn't do that. She's herself.

She's a strong, confident, a servant. She will. She will, like, just make a joke and tear you down to size and do it in a kind of classy way.

And he doesn't want her to be anything but that, which is. And yet, when she's with Gay. When she's with Mike, Mike wants her to be all subservient to him.

Speaker A: 00:19:47

Yeah. She's a stereotype.

Speaker B: 00:19:49

Yeah, exactly.

Speaker A: 00:19:51

She's the office girl that is put in her place because she's got a fling going with the boss.

Speaker B: 00:19:59

Yes. Yeah, pretty much.

Speaker A: 00:20:01

Although she's been strung along for a long time. And it kind of goes without saying that Katharine Hepburn always played somewhat classy characters, to put it mildly.

She wasn't giving away the fart, she wasn't the milk, for free, if you will.

Speaker B: 00:20:20

But she was always a standby girl.

Speaker A: 00:20:22

Yeah. And she was excited because there was a possibility he was going to ask her out to a dance.

Speaker B: 00:20:28

Right. But. And then. And then when he finally does, like, actually propose to her, he does it in a.

Well, everybody expects that we're going to get married anyway. We might as well. And you can give up your work. Right.

What do you think Sumner kind of represents to Bunny before she really understands what he's doing there?

Speaker A: 00:20:53

I think that on the surface, he's sort of a. An outside influence. He's in a position to question her abilities in her roles. He's a threat, but she's not quite sure how much of a threat.

But at the same time, he's also a man, and there aren't many men who come through her department, quote unquote, on a regular basis. She's sort of distracted for a moment there, and suddenly somebody who is the opposite sex is asking for a little bit of her time.

Speaker B: 00:21:38

And also, I think that he's not asking her to be anybody but who she is. He's.

And he is happy with her for that, but I think that he's actually, like, making her kind of look at Mike differently, too, because the more that she Kind of warms up to him as being somebody who is like a. Who treats her differently. And.

And it's not like he's going after her or, or like trying to make a love match or anything, but there is still that a little bit of a connection there. And I think when Bunny starts to kind of. Even though she doesn't maybe under.

Understand that that's what's going on, she's still subconsciously kind of feeling that. And here's somebody who doesn't want her to be something different to. Whereas Mike is like, just constantly taking her for granted.

hilarious. I mean, first off,: 1957

And yet. And I'm like. But Sumner, I'm like, okay, that situation I can understand.

But Mike just shows, shows up at her door and expects her to be there, expects her to be alone, like Earl. What's up with that?

Speaker A: 00:23:06

I think what's most interesting about the dynamic between Bunny and Richard is the fact that he is sort of a. A peer.

He's there on behalf of the company, but he is somebody of intellect because he interviews her and there are questions there which are basically trying to evaluate her value to the company.

And you don't expect her, even though she is in a leadership role, she's in management, even though you don't expect really to understand that she's this smart person. Her department is research. We should note that the desk set takes place in sort of the library of the company, the research department.

And when I was a kid, before the Internet really became a thing, when you wanted to do a book report or something, you went to the library and you had to get things, paper copies out of old newspapers or magazines or whatever. And sometimes those things had been out for so many years that they condensed it onto things like microfilm or microfeed.

Speaker B: 00:24:26

Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:24:27

Had to print things out anyway. She was sort of the. The professional librarian of the company in this research department.

People called her for the answers to things, and she had things memorized.

But that was the stimulating thing about Richard and Bunny's conversations even early in the film, because Richard was trying to figure out if she was valuable to the company or if she could possibly be given a pink slip eventually. And it was just stimulating to hear the conversations they had because he asked her mathematical things and she was on her game.

In fact, Bunny was fascinated with memorizing things. She would count the number of letters in a town Name. And she would come up with reasons for that to be important.

And it would help her to answer, like, the mathematical question of how many people got off at what station when he. People got on the trains. Those were not typical conversations that you would expect a guy and a girl to have.

Speaker B: 00:25:41

Right.

Speaker A: 00:25:42

Especially guys and girls who might potentially be flirting. But her way of flirting was not only getting the answers right, but possibly proving him wrong.

Speaker B: 00:25:55

Exactly. Which was very interesting because I don't think he'd run up against somebody that could hold their own with him. And she could. She.

Speaker A: 00:26:06

She. Where they. They say that she cut the mustard.

Speaker B: 00:26:11

Oh, she. Yeah. I mean, she. She was. I mean, she even got the goldfish reference. And he was surprised by that. Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:26:20

These were the kinds of questions that were riddles. Like, this reminds me when I was a kid, and I'm sure that it existed outside of it, but my first introduction to this riddle was on the Cosby Show.

It was about somebody who had been involved in an accident. And when they. Oh, yes, they basically were in the hospital and it was assumed that their parent had died.

And the crux of the riddle was the person who was operating on him was his mother. And you didn't expect a woman to be the doctor.

Speaker B: 00:26:57

Right. Because the. The was. He needs an operation, but the doctor said, I can't operate on. On this person. He's my son. And they didn't expect that. The woman.

Speaker A: 00:27:08

We got her in the dynamic of those two. And understanding his true role to figure out where his magical machine fits in. Because the research department is. There are pins and needles.

This guy is known to. What did I say? Keep interesting company. He. He is involved with modernization.

He's built these magical machines which in those days were the precursors to what took us to the moon in the space program. And they took up entire rooms of their own, which you'll witness if you see this movie. But that's it. He's there to do a job.

Speaker B: 00:27:57

And. And the. The whole. The whole conflict kind of arises in that it's all done. It's all rumor.

It's all rumor because through the secretarial pool who are gossiping about who he is and what he's there for and not giving any facts. And he's not. He's told not to give them any facts. So he doesn't clarify the reason why he's there, which would have made the movie shorter.

Hey, let's talk about the director real quick.

Speaker A: 00:28:29

Yeah.

Speaker B: 00:28:29

Who.

Speaker A: 00:28:29

Who was behind the camera, Matt. Who got to work with the. The Hollywood giants of Hepburn and Tracy.

Speaker B: 00:28:38

Walter Lang, who was born in: 1896

Red Kimono, which was back in: 1925

luding the Little Princess in: 1937

of course, the King and I in: 1956

Speaker A: 00:30:07

This having been a 20th century film Fox film, that means just one thing to us folks in the the modern age. Who owns the rights to Ms. Hepburn's work of art here? None other than. Yes, the Mouse House.

And it should be noted that if you would like a top quality copy of this film, if you're somebody that wants a 4K, which is the creme de la creme of formats to watch movies in, well, you're sol. Because the folks that produce physical media are quietly being put out of business by the companies that own the rights to the movies.

Because we're only going to let people stream the movies occasionally if they pay the right amount of money. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were together for 26 years.

They never got married and they did about six films together, which we'll talk a little more about shortly. Amarak is the big brain.

That's the, the computer that they're going to be installing because back in the days when computers were newer, they all had impressive names to them. Like in the 80s, there is a Matthew Broderick film where they had this super brain computer that was in charge of all the nuclear warheads or the.

All the nuclear missile silos. And it was called.

Speaker B: 00:31:39

Oh, dear goodness, it wasn't called the Whopper. Was it serious?

Speaker A: 00:31:42

It was the computers used to be so impressive because they took up entire rooms in the early days. And the big brain that was going to be installed at the I forget there were something. Oh, the Federal Broadcasting Corporation is the name of the.

The workplace. In the desk set, Amarak was the big brain that was going to be installed. And it's a take on the most famous big computer in those days.

I think one of the first ones was called univac. Oh, Univac. And it had to do with the fact that there were vacuum tubes which were in your television set and radios back in the day.

UNIVAC had lots of tubes and things in it that. Right. Ran the brain, so to speak.

Speaker B: 00:32:38

So MRX stands for.

Speaker A: 00:32:40

I forgot. They did say it in the movie, didn't they?

Speaker B: 00:32:43

Electromagnetic memory and research. Arithmetic. Arithmetic. Arithmetic. Calculator.

Speaker A: 00:32:52

Calculator. Okay.

Speaker B: 00:32:53

Yes, it's a calculator. Right.

Speaker A: 00:32:56

In. In the name itself is supposed to suggest that it's a tool, not a replacement.

Speaker B: 00:33:02

Right.

Speaker A: 00:33:03

Which we learn more of as the story progresses here. Now that we have heard about the person behind the camera, we're going to talk about the cast.

We've got a boatload of talent that comes together to make things like a movie.

Speaker B: 00:33:19

And our leading lady.

Speaker A: 00:33:21

of the century, which was not: 2000

She was born in: 1907

Katherine Hepburn was one of Hollywood's most celebrated actresses, known for her intelligence, independence and unmistakable screen presence. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she won a record four Academy Awards for Best Actress.

Hepburn starred in classics such as the Philadelphia Story, Guess who's Coming to Dinner with Sidney Poitier, and the lion in Winter, often portraying strong, unconventional, unconventional women. Her frequent on screen partnership with Spencer Tracy remains iconic. And this goes back into the. The film itself. The Dusk set.

Bunny's beau, Mike Cutler, the boss, he, he. He makes a remark there that makes you think that in this day and age, Bunny wouldn't be pursuing him, or at least not anymore.

After seven years, you'll figure out before the movie's out that she's been chasing him and he hasn't wanted to commit to a relationship. But they certainly rub elbows often enough.

And he says to her that everybody knows that he's not hanging around her for her looks, I think was basically what he said, because she's, she's smart. And of course, that was one of the things about Katharine Hepburn. She was a attractive woman, but not in what we would call the conventional sense.

She wasn't Your pin up blonde or leggy model. She was beauty that had brains.

And like a lot of women in that generation, my father's personal favorite was here, my dad's own personal favorite from this time period where witty women had a very select following. He, he adored Eve Arden, ergo, the smart lady who was not necessarily the centerfold and she was in charge of the office.

o anyways, all right, between: 1928

Now here's something that you may not be aware of. Bringing a Baby was one of her films that she was very successful in. And this is a movie that in the 80s was actually remade.

It was Madonna's first movie. Suddenly Seeking Susan with Madonna was a remake of Bringing Up Baby with Katharine Hepburn.

Bringing a Baby put Katharine Hepburn opposite Cary Grant again. Now another film that Katharine Hepburn did that was particularly of note was the African Queen, of which she won an Oscar nomination for.

She was also in a film called Adam's Rib and as we mentioned, the lion in Winter, which got her her third best actress Oscar.

Speaker B: 00:37:18

Yes.

Speaker A: 00:37:19

She knows firsthand that those statues don't have chocolate in them. All right, here we go, putting our nerd brains together. Compare collector cards here on the IMDb of scores here.

These 44 magnificent films that Ms. Hepburn did in her career. I've seen about six. Now of those six, my favorites are Guess who's Coming to Dinner because it, it's very cutting edge for its time.

Sidney Poitier was in it.

And of course, as everyone may or may not know, Katharine Hepburn played with Spencer Tracy in this film and it was actually his last film before passing. But she and Spencer Tracy were husband and wife whose daughter was bringing a boyfriend home. But the twist was he ain't white.

Speaker B: 00:38:18

Yeah. Which was quite a, quite a thing for that time period. And I mean, kudos to them for.

Speaker A: 00:38:26

Making it and being bold, especially casting Sidney Poitier because not just being the token, he's a very talented actor in that role.

Speaker B: 00:38:37

Yes.

Speaker A: 00:38:38

All of their talents together of course, elevated each other and the topic to the front lines there. Guess who's Coming to Dinner is one of my favorites.

And Bringing Up Baby because I particularly enjoy the films of Katharine Hepburn's career that were in the earlier days of her career because you see a certain glimmer a spark in her. In her later years she was more of an archetype. In other words, she was somebody that on the others would imitate her. And in.

Speaker B: 00:39:13

Right.

Speaker A: 00:39:13

In her advancing years she spoke with a certain not accent. But I guess.

Speaker B: 00:39:20

Yeah, I think she had like Parkinson's or something.

Speaker A: 00:39:23

Yeah, but in the same sense that people who imitate William Shatner's performance as Captain Kirk, they do the pauses for Dr. Effect.

Speaker B: 00:39:33

Well and, and with him he's. He's a classically Shane trained Shakespearean actor.

And I realized one day that when he's doing that, he's actually kind of talking in Iamic pictures he's taking those pauses are actually kind of Shakespeare influenced pauses. That's why they seem odd sometimes when he's doing that.

But yeah, her, her speech, the, the accent that she has, which a lot of people it's mistake to be like northeastern is actually an affected made up accent. It is an acting accent and it was. And you'll notice a lot of actress time kind of do that. But that's not a real accent.

That's not like something that is picked up regionally. It is learned. When they were doing movies they would learn that accent. It would be. When you hear somebody talking like that, it's not real. It's.

It's something that they learned from acting.

Speaker A: 00:40:38

Coaches like putting the wrong emphasis in the wrong slabble.

Speaker B: 00:40:42

Yeah, it's. It's a very, it's a very mid Atlantic type affectation anyway.

Speaker A: 00:40:49

How many Kathy cards do you have, Matt? I had six.

Speaker B: 00:40:54

Well, I have eight that I'm pretty certain that I've seen. It's one of those things where it's like I have to keep looking at it going. I think I've seen that. I think I've seen that. But I believe eight that I.

That I really know that I have seen. And my favorite. So the death set, of course. And then my other is Stage Door and Stage Door.

If you, you don't know that film, I encourage you to go watch it. It has like Lucille Ball and Ginger Rogers and just such an amazing film. But yeah, and I.

Speaker A: 00:41:29

That's early enough in Lucille Ball's career that I'm not sure she was Lucille Ball yet.

Speaker B: 00:41:35

No, she wasn't. Not only was she not Lucille Ball, but yeah, it was very odd because her character was basically a great big gigantic lesbian.

And then at the end of the film it's all like, okay, well my dreams aren't coming true so I'm gonna go home and marry a boy. And I'm. Look at me, I'm wearing a dress.

And because she wore pants the whole time and was all like, blah, blah, blah, blah, and like throwing herself down the chair with her legs kind of open, like how guys it sometimes. And she's just very masculine. And at the end of it, she's like, oh, look at me, I'm feminine.

I'm gonna go to marry a boy and oh, I'm gonna have babies. And it's like, wow, okay, let's see.

Speaker A: 00:42:18

I'm trying to see what Lucille Ball's original stage name was. Lucille Ball's original stage name was Diane Belmont.

Speaker B: 00:42:27

Oh, so, okay, that kind of sounds familiar.

Speaker A: 00:42:32

In Stage Door, Lucille Ball was probably Diane Belmont at the time.

Speaker B: 00:42:36

Could have been, yeah.

Speaker A: 00:42:38

Okay, well, so the.

As the story progresses, because now we've had our leading man and leading lady meet up there and we're starting to get the idea that there's something rotten in Denmark. Because as you said, the gals in the typing pool, they've been gossiping, they're all wondering what this Mr. Richard Sumner is there doing.

Because they all know that this man works on those big machines. And as the story moves along, the payroll department has been replaced. They have fired half the people.

Now, as Emmarak becomes operational, Bunny grows increasingly anxious, feeling professionally threatened and personally betrayed. Especially as her romantic feelings for Sumner deepening.

The computer's cold efficiency contrasts sharply with Bunny's human centered approach to knowledge. Misunderstandings mount when Sumner withholds key information about the machine's purpose, allowing Bunny to believe the worst.

The tensions escalate as Bunny struggles to assert her value in a workplace that suddenly prioritizes machines over people. Now, this film is relevant. We'll, we'll probably talk about that more in a bit here.

But that's, that's one of the appeals of a film from a generation gone by is whether or not that story still pertains to present day. And certainly the idea that you could be replaced by automation is definitely something on the minds of today's workers.

I've been in those situations.

You've been at the company for years and suddenly your department head calls you all into a meeting and they say to you, we are thankful and grateful to have you in our employ. However, if you want to keep working for the company, you're going to have to find another job.

At this point in the story, the, the middle, the plot thickens and there are certain questions that come to mind. Like how does Bunny's growing affection for Sumner complicate her professional Judgment, Matt?

Speaker B: 00:44:55

Well, I don't know that it necessarily does. I mean, I don't think she even realizes how much of an affection that she has toward him.

And, and I think that she probably thinks that it's just a kind of a mutual respect friendship. I don't think she actually realizes that she is letting her guard down and having romantic feelings for him at all.

But yeah, because she always put to me, now correct me if you feel differently, please. But I, I think that she always keeps the, her professionalism and her protection of her department, first and foremost.

Speaker A: 00:45:39

Yeah, I agree. I mean, there are certain key moments in the film where that's very evident.

I mean, the latest addition to her department, the young girl comes into her office and basically is throwing herself at her mercy. She's like, I sharpened all your pencils, I put all the folders in your desk and I'll stay late whenever you need.

And she tells her, she's like, you know, after the first of the year, I'll be happy to put you in for a promotion or whatever.

Speaker B: 00:46:11

Right.

Speaker A: 00:46:12

You know that she's willing to go to any length to stay relevant.

But I, I think it should be noted that at this point in the story, the complication here, they're growing affection for each other is because they have a different relationship than Bunny has with Mike. He, Mike is her boss and she behaves in a very stereotypical man, woman, dominant and, you know, submissive roles.

However, Richard is more for her intellectual equal. They have conversations with things that she and Mike do not. It sort of catches her off guard.

It catches her by surprise that she finds herself taking a shyness, you might say, to Mr. Richard Sumner, because there's the threat looming that he could be replacing her.

But the, the fact that the complication is occurring right about the time that Richard gets wet from the rain and gets invited into Bunny's apartment. Right, because as you said, the other shoe drops when Mike, her actual beau, decides to come back to town from his business trip.

And suddenly somebody is wearing not his bathrobe, but a Christmas gift that's supposed to become his bathrobe because his initials are actually on it. Playing Richard Sumner. Richard is wearing the bathrobe meant for Bunny's boyfriend.

And this is only possible because she is such a detail oriented person, such a resourceful person that she does her shopping ahead of time.

Speaker B: 00:48:11

And, and not only that, but she, she initially, she embroidered his initials on, on it. I mean, how, I mean, she just can do everything right.

Speaker A: 00:48:24

Exactly.

But the most important part of the Film, I think, is when they're seated in her essentially dining room, her shared space, her communal space there, and they're having a meal and Mike finds her there with Mr. Sumner. There are all sorts of implications where it's suggested that he would never think that somebody else would be at her home.

Speaker B: 00:48:54

Right.

Speaker A: 00:48:55

She's apparently socially awkward and unattractive. Okay, well, we are at about the halfway mark in our show, so we're going to take a brief break for some nostalgia.

Some ads, some jingles from days gone by. Something from the 50s will be in your ears. Back then, all sorts of things used to pay the bills, from hair shampoo to detergents.

And there's a reason they were called soap operas. Don't they used to entertain the housewives back in the day?

Speaker B: 00:49:27

Sell soap.

Speaker A: 00:49:28

their Soap. Intermission for: 1957

Speaker B: 00:49:39

Holiday time's a good time for the good taste of Coke. Holiday time is a good time for for the good taste of Coke. A holiday's coming, let's have fun. Bring Coca Cola for everyone.

Holiday time's a good time for the good taste of Coke. Enjoy ice cold Coca Cola sign of good taste. What does she want for Christmas? All your love and all the loveliness to keep it.

And here's the gift to help her keep that loveliness. The Lady Chic electric shaver.

Designed just for a woman with one side for underarms, for shaves so close but so gentle, a deodorant can be used immediately. And the other side made especially for legs. Nothing she could use is more feminine.

Why, her skin will stay so smooth no one would ever guess she shaved. Most stores offer a 14 day free home trial starting Christmas day.

So take your pick from new designs like this one in blue and white or Ballerina sparkling white and gold, or this in red and old gold. Or Sophisticate jet black and sapphire blue. Get her a Lady Chic this Christmas in this delightful hat box carrying case.

She'll love it and love you for giving it to her. Hello there. Here's an early Christmas gift for you from wonderful Ivory Snow.

You can get these two snowball Christmas tree ornaments without paying a penny for them. That's right, A gift from Ivory Snow. Aren't they great? Lightweight, unbreakable, made of sparkling white plastic foam with red and blue trimmings.

They'll brighten up your tree for many a Christmas to come. And you know they're yours for free. Now here's what you do.

Buy from your dealer the special Ivory Snow boxes with the free offer explained here and this certificate box top.

Then send in one box top from a special giant size box or two box tops from the special regular size box and you'll receive these bright and cheerful ornaments in plenty of time for Christmas. The supply of these special ivory snow boxes is limited though, so don't delay. The address is right on the box tops. May yours now.

Speaker A: 00:52:07

That she would never have anybody in her own home besides herself. Cuz she was the per. She was the type of person who was always sitting by the phone.

She was never the outgoing type who would be in charge of her own destiny.

Speaker B: 00:52:22

And she's always going to be there waiting for Mike after 10 years and, and it just shows how much he takes her for granted too.

Speaker A: 00:52:35

She probably wasn't the only woman is there as a sad story.

Speaker B: 00:52:40

Well, after 10 years I. Yeah, probably not.

Speaker A: 00:52:43

I mean he just came back from a out of town trip. I'm sure that there was a little hot and bother going on over there in the Windy City.

Speaker B: 00:52:52

Well, and then we're expected to behave like that.

Speaker A: 00:52:55

Oh yeah. But Spencer Tracy's character is so refreshing in the sense that he's not the typical man in this film.

He is Bunnies Katherine Hepburn's equal which of course I think off camera is a testimony to their own relationship. They can be professional and personal and it just leads to the conversations because Richard appreciates her not only as a woman but as a person.

He respects her privacy and he respects her, her reputation.

And it was, it was just very off putting that this man, Mike, who's her boss but also supposed to be her boyfriend is suggesting things that makes her sound like she's not a person who would have any sort of allegiance. No, I don't want to say faith but commitment that she's not a person of morals and ethics.

Speaker B: 00:54:02

So interesting.

Speaker A: 00:54:04

So is Sumner intentionally misleading Bunny or is he quote unquote blind to her emotional stakes, do you think?

Speaker B: 00:54:12

I think, I think both. Yeah. Well, I mean he's intentionally misleading her. Not, I don't think because he necessarily wants to, but because he was instructed to. So.

So yes, I, I think that by not telling her that is a form of misleading but because it would. He could easily have just said yes, we're bringing in this big computer, we're trying to see how it all works, but we don't intend to fire anybody.

And that's one of the conditions that blah blah, blah. He could have said all that, but he didn't. So that is intentional misleading. But also I think he is kind of blind to her emotional stakes.

I mean, he could see so much like he could see the whole Mike situation.

Speaker A: 00:55:00

Yeah. You.

Speaker B: 00:55:01

You can see that he.

He sees that Mike is just leading her on and she is just waiting for him and probably wait for him until he finally marries someone else or something like that. But. But I think that there is. With.

With the intelligence and the amount of time that he is committed to Emarak, I think that there is a part of where he doesn't even himself see what the bond that is really forming between them and that it is more of a romantic bond.

Speaker A: 00:55:35

Yeah. He's caught. He himself is caught off guard because he's there for professional purposes.

Speaker B: 00:55:42

Right.

Speaker A: 00:55:43

Certainly anybody who has been part of a professional workplace environment because they put you through the training, this is.

Speaker B: 00:55:51

Yeah.

Speaker A: 00:55:52

You don't act inappropriately around your office peers. And so he's doing everything he can. But.

But at the same time as he's trying not to become endeared to her, he's realizing that he doesn't have to make an effort. She's charming just as herself.

And the fact that they're not falling into old stereotypes of men and women, it's just refreshing that they are able to have these conversations about how many people who got on the train and who got off where.

Speaker B: 00:56:28

Yeah. I think that he really likes her intelligence and the fact that she is a match for him and that he respects that, and I think he really enjoys it to.

Whereas Mike wants a subservient, stereotypical woman, and yet why on earth is he with her? Because she is so much more than that. And I think that he's intimidated that Mike is intimidating, intimidated by that and Sumner isn't.

Speaker A: 00:57:01

And I think that that's partly the reason why it's taken seven years. He's afraid of commitment because, well, he's outgunned.

Speaker B: 00:57:10

Oh, yeah.

Speaker A: 00:57:11

Bunny has more smarts. And there are probably a fair share of women in that. That company that know all about Mr. Mike Cutler and his tricks that he's got up his sleeve.

So they avoid him like the plague. Well.

Speaker B: 00:57:26

Right. I mean, even the girls in the office are like. And like, her best friend are like, would you please stop letting him walk all over you?

And she's just like, oh, well, I get to go to a dance. Look at my new dress.

Speaker A: 00:57:40

That was my favorite moment between Bunny and. I forget her friend's name. It might have been Peg, but the.

The other older, off lady in the office there, when she comes out of her office and she explains, oh, he did it. He asked me. And she's like, when's the big day? It's implied that they're getting married. And she's like, no, we're not getting married.

He asked me to the dance. It's like, really? After seven freaking years of hearing about you, you're just happy to have a dance? Wow, girl.

Speaker B: 00:58:17

Right? I mean, that's just like, that was. I would have been like, oh, no, honey, even I'm out.

And I'll stick with, you know, I'll let anybody emotional abuse me for that long.

Speaker A: 00:58:30

This is where we say in modern times, tell me that you were in an abusive relationship with your parents without telling me you were.

Speaker B: 00:58:39

Right, exactly. So, yeah.

Speaker A: 00:58:43

So let's see. So, well, let's skip ahead here. So our leading man, Matt, the, the other star that shares the spotlight with Ms. Katherine Hepburn, who was that?

Not Masked man.

Speaker B: 00:58:57

th in: 1900

rds for Captain Courageous in: 1937

films spanning a career from: 1930

Captain Courageous,: 1937

And that got him his first Academy Award for best actor when he played a rugged Portuguese fisherman. Oh, yeah. And then next year he won for Boys Town, which got him his second consecutive Oscar.

film was Inherit the Wind in: 1960

Speaker A: 01:00:36

Well, of all those films, I've seen four. So I'm, I'm a couple shy of my Kathy list. But as I mentioned, Desk Set was one of my favorites with Spence Tracy and Guess who's Coming to Dinner.

So I probably should challenge myself to see one of his other 75 films to find another favorite. But I'm guessing that you probably, as, as, as the, the Game of Life goes, you probably seen more than me.

Speaker B: 01:01:05

Not many, actually. Yeah. So I think six and that includes the death set, of course, being one of my. Well, my favorite of his, and then Adam's rib. So.

Speaker A: 01:01:16

Yeah, so as we said, the desk set is not a Christmas movie, but it takes place at Christmas, like Die Hard. And that movie, it had Dan Aykroyd in it. It's a movie that takes place at Christmas, and he plays a guy that loses all of his money.

Speaker B: 01:01:35

Let me Trading Places.

Speaker A: 01:01:37

Okay. Yeah. So just like Die Hard, Trading Places is a movie that isn't a Christmas movie, but it takes place at Christmas.

Now, the desert takes place at Christmas, and one of the best scenes of the movie is the office Christmas party.

And I'm not sure what each of our experiences have been, but I've been in the workforce long enough to know about the good old days of office parties. I've worked at companies that did things like they would rent out the box office at the football stadium.

They would have these seats, and we had our own. A person that would play the piano and would do requests.

And one other time, this company I worked for, they rented out a couple of banquet rooms at a hotel, and they had their own party there, but it was like a themed party, so it was like Casino Night. They had Play Money, and you got to do fake gambling at the. The company party sort of thing.

Speaker B: 01:02:45

Okay. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:02:47

But I remember the days of the white elephant gifts, and. Because technically, wasn't on company time, so long as you didn't open it, you could gift each other adult beverages at the. At the Crema party.

Speaker B: 01:03:04

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:03:04

All right, so bringing us up to the third act, the resolution, the climax, if you will. The truth emerges when Amarak malfunctions spectacularly because there are fireworks, actually, or at least pyrotechnics.

And proving it cannot replace human judgment, creativity, or adaptability, Sumner finally clarifies that the machine was never meant to eliminate money's department, but to assist it. Money reclaims her confidence, and her professional authority is reaffirmed.

With misunderstandings resolved, Bunny and Sumner meet as equals, both intellectually and emotionally, affirming that technology may advance, but human insight remains essential. So, as I was saying, there's an office party that takes place in this, and it bridges that gap between the middle of the story and the end.

They're all living it up at the party, and the next day, they realize it's taking forever for us to get our paychecks. And the joke was, that's because there's gonna be a little something extra in there. In those days, you got a.

A piece of paper that was pink because it was a special copy for the company. It meant that there were other copies of this that existed to document the fact that you were being walked out, essentially.

And that was your pink slip. You were no longer of use to the company. And while there was a mistake, as payroll was given its own version of this Mrak machine.

And what happened to everyone in the building, including the president of the company?

Speaker B: 01:04:46

Well, when they opened their paychecks to put it in their bank accounts, or at least to check that it was all good, they had a little something extra in there. And it was pink because it was.

Speaker A: 01:04:57

All fired and including the president.

Speaker B: 01:05:02

That's right. Like everybody in the building got one.

Speaker A: 01:05:05

The funny thing was Spencer Tracy's character was sort of a consultant. He was hired outside the company. So he's not on the payroll, but somehow he got an envelope telling them that he was gone too.

He'd been voted off the island, right?

Speaker B: 01:05:23

Yep. So, yeah, the, the version of Mrak that was in the accounts department just decided to fire everybody. So that's.

But for a while they believed it and, and they had to. They confronted him and they let him have it. And then he said, said, wait a minute.

The whole point of me being here to put Emrak in is that you guys won't be fired because they will need you.

Speaker A: 01:05:50

And why did they need them?

Now, this is part of the reason why Sumner was told to keep his lip button because he'd been in a meeting with the president of the company and he'd been told about some deals that were going on. Matt, what was the big secret about why Sumner was told to keep his. His mouth buttoned?

Speaker B: 01:06:11

Well, because they paid $20 million to the President of the United States and were given the okay to be taken over and merged with another business.

Speaker A: 01:06:25

Right. There was a merger going on. There were some stocks being exchanged at one, and that's the sort of thing. Thing that can lead to time in jail.

Just ask Martha Stewart. It's called insider trading.

And so anytime something super secret like that's going on where the company's going to merge or they're going to buy somebody out, nobody is supposed to know about it. And so Richard was not allowed to talk about it.

Speaker B: 01:06:54

Right. So yeah, they couldn't, they couldn't say anything. So at the, at the end. Yeah.

So, well, Emarak has a little bit of a meltdown, but before that, before they realize any of this stuff is happening. So Bunny puts her and her. Her girls skills, research skills up against Emmarak and Don't you love the woman who runs Emarak?

Isn't she, like, the worst?

Speaker A: 01:07:26

I think she's like the: 1957

Speaker B: 01:07:36

Right.

Speaker A: 01:07:36

But yeah, the. The lady that ran the computer, she was all neat and tidy, and she told him, make sure you close the door. I know there's no smoking in here.

Speaker B: 01:07:46

And, yes, he was. And she was just a nightmare. And of course, she's the first one to burst into tears and have a huge meltdown when something goes wrong. And.

And the rest of them are just looking at her like, what is wrong with you, girl?

Speaker A: 01:08:01

Oh, my. My favorite thing about that, though, was that she was so. Oh, let me think about what the word is.

I'm trying to find her name, too, because that might.

Speaker B: 01:08:12

Fastidious.

Speaker A: 01:08:13

Well, she was. She was so. She was so adamant that things had to be done a certain way there.

Like, again, the door had to be closed because the machine was sensitive to temperature changes.

Speaker B: 01:08:28

Right.

Speaker A: 01:08:29

smoking in there because it's: 1957

Speaker B: 01:08:35

Right.

Speaker A: 01:08:36

But she also told Bunny that this bright red, of course, because it had to be bright red control, it looked like a game joystick right there in front of her, was not to be touched because Ms. Emmy, as she called the computer, doesn't like it.

Speaker B: 01:08:54

She.

Speaker A: 01:08:54

She, you know, acts out when that's touched. So apparently that's like, you know, the. The.

Speaker B: 01:09:01

Yeah. Why did they always put, like, the. The big no, no button, like, right in the middle of everything and make it, like, the most.

The colorful one that you just really want to push.

Speaker A: 01:09:15

But, yeah, that. That was the big thing. Don't touch this. And when she's all frazzled and the machine is getting overworked, she does the exact same thing.

The exact thing that she told everybody else not to. Don't touch this. She actually pulled the lever out. And as she is quitting, she throws the lever that she's pulled out to the middle of the room.

And Bunny's like, could this have something to do with that?

Speaker B: 01:09:46

Right?

Speaker A: 01:09:47

But my. My favorite thing about the. Possibly the entire movie. This sets up a trope, and it makes you wonder if the folks that made the.

The 80s Leslie Nielsen movie. Actually, no, I don't think it was Leslie Nielsen. It was in it. But. Airplane, where the flight attendant saves the day with a hairpin. A bobby pin.

In the cockpit, Catherine Hepburn's character Bunny, sort of saves the day when Emorek goes haywire. And Mr. Sumner is trying to figure out how to fix a short circuit or whatever. He says, I need a little piece of wire.

And magically Katherine Hepburn takes a bobby pin out of her hair. And it's like a moment from that 80s movie Airplane, and she's like, oh, would this fix it?

Speaker B: 01:10:39

Yeah. And that, that's such a trope though, is about how women of, of that era are always like fixing everything, like with a bobby pin. It was hilarious.

Speaker A: 01:10:49

But it also goes to show you, it's, it's a, it's, it's a. What do they call? It's a commentary on gender roles, that women are not good with mechanical things.

And yet a woman who would not be presumed to know what to do with this machine has a very simple solution. Yeah, I got a little piece of wire right here, Right?

Speaker B: 01:11:14

Yep. It's like they're always having to come and save the day from the stupid man. But in this case, it was kind of true. So.

Speaker A: 01:11:24

Well, and she saved him from himself because Richard Sumner couldn't even dress himself. His socks didn't match.

Speaker B: 01:11:31

I know, right? You live alone, your socks don't match.

And that's another thing is the scene where they went up to the top of the bookcases and just sat down, the two of them, and talked. That's something that again, would kind of be in that time period, a social taboo.

And yet at the same time, it was such a bonding moment for the two of them. I think that's when they first kind of realized that they, that they both might have some feelings for each other.

Speaker A: 01:12:02

I, I think that's one of the scenes that couldn't necessarily be reproduced with other people in those roles. Yeah, it's, it's what they would call ad libbed. It might not have been in the script, but with the right people in the part, they made it happen.

And it was just infectious because here these two characters are who enjoy each other's company, not for the fact that they find each other physically attractive. It's that, like science, they're magnetic with each other.

They have conversations that are intellectual and it's so, it's, it's so in charming and endearing because they're carrying on while they're drunk and. Right. They're fantasizing about being on a ship at sea, a cruise ship.

And they're talking about things like deck chairs and sitting next to each other.

Speaker B: 01:13:04

Right? Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:13:07

Oh, so we're, we're gonna have the last bing bong.

Speaker B: 01:13:15

So that's like Cooter Jacks using Suno.

Speaker A: 01:13:19

Right, so that's the, the, the, the big reveal of the, the drama there. So, okay, let me see. So the questions, we did do the questions, didn't we?

Speaker B: 01:13:30

Yeah, we pretty much covered that. Okay, edit, edit.

Speaker A: 01:13:34

Right, edit, edit, edit.

So, okay, so of the other folks that shared the screen with Katherine Heern and Spencer Tracy, there was just a small handful of folks that could, that made a name for themselves.

Now I for one looked up the, the young actor who was the, the payroll kid and I was surprised because he seemed to have quite a bit of charm on screen there. I thought he would have done a few other things, but apparently he left acting and became a pastor.

Speaker B: 01:14:05

Oh, wow. Well, that's acting, frankly.

Speaker A: 01:14:08

But who was the boyfriend in the desk set? The boss man?

Speaker B: 01:14:13

Oh my God. It was the most handsome gig. Young, with a name like Gig, I'm surprised he didn't go further. But he was Mike Cutler.

And yeah, he was the charming television executive boyfriend who strung her along for 10 years. Seriously.

Speaker A: 01:14:33

And then there's the, the office gal pal, Peg. Yes, Joe, Joan Blondell. Now she was the one who sold Bunny when Bunny was like, he asked me, Peg. He asked me. And she's like, when's the big day?

No, not a wedding. It's the dance. Like, oh, come on, woman.

Speaker B: 01:14:54

Right, exactly. And of course Peg's the type that, she's like, I don't want to be with anybody. She's like, anyway, good for you, Joan. You're a lesbian. Nothing.

And I'm happy that you are.

But then there's of course Dina Merrill, who played Mrs. Wariner, who was Sumner's polished and professional assistant and one who was responsible for getting all the misinformation out there to everybody.

Speaker A: 01:15:22

She's the one that pulled the lever, right?

Speaker B: 01:15:25

Yes, probably.

Speaker A: 01:15:28

So I didn't realize this and I'll let you do the reveal here because we, we often have a Star Trek connection.

But I for one will tell you that as, as a big name in Hollywood, as a rising star, Katharine Hepburn was influential for many people, including a young Kate Mulgrew, who would of course grow into the shoes of the role of the first woman captain in Star Trek. And long after Star Trek Voyager was off the air, as one does to pay their bills, Kate Mulgrew did a one woman show.

And it was a performance about moments in Katharine Hepburn's life. It was, I think, called Tea at Five. And I, I don't believe it was ever turned into a movie. But it was a play.

But anyways, Kate Mulgrew was inspired by Katharine Hepburn.

And watching the desk set, I have to tell you that there is a very sci fi feel in several parts of this movie because if you pay attention, the sound effects that they use, of course, in those days studios just had records that were stock effects, but the sound effects that were used when the computer Emirac went haywire, I want to say are straight out of the soundtrack from Forbidden Planet, because that would have been a recent movie at the time.

Speaker B: 01:17:02

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:17:02

Maybe Even also a 20th Century Fox film. But what I'm talking about is Katharine Hepburn standing in front of Amara, that big row of lights.

It looks very much like the view screen of a starship. So of course it would inspire someday for another woman named Catherine Cage.

Speaker B: 01:17:25

Yes.

Speaker A: 01:17:25

To be the captain of Voyager.

Speaker B: 01:17:29

That's right.

uding the Fantastic Voyage in: 1966

hat era, including the fly in: 1958

So you may have seen that in a number of shows. And those sound effects as well.

Speaker A: 01:18:16

Now, what is our actual Star Trek connection there, Matt?

Speaker B: 01:18:19

pisode the Paradise Syndrome,: 1968

Speaker A: 01:18:44

Oh. So that would have been less than a decade after the desk set.

So in terms of the story of the desk set, as we said, one of the marks of a good story is the timeliness of it. Could this be told today? Is it relevant with a modern audience? Now some questions come to mind.

Was there a character you wish had more screen time in the desk set match?

Speaker B: 01:19:10

I would have liked to have seen maybe the girl, the two girls that worked there that didn't get a lot of screen time, maybe seen them a little bit more. I, I mean, I think everybody got a great. Did well for what they were, but if anybody, probably those two I would like to see bumped up a little bit.

Did you actually know that this was based on a play?

Speaker A: 01:19:36

Really?

Speaker B: 01:19:37

Yeah. And I've never heard of the Play. But I came across that it was based on a play from that time period. Yeah, huh.

Speaker A: 01:19:46

Of all the characters in the movie, I think somebody who could have done with more screen time. And this is. This was an enigma to me. The older woman who walks around the office dressed.

Speaker B: 01:20:04

Yes.

Speaker A: 01:20:05

Like she's going to be leaving.

Like she's got her hat on, she's got her purse on, and she doesn't speak, but she's always walking into a room and acting like she forgot why she was there. Now, I, for one, looked it up as I was watching it. Hello, Matt. Name minutia.

I thought that she was the first woman who played Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched. She wasn't.

Speaker B: 01:20:30

No.

Speaker A: 01:20:31

I would like to have seen more time on screen for that character. She didn't have to have speaking lines. Maybe she just needed a little more.

I think that a good added element to the story was that she was actually the big boss, the president's mom.

Speaker B: 01:20:49

Oh, you see, that's what I thought she originally was.

Speaker A: 01:20:53

Yeah.

Speaker B: 01:20:53

But, yeah, no, it turned out that she. She was the. She was the original model for the big logo that they had.

Speaker A: 01:21:02

Oh, really?

Speaker B: 01:21:03

Yeah, she was like. She was like the. Oh, gosh, I don't even know what you call it, but like the good time. Yes, exactly. For. For the network. That's what she was.

But I thought. I thought she was gonna turn out to be like the president's mom or something like that.

I think she just walk in and get a drink and have a drink of champagne and then throw some papers at somebody and leave. And it's like, okay.

Speaker A: 01:21:28

I think that the. The. The present day take on the story would have included a inside office rumor that she had been fired years ago. But she keeps coming to work.

Speaker B: 01:21:42

See, that's another thing that I thought they might do, actually. I was like, well, she's kind of senile. We just let her still believe that she's working here. But. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:21:54

If you could change the ending, what would you do differently?

Speaker B: 01:21:59

I. I don't know if I would really necessarily change anything except maybe have Gig see them together and realize. And have something where some. Some type of emote where he realizes what he's lost.

Speaker A: 01:22:20

Yeah.

Speaker B: 01:22:21

And that he was a fool for not seeing who Bunny really was.

Speaker A: 01:22:27

There was a certain satisfaction in the end of the movie realizing that Bunny took a shine to Richard instead of Mike. Because there were several things that happened through the course of the movie that. That suggested he was being replaced.

Like Richard getting his bathrobe.

Speaker B: 01:22:46

Right.

Speaker A: 01:22:47

But then also the bathrobe got returned because she couldn't give him something he was expecting. And she gave him what, Matt? She said the ad for them said for the man who has everything. What did Bunny get him for Christmas in the end?

Speaker B: 01:23:04

Oh, bongo drunk.

Speaker A: 01:23:06

Yes.

Speaker B: 01:23:06

Okay, but okay also it's like Christmas and he's supposed to be interested in her. And what does he get her? That rabbit. I didn't even want to like. The idea of touching that rabbit made me make my skin crawl.

And it's a place to hide champagne, which is even more like okay, girl.

Speaker A: 01:23:24

And that's suggesting that he thinks that he's got to force himself on her because consent is not a thing then those days.

Speaker B: 01:23:31

That's true. But he was just like, I was just like, oh my gosh, that's really what you want. Got her and you're gonna marry.

And, and he actually with that was when he was going to propose to her too.

Speaker A: 01:23:43

Right.

Speaker B: 01:23:44

But and it wasn't, it wasn't a romantic proposal. It was like a, Everybody thinks we're married. We might as well here.

Speaker A: 01:23:52

Yeah, I, I, he probably got turned down by his trick in Chicago. She's the runner up.

Speaker B: 01:23:58

Maybe she's his beard. But yeah, but.

Speaker A: 01:24:01

And then of course the just desserts is the fact that he has no interest in the bongos and Richard ends up playing them because now he's not just drunk, he's entertaining and drunk. He's not a loudmouth foul drunk.

Speaker B: 01:24:16

Well, and I love the way that when that Bunny and he have a spinal confrontation or whatever, you can tell that Sumner wants to interrupt it. He sits right outside the door and he bangs those bongo drums super loud.

Speaker A: 01:24:30

Right. I was watching a movie recently on TV and I just happened to be channel surfing and I landed on this, it was like on Pluto.

I was watching Earth Girls are Easy.

Speaker B: 01:24:42

Oh yes.

Speaker A: 01:24:43

With the fabulous Geena Davis, of course. Yes. And Jim Carrey. I, I was watching Pluto and I came across Earth Girls are Easy.

And it's funny because desk set in Earth Girls are Easy are roughly almost 30 years apart. But they borrow the same story lines.

Speaker B: 01:25:07

Okay.

Speaker A: 01:25:08

Where Geena Davis's character in Earth Girls Are Easy.

Of course, she's sort of a pretty face in this, in that movie, she's got a boyfriend who's well to do, but he's also high strung and she's questioning whether or not they should get married. Well, she's done a favor when these, those aliens show up on the site. Also, Jeff Goldblum, right in the same way in the desk. Satch.

Katherine Hepburn's character, Bunny, is done a favor when Richard Sumner shows up, because here she was going to settle for the man who'd been stringing her along for seven years when she deserved better and better, came along and recognized it and saved her.

Speaker B: 01:25:51

Yeah. Yep. Definitely.

Speaker A: 01:25:55

She.

Speaker B: 01:25:56

She did.

Speaker A: 01:25:56

Katharine Hepburn didn't quite right off into the sunset on the rocket ship. But maybe that's the new version.

Speaker B: 01:26:04

Yeah. No, they. But I'll tell you, they were a good couple because they weren't taking each other for granted.

Speaker A: 01:26:11

Yeah. As far as changing the ending. And what would I do differently? I think that I would have.

I would have Bunny quit and have her boss have to deal with her not being there anymore. And I would have Bunny and Richard go off and maybe start their own company. Because Richard, of course, he's an engineer.

He's a guy that other companies hire. He's a consultant. In theory, he may actually have his own company. It's not. It's just not presented that way.

Speaker B: 01:26:49

Right.

Speaker A: 01:26:50

m as he. He basically has the: 1957

Speaker B: 01:27:00

Right. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:27:02

I think that's how I would change it is that Bunny would add insult to injury and quit so that Mike has to run the department, and then she and Richard start their own company.

Speaker B: 01:27:14

Interesting. Did you. That during. Cat. Did you know that during casting, Catherine actually fought for the woman to play Peg to get that role?

And she was very heavily involved in casting the other girls as well.

Speaker A: 01:27:31

Really?

Speaker B: 01:27:32

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:27:33

They did have a very good chemistry. They presented themselves as though they actually did work together because they looked out for each other.

Speaker B: 01:27:41

Absolutely. And that. That made it a richer story because you cared about them more, because they seem to really be bonded and care about each other.

Who are you gonna ask me?

Speaker A: 01:27:52

Oh, I was going to say, what character would you most want to hang out with in real life and why?

Speaker B: 01:27:57

Oh, Catherine. Absolutely. I think she would be a blast to hang out with.

Speaker A: 01:28:05

And if I knew anyone like Mike Cutler in real life, I probably would have tripped him going down the stairs.

Speaker B: 01:28:10

Oh, well, yeah. After we snogged him. But that's all he was worth is a good snog, I think.

Speaker A: 01:28:17

Well, you know. You know that he knew how to snuck booze into the party.

Speaker B: 01:28:21

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:28:22

Of course, in those days, you didn't have to sneak it.

Speaker B: 01:28:25

I know. It was, like, everywhere. Okay. How many bottles of champagne did they open that expl. Exploded all over the floor? And they still. Still.

It was like three or Four. It's like they always acted like it was a huge surprise. I'm like, you just did it five minutes ago.

Speaker A: 01:28:40

I. I loved how Peg, Bunny's friend in the office there, told her that if she took her bottle of champagne over to Legal, she wouldn't get any of it.

Speaker B: 01:28:54

Oh, and I love the trick where she saw. And this is. This is like, an amazing aside that makes these movies, that makes these stories more real. When she. When. When they. They came. The.

The mail guy came in, delivered the mail, and then was going off to the other thing, and they gave him a tip, and they said, do you have a $5 bill? Put it in there. Tell them how generous you were. Talk it up and add. Add your own money to it, and they'll meet you and give you money.

And I'm like, it's little things like that that make stories rich. I love it.

Speaker A: 01:29:33

Right. And it tells you that her character has been there before.

Speaker B: 01:29:37

Right.

Speaker A: 01:29:38

This is just the office boy. He's a gopher, so he's probably not making very much. And in. In today's world, he probably has another job.

She's telling him how to make Christmas a little bit nicer for himself.

Speaker B: 01:29:51

Yeah. And. But that also shows that she's one of those people. She's watching out for everybody. So.

Speaker A: 01:29:59

So as far as the characters that I might want to hang out with.

Speaker B: 01:30:03

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:30:04

Well, you know what? I'm gonna be different, and I'm gonna say Peg because.

Speaker B: 01:30:10

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:30:11

I think Peg knew enough to tell Bunny that she was barking up the wrong tree because Mike had been stringing her along for seven years.

Speaker B: 01:30:21

Right.

Speaker A: 01:30:21

llowed this to happen. But in: 1957

Speaker B: 01:30:44

Right. That's true. But I think. I think she would have. Because that would be part of her. Her. Her life. Yeah. I think she would need purpose.

She would have to keep working.

Speaker A: 01:30:56

But if anybody else was Bunny, Peg would be the next person in charge of the office.

Speaker B: 01:31:03

Right. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:31:05

So that's how you find out where the bodies are buried. You make friends with the number, the.

Speaker B: 01:31:09

Number two, because they've got the end. And Peg is one of those that would have the gossip and be happy to. Happy to spread it.

Speaker A: 01:31:17

She knows where the second bottle of champagne is.

Speaker B: 01:31:20

Right.

Speaker A: 01:31:23

facts about the desk set from: 1957

Speaker B: 01:31:34

Well, we talked about a few of them but also including how Catherine chose the actresses who played her co workers and she fought for Joan to be in the cast, which is really amazing.

But the only thing we didn't really talk about was that although that the technology of computerized research was seriously only in its infancy when this film was made, the concern actually was real in the workplace that eventually the computers might replace most American workers. And that was on the minds of a lot of people in that time. This movie was very timely.

Speaker A: 01:32:13

Oh yeah. I mean I was just saying to my sister who is a little bit afraid of AI I, I've.

We've had that conversation where our employers, our companies encourage using it because it makes you more efficient at doing your job kind of thing.

But I, I said to her I've been in the workforce long enough that I remember working at companies at a time when it was considered okay for somebody to read you their credit card number over the phone.

Speaker B: 01:32:42

Right.

Speaker A: 01:32:43

And I've also worked for Internet companies where at that point in time it was considered okay because you were the administrator for you to be able to see customers passwords because.

Speaker B: 01:32:56

Right. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:32:57

They would call in all the time saying that they forgot it. Whereas today the de facto is hit this button and you get a random piece of gibberish as your new password.

In those days you saw the passwords and, and oftentimes I will tell you that the passwords were generally worse than the email addresses because there are some pretty devious people out there and you learn their secrets when you see their passwords. Okay. We are going to talk about other programs you might enjoy if you like things like the desk set from 57.

is is going to be a film from: 2002

It stars Ms. Sandra Bullock who was in our season premiere as we talked about the net but it also stars Mr. British celebrity there that got in trouble with an evening a lady of the night there Mr. Hugh Grant in in this romantic comedy. It's about an idealistic lawyer who is completely overworked and taken for granted by her charming but childish billionaire boss.

. I'm going to recommend from: 2002

Speaker B: 01:34:30

Oh, sassy. Yeah, I love a good Sandra Bullock movie.

All right, well, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna recommend something slightly older, maybe even older than a generation before you. I'm gonna.

I talked about this movie a little bit earlier, and this is a classic RKO film, but was directed by Gregory La Cava and it stars Katherine Hepburn, also Ginger Rogers and future legends. This is how early this is. Future legends. Lucille Ball, Eve Arden and Ann Miller. Oh, yeah.

All aspiring actresses living together in the Footlights Club of New York City, exploring their dreams, rivalries, and the harsh realities of show business. And basically, they're all actresses. They all go to New York and they're all trying to make it big. And so then they do.

The one that makes it big out of all of them that are struggling is Katharine Hepburn, who just shows up on a lark, basically like, oh, I think I might like to be an actress. I don't know. And she gets cast like, boom. And all the rest of them have been, like, working there. So they actually had. They actually had to.

iant. It's called stage door,: 1937

And is just absolutely amazing film. That's what I recommend.

Speaker A: 01:36:21

That was a. That was a reach back into our discussion here.

Speaker B: 01:36:24

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:36:24

Stage door from: 1937

Matt and I were talking behind the adult section here before the camera started rolling. I will go ahead and suggest a film that I really enjoy.

I like remakes, especially when they have enough changes in them to be considered a fresh take on something. I'm going to recommend a TV movie. You might have to dig to find this. But in the 70s there was a.

An update, an adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life, which of course had Jimmy Stewart and I. It wasn't Debbie Reynolds. I'm forgetting who it was. Maybe it was.

But anyways, there was a 70s TV movie version of it, It's a Wonderful Life that starred Marlo Thomas, who of course, as you might know, was the leading lady in that girl. And this is her version of It's a Wonderful Life called It Happened One Christmas.

Oh, and that's something I think you should watch during this festive season. And Matt, you were talking about a movie with Susan Lucci that I think.

Speaker B: 01:37:52

e movie. Anyway, it was. It's: 1995

Of daytime television for many, many years. And it's basically Charles Dickens the Christmas Carol.

And it's a modern twist because it's a female and she's just a ruthless businesswoman in charge of a mall, as you do. Anyway, it's basically she. Evie is a ruthless businesswoman and she's in charge of a mall. It is the 90s, right? Power. Power Woman mall.

It goes together. And she's taught the true Christmas spirit, of course, because her employment employee has a. A sickly child named Tim Surprise.

Who's actually played by Taran Noah Smith, who was the youngest kid on Home Improvement. And he's said to have an angelic voice. He doesn't. Turn the volume down.

Speaker A: 01:39:03

Turn your captions on, maybe.

Speaker B: 01:39:05

Oh, and I mean, if you're talking about chewing scenery, this, this boy like it's the entire set. It. It's not good. He was much better on Home Improvement, but not, not, not here. But Evie makes it worth watching. It's absolutely fun film.

Speaker A: 01:39:23

Excellent. Well, that darn VCR is blinking.

So we all know that tells us we're gonna find out what's coming up next before we kiss under the mistletoe one more time. Not Matt and I, by the way. And I'm not responsible if, if it's Cooter Jack.

Although if I had a little bit of holiday cheer, maybe a lot of holiday cheer, but the man smells like pine salt. It's going to take a little bit more than that.

Speaker B: 01:39:51

I think that's pine wood from his cutting down trees. But.

Speaker A: 01:39:56

We'Re going to let the VCR play here. Here we go.

Speaker B: 01:39:59

Next time on Matinee Minutia, join Mulberry, a cheerful apprentice grim reaper who arrives at the manor of the acerbic spinster Miss Rose Farnaby to escort her to the afterlife, but instead becomes her reluctant servant. He uses his unusual job to help her find joy in life, defying his supernatural duties and forming an unlikely bond.

Speaker A: 01:40:21

Oh, so that was awesome. And it was a 90s British television show.

Speaker B: 01:40:28

Yes.

Speaker A: 01:40:30

Okay, well, everybody enjoy your holidays responsibly.

I know that I try to be responsible and not go back out there to the park because the boss lady, she likes to tell you that you only get paid if you come back to her place. But no, she's got to. Bring her. Bring the check here.

Speaker B: 01:40:53

Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:40:55

Anything else you want to tell the listeners this holiday season?

Speaker B: 01:40:58

No. Have a wife, wonderful time. Let us know what movies you watched, what. What your favorite holiday movies are. We want to know. Yeah.

Speaker A: 01:41:09

Be kind. Rewind.

Speaker B: 01:41:10

Right.

Speaker A: 01:41:12

Thank you for listening to Mad Name Minutia.

Speaker B: 01:41:15

Our show is released on the first and third Friday of most months.

Speaker A: 01:41:19

Find our group on Facebook.

Speaker B: 01:41:22

Find our videos on Odyssey.

Speaker A: 01:41:24

O D y S. Follow us on Blue Sky. DJ is at DJ Starsage.

Speaker B: 01:41:32

Matt @sbamat. Send us an email at matnamenutia at gmail com.