applemike

I'm so glad to see that many others do appreciate this film.

I get so tired of reading critical analyses of their films (and there have certainly been many since Ms. Hepburn's recent passing) that gloss over and dismiss "Desk Set" as one of their "lesser" efforts. In some ways the film is unique in that it has a slower pace and more relaxed manner than some of the earlier films. But for me, that's one of its many pleasures. I have watched this film many times, and even had the pleasure of seeing it on the big wide screen at a revival house a number of years ago. It's filled with many charming and even downright hilarious moments, and I never tire of it. There are many examples of those marvelous Tracy-Hepburn moments of delightful naturalism -- where it's almost hard to believe they aren't just making it up as they go along!

When is the widescreen letterboxed version of this (which has been shown on AMC) going to finally be available on DVD?

This movie was partially re-shot and re-edited for television, and that's the only version that ever turns up. I sure wish the original theatrical version would become available on VHS or DVD. I remember this as being a wonderfully atmospheric, creepy movie. I was shocked the first time I viewed it on TV, because I vividly remembered a climactic scene where Gayle Hunnicutt was descending a big staircase and being chased and overtaken by a virtual sea of cats running around and past her. It was a visually stunning shot. Yet, in the televised version, she was being chased by one (count it) ONE solitary little kitty! It looked ridiculous, and you had to assume she was running based on some intense phobia, which isn't really established earlier in the story. This is a little gem, which deserves being restored to its theatrical release version.