Tracy and Hepburn = Magic
For classic film fans, it doesn't get any better than the films featuring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, but the special magic was in the movies they starred in together.
This latest and greatest offering provides all of their movies in one package, two that haven't been released on DVD before. For fans who have been buying each of their films as they've been released, there is little reason to duplicate those purchases here, as the two remaining films are also now being released. This is, however, a wonderful boxed set for fans new to these amazing actors, or for others who only have one or two of their movies.
Tracy and Hepburn are truly iconic: their sparkle on screen was a chemistry that was not only acting but very, very real. They were a committed couple for decades, but because Tracy was married but separated, they never publicly acknowledged their relationship during his life time. Tracy was a Catholic back in the days when divorce was not an...
"A Rare Tropical Fish -- Like You!"
I hesitate to write this review, since "Desk Set" is not merely my favorite Hepburn-Tracy movie, but also my favorite movie. Moreover, it includes my favorite scene in the movies, the "scene on the roof." Hence, I ain't objective. The roof scene, in which Tracy gives Hepburn what is essentially an I.Q. test, and Hepburn aces it, is not merely brilliant Tracy/Hepburn (told you I was biased), but a classic example of the jousting that occurs when a very smart guy meets a very smart woman. Inevitably -- because this is Tracy and Hepburn -- Richard Sumner admires and, eventually, falls madly in love with Bunny Watson, who dumps her long-time, self-centered, unappreciative boyfriend in order to marry him.
Everything about this film is delightful, from Tracy's cautioning Hepburn, "Never assume!" before relating the famous "detective" problem (see title of this review), to the office jokes between the legal department and the librarians, the floating-island dessert, Tracy's bongo...
Great stuff, but not much new
Hats off to Warner Brothers for making this set available, and at a great price. Only SEA OF GRASS and KEEPER OF THE FLAME are new to DVD. In fact, all of the other titles aren't even remastered, just ported over from previous DVD releases. The Kramer Collection edition of GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER is presented, including all of its extras. Likewise, the Fox edition of DESK SET includes all of its extras. The previous Universal DVD release of STATE OF THE UNION, with no extras (as per original release) is also included. The "bonus" disc, THE SPENCER TRACY LEGACY: A TRIBUTE BY KATHERINE HEPBURN, is the same program previously paired with FURY on an early WB DVD.
For non-die-hard fans who own previous editions of these films, Warner has kindly released SEA OF GRASS and KEEPER OF THE FLAME separately. If you don't already have any of these films, this set is a great value.
As to the mention by a previous reviewer that these discs are not DVD-Rs, that is...
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