Mainframes & Coffee Grinders: Desk Set

Reel Beans – Episode 6: Mainframes and Coffee Grinders

This week on Reel Beans, we explore the 1957 film Desk Set starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. We dive into tech anxiety, workplace dynamics, and what still holds true in 2025. Plus, we feature a rich, layered brew—Stumptown Coffee's Hair Bender—as the perfect pairing for this classic workplace comedy.

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🙏 Special Thanks

A heartfelt thanks to Casey Haltom and Allen Stafford for their thoughtful discussion and insights featured in this episode.

📚 Sources

🎬 Desk Set – Production, Reviews, and Cultural Commentary

• - Where to Watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/desk-set
• - Hepburn/Tracy filmography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Tracy_and_Katharine_Hepburn
• - LA Times article: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-01-04/katharine-hepburn-spencer-tracy-desk-set-1957
• - Popular Mechanics: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a34743057/desk-set-1957-computer-history/
• - Colorado AI News: https://coloradoaiengineering.medium.com/desk-set-1957-and-the-origins-of-ai-anxiety-f4f18723bd8e
• - Wikipedia – Reviews: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desk_Set#Reception
• - Wikipedia – Production: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desk_Set#Production
• - Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/desk_set
• - Britannica – Walter Lang: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Walter-Lang
• - Blonde at the Film: https://www.blondeatthefilm.com/post/desk-set-1957

📊 Gender & Workplace Stats

• - Forbes – Female CEOs: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2024/10/04/the-ceo-gender-gap-what-the-lack-of-female-leaders-means-for-all-working-women/
• - Statista – Women on Boards: https://www.statista.com/chart/13995/female-ceos-in-fortune-500-companies/

☕ Stumptown Coffee / Hair Bender Background

• - Stumptown Coffee – Official Site: https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/
• - Hair Bender Espresso: https://www.stumptowncoffee.com/products/hair-bender
• - Sprudge – Third Wave Coffee: https://sprudge.com/what-is-third-wave-coffee-45089.html
• - Eater – Duane Sorenson Interview: https://www.eater.com/2018/4/24/17274218/duane-sorenson-stumptown-coffee-interview
• - Roast Magazine: https://www.roastmagazine.com/about/roasteroftheyear/