Desk Set

Bunny Watson works as a documentalist in the reference library of the Federal Broadcasting Network in Midtown Manhattan. She and her staff research facts and answer questions for the general public, showcasing her competence and wit. The setting establishes the importance of human judgment in a world of rising automation.

Methods engineer Richard Sumner, inventor of EMERAC, is brought in to assess the library and size up a possible installation. He observes how the staff works and begins envisioning how the electronic brain could fit into their workflow. He maps out the potential integration and what it would mean for their routines.

Despite Bunny's initial resistance, Richard is impressed by her intelligence and engaging personality. He realizes that the machine could complement human workers rather than merely replace them. The encounter hints at a budding tension between automation and personal chemistry.

The reference staff overhear about EMERAC and fear they will be replaced by automation. Anxiety grows as they worry about layoffs and major changes to their routines. The mood shifts from curiosity to insecurity within the team.

An innocuous but seemingly salacious moment at Bunny's apartment is witnessed by Mike Cutler. He realizes that Richard is a potential romantic rival and begins to consider committing to Bunny. The love triangle adds personal stakes to the professional tension.

A pink layoff slip printed by a similar EMERAC appears in payroll, alarming Bunny and her staff with the notion that everyone could be fired. The fear of unemployment spreads quickly through the office. The incident underscores the power of the machine to influence perceptions, even before it fully operates.

It turns out the layoff slip was a mistake and the network has kept the merger hush-hush. EMERAC has actually been installed to help the employees cope with the extra workload, not to replace them. The misdirection reveals corporate caution and the real purpose behind Emmy's presence.

Richard reveals his romantic interest to Bunny, confessing his feelings and inviting a relationship. Bunny remains skeptical, believing EMERAC will always take priority over romance. The moment deepens the personal stakes of the evolving dynamic.

Bunny pushes the machine beyond its limits to see whether it can think and operate beyond the staff. Richard resists fixing it immediately, choosing to preserve human judgment as long as possible. The test probes the balance between automation and human expertise.

The conflict comes to a head as Richard finally yields and forces an emergency shutdown of EMERAC. This act demonstrates the limits of automation and the value of human oversight. The moment shifts the trajectory from competition to collaboration.

With the crisis resolved, Bunny accepts Richard's marriage proposal, signaling a new balance between technology and romance. Their partnership suggests a future where human judgment and innovation work together. The ending ties personal commitment to the broader theme of coexistence with machines.