Summertime (1955)

Not for the first time, I watch a movie in the summer because of its title. I suspect that I put it on my queue for Katharine Hepburn. Possibly for director David Lean, but despite my love of Lawrence of Arabia and Bride on the River Kwai, his hits rarely do much for me.

Jane (Hepburn) goes alone on vacation to Italy for the first time, specifically to Venice. She makes the acquaintance of a young, apparently orphaned boy with good English skills who alternately begs, attempts shady sales, and does her favors, garnering mixed reactions from her. She also meets shopkeeper Renato (Rossano Brazzi), who initially gives her creepy vibes but rapidly charms his way into her heart. Unfortunately, he doesn't tell her that he has a wife somewhere....

State of the Union (1948)

I didn't think I'd care to see a political comedy-drama on screen after getting so much of it in reality lately. But when Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, and 22-year-old Angela Lansbury are being directed by Frank Capra, the subject hardly matters to me.

There appears to be a double meaning to the title. The marriage of airplane industrialist Grant (Tracy) and Mary (Hepburn) Matthews is on the rocks, with Grant having a paramour in newspaper magnate heiress Kay Thorndyke (Lansbury). But Kay is willing to sacrifice her extramarital relationship for political sway as she taps Grant to run for president, which pretty much requires the apparent support of his wife. He warms up to the idea in light of his strong convictions, and so does Mary, despite his continual business-related proximity to Kay. The real trouble arises when his backers talk him into compromises to maximize his chance at election.

Desk Set (1957)

I usually wait longer between comedies, partly because there aren't a whole lot that I want to see. But it's good to have one on hand on a day when you receive sad news, as I had (details not to be described here). This color comedy sat near the front of my streaming list.

A group of library reference clerks takes notice when an eccentric stranger with few people skills, Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy), starts measuring their work space. Their boss told Sumner not to explain his purpose, but they can guess: The company plans to buy an "electronic brain," which usually means layoffs. Head clerk Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) gradually, accidentally develops some sort of closeness with Sumner, despite her hopes to marry the exec (Gig Young) she's been seeing for years.