The Pajama Game
by Stanley Donen
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DVD Cover Information
Director: Stanley DonenBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 101 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-04-26
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 70599
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- Labor and management at the Sleeptite Pajama Factory aren't getting much sleep lately: a proposed 7-1/2-cent hourly wage increase is the reason and a job action just may be the result. But not to worry: negotiating strategies here involve snappy stars, terrific tunes and dynamic dances, all part of one of the most infectiously joyful stage/screen musicals ever.Doris Day and a Broadway-seasoned sup
Movie Reviews of The Pajama Game
Movie Review: An Essential American Movie -- Don't Miss It
Summary: 5 Stars
There's a pretty good rule that books and movies and music that were smash hits when they were new have something wonderful or different about them that sets them apart from the pack. I'm not saying the rule is infallible -- "The Pina Colada Song" for example, should be wiped from human memory, but big hits are usually worth some time. This one you shouldn't miss.
The Pajama Game was a smash hit when it came out in the early '50s and was a brilliant example of the Golden Age of the Broadway musical. The America of the '50s recedes from us very rapidly now, the popular culture, the music, the language and mannerisms, the food, the technology are disappearing fast from memory. We do have a window though, through films like this, productions by some of the best musical, acting and artistic talents of the day who were fully involved with their time.
The stage play and the movie were primarily intended to be entertainment, but not empty entertainment. Ostensibly a comedy about love and a pajama factory, it carried a biting message about labor relations and the American economy of the time. It was a time of sharp labor conflict, but also of general optimism about the future of America - which was had won the Second World War, pulled its economy out of a long depression and was poised to become the leading world economic power. The fierce labor/management battles in the railroad, steel and coal industries were not a distant memory -- Truman tried to nationalize the coal industry in 1952 to break a strike (the Supreme Court said 'nuts' to that), but things were generally going well, unions were strong and the forecast for peace and prosperity looked great.
I will simply say "don't miss this movie". For those born in the last several decades, some things may be jarring -- the cast is entirely white, the physical comedy (especially between men and women) seems a little strong, and there is a profound lack of irony -- but that's the way the popular culture was then. But the factory scenes, the houses people and mannerisms are spot on for the time. There is also a very strong atmosphere of romanticism and sexual tension -- the 1950s kind without the swear words and ass jokes. Doris Day may have been lampooned as the 'eternal virgin' by the 'sophisticated' crowd of the day, but when she swoons in the arms of John Raitt, it's a real swoon by someone that knew something about sex.
John Raitt is also spectacular as the male lead. He was a leading singer of the day (father of Bonnie Raitt) and probably deserved a bigger movie career than he got. The character actors and supporting cast are all unknown today but were also at the top of their profession at the time and give first class performances. The dance numbers are also wonderful -- even for those that don't especially care for dance numbers -- although they lack the glitzy special effects and computer animation that seems obligatory in today's productions.
See something different today -- see this movie.
Summary of The Pajama Game
EMPLOYEES OF THE SLEEPTITE PAJAMA FACTORY ARE LOOKING FOR A RAISE & THEY WON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. BABE WILLIAMS ISTHEIR FEISTY EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVE BUT SHE MAY HAVE FOUND HER MATCH IN SHOP SUPERINTENDENT SID SOROKIN. WHEN THE TWO GETTOGETHER THEY WIND UP TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN JOB ACTIONS!Similar DVD Movies
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