The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
| 29 August 1957 (USA)
The Pajama Game Trailers

An Iowa pajama factory worker falls in love with an affable superintendent who had been hired by the factory's boss to help oppose the workers' demand for a pay raise.

Reviews
Boobirt Stylish but barely mediocre overall
Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined
Tacticalin An absolute waste of money
Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.
Petri Pelkonen The Pajama Game (1957) is a musical comedy set in a pajama factory. It follows the romance of the factory worker and member of the employee union's leadership Babe and the new superintendent Sid. This movie from 60 years back has two directors. George Abbott, who lived up to the high age of 107 (!) is the other. Then the other is Stanley Donen, who is 93 now. He is the man and the master of many classics including Singin' in the Rain. His collaboration with the main star Doris Day, who turned 95 last month, works great. This great actress, singer and animal welfare activist is just radiant in the lead. And the male lead, John Raitt in the role of Sid Sorokin is terrific. They both have a great singing voice. Carol Haney is wonderful as Gladys. Eddie Foy Jr is superb as the knife throwing Hines. Other great talents include Reta Shaw (Mabel), Thelma Pelish (Mae) and Jack Straw (Prez). The Pajama Game was a positive surprise to me. I didn't even recall hearing of the movie before finding out one library had it as a DVD. It was originally a Broadway play. There are some amazing musical numbers, that are also greatly choreographed. Racing with the Clock is one great example. Or Once-A- Year-Day. Or There Once Was a Man. And the song that I was familiar with, Hernando's Hideaway. It is performed by Carol Haney and boy does it sound good! Richard Adler and Jerry Ross are behind the music. There is also a social message in the movie, with these pajama factory workers demanding for a raise, which they'd totally deserve. But most important message of the movie is you can always break into song and dance in whatever situation.
daviddaphneredding I like John Raitt, Eddie Foy, Jr., and especially Doris Day in this movie, and I liked the songs, but the plot was somewhat controversial in this George Abbott/Stanley Donan production from Warner Brothers from 1957. The plot centers around the workers in a pajama factory putting forth endless efforts for their seven-and-a-half-cents-an-hour raise. Thus, to some extent this is a "serious" musical,though, granted, it is humorous in places, but again is a story about a sensitive issue. Too often anymore too many places go on strike for a raise, and it ends up affecting the whole economy in this country.Does this movie seem to say that fighting for raises is "cute"? I wonder. But again, the songs and occasional comedy are very entertaining, john Raitt and Doris Day click, and it does end up on a positive note. Yet, if this is supposed to be a comedy, then deal with something less controversial.
simonrosenbaum I'm currently working my way through a Doris Day box set and having now watched 10 of them this is by far the least entertaining one I've seen.I agree with those that think there are too many songs for the amount of time the films lasts but that wouldn't really matter if the songs were more memorable than they are.The biggest problem though for me is the lack of a decent story and the very unappealing leading man. It also manages to be bland and at the same time rather sinister which makes you feel a bit unsettled. The whole knife throwing at the picnic scene being the main example of that. It's possible that the songs might grow on me if I heard them a few times but I don't think I would want to watch the film again. 3/10
ryancm While not the best musical ever, it is certainly entertaining. Lots and lots of songs (more than dialog it seems) with a frail story line to keep the songs going. Too bad they had to sanitize some of the songs, but because of severe censorship in the 50's it had to be done. Even in the 7 1/2 CENTS number, the had to change "hell-of-a lot_ to "heck-of-a lot". Seems silly. I'LL NEVER BE JEALOUS AGAIN was changed even more...to bad. Other lyrics as well were changed, but at least they made it into the final cut, unlike other musicals that take out almost everything and add new numbers. Only three numbers were cut from the stage version and it's too bad A NEW TOWN IS A BLUE TOWN wasn't included.The performances are all top notch. A perfect vehicle for DORIS DAY, although JANIS PAIGE who did the stage version would have worked as well but she wasn't a big NAME. Ironic that JANIS had first billing and the lead in DORIS' first movie ROMANCE ON THE HIGHT SEAS, and about 8 years later DORIS takes over from JANIS. Oh well, that's show biz.For a fun way to spend and hour and 41 minutes, do see PAJAMA GAME. A bit stagy but after all it was a stage play.