Movie Reviews

‘The Pajama Game’ Blu-Ray Review – Doris Day Leads Talented Ensemble In Infectious Musical

By Dillon Gonzales
February 3, 2021
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We may not get quite as many movie musicals these days, but there was a time when audiences could not get enough of the toe-tapping joy these productions brought across the world. It is now easier than ever to find a way to experience the incomparable feeling that a well-done musical number can bring an individual. Back in the 1950s, the allure of Broadway was something of a fantasy to all but those who had the means to make it there themselves. Movie studios such as Warner Bros. and MGM were essential for bringing this culture to a larger audience with their film adaptations. One gem of a film that you might not be as familiar with is the 1957 adaptation of The Pajama Game, based on the 1953 novel 7½ Cents by Richard Pike Bissell. When you have producer-directors George Abbott (Damn Yankees) and Stanley Donen (Singin’ In The Rain) helping guide your ship, you know that there is something special in store. The film is a glorious, old-school musical in the best way imaginable. Warner Archive once again proves to be something of a savior for classic film fans as they give this one a new life in high definition.

While the recently released Good News had a plot that was very much inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, The Pajama Game offers up something a bit more substantial in its storytelling. The scene of the tale is the Sleeptite Pajama Factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where new superintendent Sid Sorokin (John Raitt) has been brought on to keep things moving smoothly. In order to do this, he will have to play nicely with the head of the Union Grievance Committee, Babe Williams (Doris Day, Pillow Talk). The workers in the factory perform backbreaking work for the greedy Myron Hasler (Ralph Dunn), and all they ask for is a 7½ cent raise – which does not go over too well. Sparks fly during the first meeting between Sid and Babe, but the idea of a potential romance causes them great concern due to their competing interests. The film does not set out to reinvent the wheel with this particular narrative, but the dynamic at play between fighting for worker’s rights and staying true to your heart is one that is elegantly mined for a great deal of comedy and drama.

One of the smartest things that The Pajama Game did on its journey to becoming a feature film was retaining nearly all of the original principle Broadway cast members, except in the case of Doris Day and Jack Straw (Prez). This allows the ensemble to feel like a well-oiled machine with an earned chemistry that is hard to manufacture out of thin air. One of the shining examples of this is the hilarious and problematic relationship between Gladys (Carol Haney) and “Hine-sie” (Eddie Foy, Jr.). The two have a playful jealousy that goes more than a bit overboard near the end of the film, but the ease with which they verbally spar with one another is a highlight among the non-music portions of the film. This dynamic leads to one of the funnier songs in the film “I’ll Never Be Jealous Again” in which Hines attempts to shake off theoretical indiscretions that Mabel (Reta Shaw) lobs his way. Day may not be an original member of the Broadway production, but she is simply phenomenal in her lead role – both when singing and acting. The story makes her fall for Sid pretty quickly, but thankfully Day and Raitt have a believable chemistry that sells it for the audience.

While the story is all well and good, it is the music that needs to be sizzling in order to stand out – and The Pajama Game certainly succeeds in that respect. You will find yourself humming these songs long after the film has concluded, which seems like a good litmus test for a musical. “I’m Not At All In Love” is a cheeky, infectious number that gives Day an early chance to shine. “Hernando’s Hideaway” is a sultry little tune that is staged in a really inventive manner. The highlight of the film, though, is the grand spectacle that is “Once-A-Year-Day.” This is the type of number that will make a person fall in love with musicals. The fact that the film was choreographed by the incredible Bob Fosse (Cabaret) certainly did not hurt. The Pajama Game takes what works on stage and finds a way to translate that into an even grander cinematic spectacle. Every aspect of this film is working together in perfect harmony to deliver something truly special. This production was not on my radar prior to this new release, but I was completely blown away by this unexpected delight. If you are open to a grand movie musical, you just might be, as well.

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents The Pajama Game with a drop dead gorgeous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original negative. I have seen Warner Archive pull out some miraculous transfers, but this one ranks among the best I have ever seen for a classic film. The film features some vibrant colors within the costumes and set design that pop off the screen with a wondrous intensity. The black levels are also very deep with a nice stability throughout. The level of detail and clarity is stunning with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The film appears to be almost entirely free of dirt and damage, which makes the feature feel like it could have been made yesterday. There does not appear to be any pesky digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. This presentation is an A+, 5-star effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is incredibly strong. With music being the driving force of the film, it is important to report that the track nails these elements beautifully. The track balances vocals with the crowded factory setting and the accompanying music with magnificent clarity. There are moments where the track is pushed to its limits with all of the competing elements, but the track maintains its fidelity like a champ. Normal dialogue comes through clearly from beginning to end. Warner Archive has provided a lovely audio track that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

Deleted Song – “The Man Who Invented Love”: A three-minute unused song from the movie as performed by Doris Day this is really quite lovely and should have been included in the film. Worth checking out for fans of the production.

Theatrical Trailer: A lengthy three-minute trailer that gives you a taste of several of the numbers from the film along with various humorous moments. It shows a bit too much, but it lets you know what you are getting into.

Final Thoughts

The Pajama Game is a real crowd-pleaser that sneaks up on you with how great it truly is. The production provides way more hits than misses in the songwriting department, and Doris Day delivers a dynamite performance. Warner Archive has given this one an A/V presentation that is beyond reproach along with a couple of supplemental features. If you are looking for something with a lot of laughs and heart to spare, this production should serve you well. Recommended

The Pajama Game can be purchased directly through Warner Archive or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.