The Pajama Game (1957) is a tired little warhorse of a musical. The plot concerns itself with the whopping seven-and-a-half cent raise demand put forth by the feisty grievance committee chair person, Babe Williams (Doris Day) on behalf of the general laborers working for Sleep-Tite apparel manufacturers. Shop superintendent and company man, Sid Sorokin (John Raitt) has other plans. He's interested in the heated discussions he shares with Babe, but more from a purely romantic angle that would have most of today's HR departments screaming sexual harassment. Ah, me, consider it foreplay. For very soon in the game Babe finds herself happily getting the hint and melting to the demands of her boss/lover. However, when Sleep Tite's president, Vernon Hines (Eddie Foy Jr.) decides to put his foot down, you can bet that the whole business of hearts and flowers goes the way of the domestic dust bin in a hurry.
Based on the modest Broadway sensation choreographed by Bob Fosse, the film is co-directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen the latter staging some brilliant set piece musical numbers - particularly 'Hernando's Hideaway', sung and danced by a candle-lit processional that turns into a jazzy riff at a local hot spot, and, the brilliantly executed dance in the park during a company picnic, set to the tune of 'Once A Year-Day'. Yet for all its energy the film today seems to lack that essential spark required to make it an instant classic. Doris Day is in fine voice with 'There Was A Man' but John Raitt is a singer and romantic lead unequal to the task. He has no presence on the screen and is quite easily dominated by the rambunctious Ms. Day.
Warner's DVD is a re-release, previously made available over a year ago with different packaging. The transfer is the same on both discs: absolutely stunning. Colors are very bold and rich. Shadow and contrast levels are marvelous. Blacks are deep and solid. Whites are clean: truly, nothing to complain about. The audio has been remixed to 5.1 and delivers an admirable kick during the musical sequences, but sounds rather unnatural and strident during the rest of the audio presentation. Dialogue is decidedly forward sounding with no spread across the channels. The only extra is a deleted song; 'The Man Who Invented Love.'
Based on the modest Broadway sensation choreographed by Bob Fosse, the film is co-directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen the latter staging some brilliant set piece musical numbers - particularly 'Hernando's Hideaway', sung and danced by a candle-lit processional that turns into a jazzy riff at a local hot spot, and, the brilliantly executed dance in the park during a company picnic, set to the tune of 'Once A Year-Day'. Yet for all its energy the film today seems to lack that essential spark required to make it an instant classic. Doris Day is in fine voice with 'There Was A Man' but John Raitt is a singer and romantic lead unequal to the task. He has no presence on the screen and is quite easily dominated by the rambunctious Ms. Day.
Warner's DVD is a re-release, previously made available over a year ago with different packaging. The transfer is the same on both discs: absolutely stunning. Colors are very bold and rich. Shadow and contrast levels are marvelous. Blacks are deep and solid. Whites are clean: truly, nothing to complain about. The audio has been remixed to 5.1 and delivers an admirable kick during the musical sequences, but sounds rather unnatural and strident during the rest of the audio presentation. Dialogue is decidedly forward sounding with no spread across the channels. The only extra is a deleted song; 'The Man Who Invented Love.'