The Pajama Game

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Movie Info

The Broadway musical Pajama Game was based on Seven and a Half Cents. a comic novel about labor relations written by Richard Bissell. Doris Day stars as an employee at a pajama factory who becomes the spokesperson for her fellow workers when management refuses to give them a 7 1/2 cent raise. Complicating matters is the fact that Management is represented by handsome John Raitt, who happens to be in love with Day. A subplot involves Day's freewheeling co-worker Carol Haney and her insanely jealous boyfriend, factory-manager Eddie Foy Jr. Many of the cast members from the original Broadway production (Raitt, Haney, Foy, Reta Shaw, Peter Gennaro etc.) are retained for the film version, as are most of the Richard Adler/Jerry Ross songs: highlights include "Hey There", "Steam Heat", "Hernando's Hideaway", "There Once Was a Man". and the title song. The choreography is in the capable hands (and feet) of Bob Fosse. Pajama Game performed so well at the box-office that Warners immediately went to work on the filmization of the second (and last) Adler/Ross Broadway collaboration, Damn Yankees.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Classics, Comedy, Musical & Performing Arts, Romance
Directed By:

George Abbott, Stanley Donen
Written By:

George Abbott, Richard Bissell
In Theaters:

Aug 29, 1957 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Sep 21, 1999
Runtime:

101 minutes
Studio:

Warner Bros.

Cast

Doris Day
as Katie (Babe) Williams

John Raitt
as Sid Sorokin

Carol Haney
as Gladys Hotchkiss

Eddie Foy Jr.
as Vernon Hines

Reta Shaw
as Mabel

Barbara Nichols
as Poopsie

Thelma Pelish
as Mae

Jack Straw
as Prez

Ralph Dunn
as Hasler

Owen Martin
as Max

Jackie Kelk
as 1st Helper

Ralph Chambers
as Charlie

Mary Stanton
as Brenda

Buzz Miller
as Featured Dancer

Kenneth LeRoy
as Featured Dancer

Jack Waldron
as Salesman

Barry Bernard
as Anderson

Ralph Volkie
as 2nd Helper

Franklin Fox
as Pop Williams

William A. Forester
as Joe

Ellie Kent
as Carol

Peter Gennaro
as Dancer

Mara McAfee
as Sabrina

Elmore Henderson
as Waiter

Fred Villani
as Tony the Headwaiter

Bek Nelson
as Lola

Betty Utey
as Patsy

Kathy Marlowe
as Holly

Otis Griffith
as Otis

Lynn Bernay

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Critic Reviews for The Pajama Game

All Critics (11) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (1)

This is a delicious, bright and cheerful film.

Nov 24, 2014

David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
It may not be especially distinguished filmmaking, but historically, it's a treasure trove.

Mar 14, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
As the two leads' flowering romance begins to grow further apart, the strain is conveyed through the mechanized perfectionism of the choreography.

May 4, 2005 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
Day particularly overdoes her schtick and sends the movie too often into self-parody

May 4, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
The Pajama Game may not be the greatest musical of all time..., but it's got some memorable songs and dances. And that's enough to carry the day.

Apr 25, 2005 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…

John J. Puccio
Movie Metropolis
Underappreciated musical gem. One of Day's best, and oh, the "Steam Heat" number!

Apr 4, 2003 | Rating: 5/5

Nell Minow
Movie Mom
One of the better musicals of its era, and a fascinating fusion of two disparate genres.

May 14, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com