Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Pajama Game
(1957)

100%

Snappy, catchy tunes, songs and brilliantly choreographed dance sequences in musical comedy mode. A labour relations operetta about the interdependence of management & workers and their generalised failure to work together as efficiently and as effectively as they could, given enough goodwill on both sides. Management refuses to pay promised wage raises; staff throw spanners in the works: A lesson for all would be capitalists.

The sexual chemistry between John RAITT and Doris DAY is effective as their dramatic conflict stems from the fact that he superintends a clothing company at which she is (to all intents & purposes) the Grievance Committee. And DAY is very believable as a workers' activist on the sweatshop production line on which she also works since she can act as well as she can sing. This inevitable conflict of interest drives the drama forward; while successfully mirroring the ups and downs of their sexual relationship and proving the internecine nature of such combats. Thus, their relationship successfully mirrors the industrial conflict shown; allowing us to personally identify with the drama and its characters.

This movie shows that there can be no compromise in sexual ethics – only in sexual politics. That personal relationships involve sharing while business relationships require give and take.


Copyright © 2009 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

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Science:



No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.



Jacob Bronowski… (1908 - 74), British scientist, author. Encounter (London, July 1971).


Sleep of Reason:



The dream of reason produces monsters. Imagination deserted by reason creates impossible, useless thoughts. United with reason, imagination is the mother of all art and the source of all its beauty.



Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes… (1746-1828), Spanish painter. Caption to Caprichos, number 43, a series of eighty etchings completed in 1798, satirical and grotesque in form.


Humans & Aliens:



I am human and let nothing human be alien to me.



Terence… (circa 190-159 BC), Roman dramatist. Chremes, in The Self-Tormentor [Heauton Timorumenos], act 1, scene 1.


Führerprinzip:



One leader, one people, signifies one master and millions of slaves… There is no organ of conciliation or mediation interposed between the leader and the people, nothing in fact but the apparatus - in other words, the party - which is the emanation of the leader and the tool of his will to oppress. In this way the first and sole principle of this degraded form of mysticism is born, the Führerprinzip, which restores idolatry and a debased deity to the world of nihilism.