The Seven Year Itch 1955

The Seven Year Itch 1955

The Seven Year Itch is a 1955 American romantic comedy film directed by Billy Wilder, from a screenplay he co-wrote with George Axelrod from the 1952 three-act play. The film stars Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, who reprised his stage role. It contains one of the most iconic pop-culture images of the 20th century – Monroe standing on a subway grate as her white dress is blown upwards by a passing train

 The titular phrase, which refers to a waning interest in monogamous relationship after seven years of marriage, has been used by psychologists

Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell),  like many other Manhattanites, packs his wife (Evelyn Keyes) and child off to summer vacation, while he stays behind to work. He begins to fantasize about other women and the opportunities he has now that his wife is out of town, but he promises himself he will not act on it. But then, he meets the girl (Marilyn Monroe) who rented the apartment upstairs for the summer

Cast

Tom Ewell                     –                   Richard Sherman
Marilyn Monroe          –                   The Girl
Evelyn Keyes                –                   Helen Sherman
Sonny Tufts                  –                   Tom MacKenzie
Robert Strauss             –                   Mr. Kruhulik
Oskar Homolka           –                   Dr. Brubaker
Victor Moore               –                    Plumber

“The Seven Year Itch” has one of the most iconic scenes in the history of film. It also features the starlet Marilyn Monroe. Everyone who fancies themselves a Movie Buff needs to watch her on screen, at least once

It was also a product of filmmaker Billy Wilder, himself a Hollywood legend. Wilder had a fifty-year career that saw an astounding twenty-one Academy Award nominations which he would win five

This 1955 film may be one of the first ever into the rom-com genre. Wilder takes an incredibly simple concept and with only two main cast members, tells a complete story. Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) has been married seven years. Obviously, he is bored and ready to have an affair. When his wife and son leave town for a vacation, Richard gets tempted by a busty blonde nameless neighbor. Oh, uh – that’s where Marilyn comes in

I was pretty shocked at the blatant sexual innuendos that filled this 105 minute movie. Not that I’m a prude. But I always thought of 1955 as being overly conservative. It reminded me of Marty McFly debunking the traditionalist words of his mother. The idea of a married man and father flirting with a sultry temptress was quite risqué for the time

The movie is interesting. The character of Richard is the focal point. He’s in every scene and many times, he’s alone. Much of the story progresses through his own narration in which he’s speaking out loud to himself. It’s awkward at first but I got used to it. By the end I actually sort of liked it, and enjoyed Richard as a character. Tom Ewell delivers some hysterical lines whilst attempting to woo the vixen. I laughed out loud when she asked him if he has any kids. “No. None. No kids.” He quickly responds before adding “Well, just one. Little one. Hardly counts

This quarterly series showcases the “essential” films everyone should see on the big screen. For each month-long program, we’ll screen five films organized by one of the following themes: directors, actors, genres, and eras/movements. Essential tickets are $9 for Adults, $8 for Students/Seniors and Members get in Free! Summary: Like thousands of other Manhattanites, Tom Ewell annually packs his wife (Evelyn Keyes) and children off to summer vacation, staying behind to work at the office. This particular summer, the lonely Ewell begins fantasizing about the many women he’d foresworn upon getting married (in one of the fantasies, Ewell and Marguerite Chapman parody the beach rendezvous in From Here to Eternity). He is jolted back to reality when he meets his new neighbor–luscious model Marilyn Monroe. Inviting Monroe to dinner, Ewell intends to sweep her off her feet and into the boudoir. Things don’t quite work out that way, thanks to Ewell’s clumsiness (and essential decency) and Monroe’s naivete. Still, Ewell becomes convinced that his impure thoughts will somehow be transmitted to his vacationing wife and to the rest of the world, leaving him wide open for scandal and ruination. In the original play, the husband and the next-door neighbor did have an affair, but both play and film arrived at the same happy ending, with Ewell and his missus contentedly reunited at summer’s end. Featured in the cast of The Seven Year Itch are Robert Strauss as a lascivious handyman, Sonny Tufts as Evelyn Keye’s former beau, Donald MacBride as Ewell’s glad-handing boss, and veteran Broadway funny man Victor Moore in a cameo as a nervous plumber

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Seven Year Itch (1955)