The Seven Year Itch (1955)

When his family goes away for the summer, a hitherto faithful husband with an overactive imagination is tempted by a beautiful neighbor.

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Billy Wilder (screenplay), George Axelrod (screenplay)

Stars:

Marilyn Monroe, Tom Ewell, Evelyn Keyes

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marilyn Monroe	...	The Girl
Tom Ewell	...	Richard Sherman (as Tommy Ewell)
Evelyn Keyes	...	Helen Sherman
Sonny Tufts	...	Tom MacKenzie
Robert Strauss	...	Mr. Kruhulik
Oskar Homolka	...	Dr. Brubaker (as Oscar Homolka)
Marguerite Chapman	...	Miss Morris
Victor Moore	...	Plumber
Dolores Rosedale	...	Elaine (as Roxanne)
Donald MacBride	...	Mr. Brady
Carolyn Jones	...	Miss Finch - Nurse

Storyline

With his family away for their annual summer holiday, New Yorker Richard Sherman decides he has the opportunity to live a bachelor's life - to eat and drink what he wants and basically to enjoy life without wife and son. The beautiful but ditsy blond from the apartment above his catches his eye and they soon start spending time together. It's all innocent though there is little doubt that Sherman is attracted to her. Any lust he may be feeling is played out in his own imagination however.

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Plot Keywords:

skirt | new york city | blonde | 1950s | extramarital affair | 

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Taglines:

It TICKLES and TANTALIZES! - The funniest comedy since laughter began!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1955 (UK)

Also Known As:

La comezón del séptimo año

Filming Locations:

164 East 61st Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,652

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charles K. Feldman Group, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Color by Deluxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was the final film of long time character actor Donald MacBride.

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Goofs

In the scene where Richard opens the door for The Girl, at the time she forgot her front door keys, he gets out of the apartment to talk to her and look at her going upstairs. When he gets out the lights are on, but when he come back after he hurt his neck, the lights are off.

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Quotes

Tom MacKenzie: What blonde in the kitchen?
Richard Sherman: Wouldn't you like to know! Maybe it's Marilyn Monroe!

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Crazy Credits

When the title appears, one arm of the T in ITCH reaches down and scratches the stem of the letter.

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Alternate Versions

Due to the Hayes Production code (censorship) issues of the time, Director Billy Wilder was forced to cut some footage that was judged to be too racy to have in the film. AMC showed some of the censored footage on a _"Backstory" (2001)_ episode. The cut material includes:

• A full shot of Marilyn Monroe's skirt being blown clear above her waist, which was included in the poster but deemed too suggestive to have in the film.
• Extended portion of the skirt scene in which Marilyn Monroe's skirt is again blown by the subway, and then there is a dialogue in which she tells Tom Ewell: "You should wear a skirt; I am feeling sorry for you in those hot pants!" (this deleted scene is also featured on the 20th Century Fox DVD release)
• A scene in which Marilyn Monroeis in the bathtub covered with bubbles, and gets her toe stuck in the faucet. The plumber, attempting to free her, drops his wrench in the bathtub and plunges his full arm towards the bottom of it to fish his tool. He is obviously embarrassed but Marilyn simply gives him a conniving look saying "It's OK!" (this deleted scene is also featured on the 20th Century Fox DVD release)
• Different, less suggestive angles were used in the scene which included the famous "undies in the icebox" dialogue.

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Connections

Referenced in Beverly Kills (2005)

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Soundtracks

Chopsticks
(1877) (uncredited)
Music by Euphemia Allen
Performed by Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell

User Reviews

Marilyn at her most innocent

In Some Like it Hot, Marilyn was the hottest she ever was. In Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, she's the Woman of all Women. But in The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn is the prize of all treasures. She is timeless in every frame of the film. Coming across as this unique, cute, and innocent little woman, Marilyn makes your mind race, your heart thump, and your youth return.

No one else but Marilyn Monroe could play "The Girl" in the movie. She is just that, a girl, but much much more. Most of the physical comedy in the film is executed by Monroe herself. A lot of us don't realize this as we expect most of the comedy to come from the comedian in the film, Tom Ewell. A must see if you are a fan of America's first Dream Girl, the amazing Marilyn Monroe.