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 neighbbor.

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:

based on play | skirt | farce | talking to oneself | fantasy sequence | 

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Taglines:

More Explosive Than 4th of July Fireworks!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

George Cukor was the original choice to direct the film. He turned down the project and eventually Billy Wilder, whose contract with Paramount ended in 1954 (his last film with that studio was Sabrina (1954)), took it.

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Goofs

When Richard is talking on the phone, he moves to the porch during his phone call. At first, the cord of the phone is seen coming around the corner through the doorway, but later disappears and eventually reappears.

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Quotes

The Girl: I'll bet it was 95 in the bedroom last night. Like an oven!
Richard Sherman: Poor kid, it's awful.
The Girl: Good night.
Richard Sherman: Of course, if you wanted to drop by my place for a few minutes just to cool off before you face that Turkish bath up there.
The Girl: Well.
Richard Sherman: I left the air conditioning on full blast. It's cool in there. Probably too cold.
The Girl: Well, maybe just for a few minutes.
Richard Sherman: Sure. To bring the body temperature down a little.

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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

Version released in then West Germany contains some profanity.

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Connections

Referenced in Un buen día (2010)

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Soundtracks

Piano Concerto #2
Composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff (as S. Rachmaninoff)
Played on a record and often in the score

User Reviews

sparkling but a bit confusing!

The film succeeds mainly because of Marilyn Monroe's obvious charisma and appeal - she really shines in this as the dizzy, curvy blonde upstairs. Tom Ewell has been married seven years and has seen his wife and son away for the summer - he determines not to smoke, not to drink, and not to chase women. The moment Monroe wiggles up those stairs all that goes out of the window and he starts fantasising about the new arrival.

There are a lot of funny situations and you're never quite sure what it in Ewell's head and what is real (well, I wasn't anyway). I love the scene where they are playing Chopsticks and of course, that old chestnut the 2nd Rach concerto rears its head! Victor Moore plays a doddery plumber and Oscar Homolka a shrink who advises Ewell not to consider anything as drastic as murder until he can get simple problems sorted out, while Evelyn Keyes makes the most of her few appearances as Ewell's wife (or is she his conscience?!).

The film is fun, the famous skirt and grid scene is now legendary (but quite unlike the often-seen poster shot), and there is much in this bouncy production after nearly fifty years to entertain pretty much anyone.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1955 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Seven Year Itch

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