Classic Film: Seven Year Itch
Classic Films Review:
The Seven Year Itch (1955)
Starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell, this 1950's flick follows the story of a married man alone for the summer and his subsequent temptation with the female renter upstairs. The movie features a number of scenes where Richard Sherman (Ewell) plays out an affair with his beautiful neighbor in his mind, yet he ultimately looses his nerve to consummate his plans and seeks out his wife.
The unnamed temptress (Monroe) is innocent yet knowing that men are just fools for her. She drinks champaign while happily munching on potatoes chips. She casually drops stories of lying in the bathtub, accidentally getting her toe stuck in the spigot, and calling upon a local plumber to save her...which makes perfect sense to her character.
From my perspective: I enjoyed Marilyn in "Some Like It Hot" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" as the bombshell, ditsy dame with a spark of savvy. In this film, the dialog just seems far more contrived than is believable for her character. The male lead really seems lecherous to me, and his over analyzing self-talk becomes quite tiring after the first 30 minutes.
Is it worth seeing: Monroe is larger than life in this film, with her icon "skirt-blowing" scene. I had heard a story that her husband at the time, legend Joe DiMaggio, was quite upset with the filming of this particular scene..makes you wonder if it paved the road to their breakup?
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