The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Billy Wilder (screenplay) &
George Axelrod (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 June 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

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

Plot:

When his family goes away for the summer, a so far faithful husband is tempted by a beautiful neighbor (Marilyn Monroe).

Plot Keywords:

Summer | Apartment | Model | Imagination | Paddle

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Marilyn Monroe	...	The Girl
Tom Ewell	...	Richard Sherman (as Tommy Ewell)
Evelyn Keyes	...	Helen Sherman
Sonny Tufts	...	Tom MacKenzie
Robert Strauss	...	Mr. Kruhulik (janitor)
Oskar Homolka	...	Dr. Brubaker (as Oscar Homolka)
Marguerite Chapman	...	Miss Morris (secretary)
Victor Moore	...	Plumber
Dolores Rosedale	...	Elaine (as Roxanne)
Donald MacBride	...	Mr. Brady
Carolyn Jones	...	Miss Finch (night nurse)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Benson	...	Kid at Train Station (uncredited)
Butch Bernard	...	Ricky Sherman (uncredited)
Dorothy Ford	...	Indian Girl / Tall Beauty at Train Station (uncredited)
Doro Merande	...	Waitress at Vegetarian Restaurant (uncredited)
Ron Nyman	...	Indian (uncredited)
Ralph Sanford	...	Train Station Gateman (uncredited)
Mary Young	...	Woman in Train Station (uncredited)

Directed by
Billy Wilder

Writing credits
Billy Wilder		(screenplay) &
George Axelrod		(screenplay)
George Axelrod		(original play "The Seven Year Itch")

Produced by
Charles K. Feldman	....	producer
Doane Harrison	....	associate producer
Billy Wilder	....	producer

Original Music by
Alfred Newman

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Hugh S. Fowler

Art Direction by
George W. Davis
Lyle R. Wheeler		(as Lyle Wheeler)

Set Decoration by
Stuart A. Reiss
Walter M. Scott

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist
Helen Turpin	....	hair stylist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist: Miss Monroe (uncredited)

Production Management
Saul Wurtzel	....	unit production manager: New York (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph E. Rickards	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Harry M. Leonard	....	sound
E. Clayton Ward	....	sound

Special Effects by
Ray Kellogg	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Walter Engels	....	grip (uncredited)
Felix Trimboli	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles Le Maire	....	wardrobe director
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Orven Schanzer	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Courtney Burr	....	stage presenter
Leonard Doss	....	technicolor color consultant
Elliott Nugent	....	stage presenter
Saul Wurtzel	....	subway effects (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Charles K. Feldman Group (presents) (as Chas K Feldman Group Productions)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1963) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Bausch & Lomb  CinemaScope lenses by

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Unrated (video rating) | Colombia:12 | Mexico:A (video re-rating) | Mexico:B (original rating) | France:U | Argentina:16 (original rating) | Argentina:Atp (re-rating) (2002) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (1980s) | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (video rating) (1998) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | France:-12 (original rating) | Spain:T | Spain:18 (original rating) | Chile:Y7 (re-rating) (2001) | USA:Approved (PCA #17230) | Canada:PG (video rating) | South Korea:15 (2006) | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | West Germany:16 | UK:A (original rating)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Charles K. Feldman Group

Trivia:

Despite being one of the most iconic images in pop culture history, as well as one of the most recognizable photographs of Marilyn Monroe, the famous full-length image of Monroe standing with her dress being blown up never actually appears in the film. The shot used in the film is only of her legs, cut with reaction shots, and never shown full-length.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Richard gets his finger stuck in a Champagne bottle due to the bubbles creating a vacuum. The bubbles wouldn't create a vacuum and would in fact force his finger out of the bottle.

Quotes:

Dr. Brubaker: My 3:00 patient jumped out of the window in the middle of his session. I have been running fifteen minutes ahead of schedule ever since.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Bruce Almighty (2003)

Soundtrack:

Chopsticks

So...? What's not to like?

Forget today's sex symbols...Marilyn is IT.

If Kate Moss moved into the flat above mine while my wife was out of town with the kids, I'd have no trouble resisting temptation; but, Marilyn Monroe is a force of nature. She's a fertility goddess. She is pure hourglass with a dynamite smile. In short, she is pure concentrated femininity.

This movie is a comedy, and a good one at that. The timing of Monroe and Ewell is flawless. The scene where he jumps Marilyn on the piano bench in a brief moment of passion causing them both to fall to the floor gives this brief exchange...

"I'm sorry", Ewell says, "This has never happened to me before"

Marilyn answers, while standing up and adjust her clothes, "That's funny. It happens to me all the time"...

Priceless...

The exchange between Ewell and a psychiatrist is equally well-done. The movie is a classic. It is Jack Lemmon's The Apartment, done with an attractive woman and a man who, although not in full possession of his marbles, certainly is better adjusted than Lemmon's character.

This is a must see...