Even after sixty years, THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH retains its freshness and bounce - a delightful testament both to the script (by Billy Wilder and playwright George Axelrod) and the quality of the performances.

The story is a simple one: left on his own during a hot New York summer, Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) tries his best to avoid the temptations of drink, tobacco and an extra-marital affair. However his best intentions are frustrated by the presence of The Girl (Marilyn Monroe),who has moved into the apartment above him. Nothing actually happens, but the promise persists ...

Ewell gives a stellar performance, the best in his forty-five year acting career. In his rumpled gray suit, with tie askew, he embarks on a series of monologues where his better nature competes with his carnal desires. Most of them are shot in single takes in the Shermans' apartment: Ewell's India-rubber face changes rapidly as he debates the morality of inviting The Girl down for a drink. He walks from side to side of the frame, his shoulders hunched, almost as if he is bearing the cares of the world on his back.

The fantasy-sequences are extremely funny, with Ewell imagining himself as the protagonist in a comic reworking of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, rolling about on the beach with a woman not his wife. Later on he casts himself as a Noel Coward-like figure speaking in a cod-British accent, as he plays Rachmaninov on the piano while trying to seduce The Girl (a reference to BRIEF ENCOUNTER).

When the latter scene is re-enacted for real, The Girl is completely uninterested in Rachmaninov. Sherman tries to embrace her, and the two of them end up falling off the piano bench in an ungainly heap. Although Sherman imagines himself as the Great Lover, he will never be able to fulfill his role.

Monroe is equally memorable in her role as the not-so-dumb blonde from Denver. It's clear she is attracted to Sherman - not because of his physical attributes, but because at heart he is an extremely sweet man. On the other hand she respects his love for his wife Helen (Evelyn Keyes),and thus refrains from making a pass at him. THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH contains the memorable sequence where she stands over a grille and lets the wind from a subway train beneath blow up her white dress. Wilder shoots this sequence very discreetly, leaving everything to the viewer's imagination. Monroe is far more seductive in an interior sequence, where she hides behind a chair and stretches out one leg, and then another. The janitor Mr. Kruhulik (Robert Strauss) witnesses what happens, and promises to leave Sherman alone.

Wilder's and Axelrod's script fairly crackles with one-liners, as well as a series of in-jokes referring to Charles Lederer (Wilder's fellow-scriptwriter),as well as a reference to Monroe herself.

THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH is one of those comedies that never loses its sparkle, even after repeated viewings.

Tom Ewell plays a dull guy whose wife and son are away for the summer. During their absence, his male ego begins acting up and he wrestles with a need to feel viral as well as be a decent man. Throughout all these struggles, he talks about his inner thoughts to the audience. This extensive use of the monologue shows that this was originally a play and the film takes place almost exclusively in Ewell's apartment. However, later in the film, his sexy new neighbor (Marilyn Monroe) appears in his life and seems to offer him the ultimate temptation. How all this plays out is rather cute and is reminiscent of later films such as GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN--but it is a tad better and more enjoyable.

Had this film not co-starred Marilyn Monroe and had the whole "floating dress" scene not been included, then I doubt if anyone would have paid much attention to this small film. Now this isn't to say it's a bad film--it's rather likable. However, given that 80% of the film is a monologue by Tom Ewell, it's highly unlikely the film would have received much publicity at all nor would it have been given such a large budget.

Worth seeing? Yes, but certainly not up to all the massive publicity heaped on the film in 1955 (the publicity campaign even included HUGE multi-story cutouts of Marilyn in the dress scene).

This is not Billy Wilder's best film by a long shot, but I did enjoy it very much. It is overlong and some parts may have dated slightly. That said, the film looks very nice with the cinematography homely and the scenery and costumes simple and glamorous. The music is a nice touch too, and I loved the story. It had a nice idea to start with, and the film is beautifully constructed overall. Other things to like are the clever direction and the funny and smart script, not to mention the iconic sequence with Marilyn Monroe's dress. Monroe herself is a sheer delight to watch as always. Beautiful and charming, she brings her character to breezy life, and while the supporting cast are good for me Monroe steals the show. Overall, while not Wilder's or Marilyn's best, it entertained me and that's good enough for me. 8/10 Bethany Cox