Wilder shoots this sequence very discreetly, leaving everything to the viewer's imagination. 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. ![]() On the other hand she respects his love for his wife Helen (Evelyn Keyes), and thus refrains from making a pass at him. It's clear she is attracted to Sherman - not because of his physical attributes, but because at heart he is an extremely sweet man. Monroe is equally memorable in her role as the not-so-dumb blonde from Denver. Although Sherman imagines himself as the Great Lover, he will never be able to fulfill his role. Sherman tries to embrace her, and the two of them end up falling off the piano bench in an ungainly heap. When the latter scene is re-enacted for real, The Girl is completely uninterested in Rachmaninov. 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). 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. 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. 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. In his rumpled gray suit, with tie askew, he embarks on a series of monologues where his better nature competes with his carnal desires. Ewell gives a stellar performance, the best in his forty-five year acting career. ![]() Nothing actually happens, but the promise persists. However his best intentions are frustrated by the presence of The Girl (Marilyn Monroe), who has moved into the apartment above him. 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. ![]() 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.
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