The Seven Year Itch depicts a married man’s struggle to stay faithful while is wife is away on vacation. New Yorker Richard Sherman must fend for himself while his wife leaves town for the summer. Feeling lonely but liberated, he begins fantasizing about romantic conquests. When a gorgeous but naïve blonde moves into the building and wants to make friends, his imagination runs rampant.
The Seven Year Itch is the movie that cemented Marilyn’s image as the beautiful, sweet-natured goddess of love – wide-eyed innocent who thinks that everything is “just elegant”, recognizes classical music “because there’s no vocal” and stays cool by storing her panties in the refrigerator. “
Marilyn Monroe doesn’t just play The Girl”, said the play’s author, George Axelrod, “She is The Girl”.
Shooting began in Hollywood on August 10th, 1954, immediately after Marilyn had completed her work on
There’s No Business Like Show Business. On September 9th, the cast and crew flew to New York for the location shots. Five nights later, almost 4,000 people gathered about 2:00 a.m. near the Trans-Lux Theater at 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue to watch the filming of the famous skirt scene, in which The Girl finds relief from the summer heat by standing over a subway grate and allowing the breeze to billow up her skirt.
Standing in the crowd, Joe DiMaggio became incensed at his wife’s latest public display and this incident reportedly proved to be the last straw in the couple’s stormy marriage. They returned to California shortly thereafter, announced their separation in early October and were divorced at the end of the month.
Just before Christmas of 1954, she walked out on her Fox contract and traveling under the name of Zelda Zonk, flew to New York. Marilyn did not return to Hollywood for over a year. When she did return, following the smash success of The Seven Year Itch, she did so strictly on her own terms.
Tom Ewell’s role in The Seven Year Itch was a reprise of his standout performance in the 1952 Broadway production.
Marilyn Monroe's lifelong bouts with depression and self-destruction took their toll during filming; she frequently muffed scenes and forgot her lines, leading to sometimes as many as 40 takes of a scene before a satisfactory result was produced.
Marilyn Monroe's constant tardiness and behavioral problems made the budget of the film swell to $1.8 million.
Marilyn Monroe's iconic white dress set a record when it was auctioned for $4.6 million in June 2011 (rising to $5.5 million after taxes and fees were included).
The final film appearances of Donald MacBride and Victor Moore.
George Cukor turned down the offer to direct the film.
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