The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Billy Wilder’s ‘The Seven Year Itch’

Thematic Elements:

Wilder is illustrating that in marketing, sex sells. So, our entire world is concentrating on selling us sexual fantasies. These sexual fantasies can make men more prone to sexual frustration. All this marketing also allows the main character (who is an advertiser) to go into longing fantasies that are separate from reality. He even fantasizes that he is in the classic scene in From Here to Eternity in which he is kissing a beautiful woman on the beach. Wilder seems to suggest that film is also responsible for oversexualizing our world and inviting average people to view love and relationships with far more sexuality than necessary. The main character holds these frustrations over his family and even seems to hold contempt for his wife and son. When they leave, he indulges in vices that he cannot indulge in while they are there: junk food, liquor, smoking, and sex. These vices are the most common prescription to society from the advertising and marketing industry. Throughout the film, the protagonist’s views and desires are often in stark contrast with the views and desires of Marylin’s character. Marilyn’s character is only ever concerned with staying in the A/C away from her hot apartment and just wants to have a good time, whereas the protagonist can only view her as someone who wants to sleep with him. His distorted reality is on full display for the audience.

 

Camerawork: Wilder uses these fantasies to great affect as the main character drifts of into them. It is almost is as if these fantasies are commercials that are playing in between the reality of what is happening in the story.  The fantasies feed into the protagonists altered viewpoint of the world and we as the audience see the stark contrast between fantasy and reality.

 

Best Shot: The most classic shot in the film is obvious because of its impact on culture. The subway grate scene. However, this shot also best illustrates the divide between fantasy and reality and even tricks the audience into understanding their own distorted reality. The sole reason for Marilyn’s character to stand over the subway grate is because (like she points out throughout the film), she is hot from the summer heat and just wants some cold air to cool down. However, the protagonist can only sexualize this act. And we as an audience sexualize this act as well! This is apparent with this scene’s continued use throughout the decades to show the sexuality of Marilyn Monroe. The film plays on our own realities that have been distorted by the oversexualization in media and shows us that we are not so different from the protagonist ourselves.



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