The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell) is a daydreamer whose fantasy constantly intrudes in his real-life during the 'seven-year itch' period when his wife leaves town and he gets a taste of bachelorhood for a couple of days.

Not quite a Walter Mitty (1947) fantasy (though Sherman does work at a pulp publisher, same as Mitty,) this is more in line with the extramarital sex fantasies of Divorce, Italian Style (1961) & Unfaithfully Yours (1948).

There are clear-cut fantasies, he sees and talks to his (semitransparent) wife. He recounts tales of irresistible animal magnetism with idealized females (including Carolyn Jones.) He fantasizes he is a Rachmaninoff playing playboy type (when in actuality all he can play is Chopsticks,) etc. Some have made the case that Marilyn Monroe is herself purely a fantasy - what? we are to believe that this schmuck is exactly what she is looking for just cause he's 'nervous and perspiring a little bit'? That's what he'd like to believe!

But, while the movie never establishes that 'the girl' may not even be real, (other than actually referencing her as Marilyn Monroe! Also, she does interact with Kruhulick) it is obvious she is an idealized female sex object (the imaginary secretary, wife, and friend - in a From Here to Eternity fantasy - and nurse are all idealized as well.) In another scene, however, she is absolutely oblivious to his psychological, sexual fantasies, as she merely is thinking about returning a fan, and whether she kept the receipt or not.

What can one make of an attack by an animistic roller skate? A projection of his guilt (all of this also happens as he reads a book on psychology - is it all a Wizard of Oz dream?) The Universe is against him?

The Sherman character is himself problematic. He seems to understand he is not really a playboy (we never find out if there truly is anything like this in his past life.) In his fantasy, he is a 'nice guy' (though at one time he actually assaults an unflappable Monroe.) And it also seems as if he thinks that others see him as 'harmless.'

Whether any of it is true is hard to say.

Maybe added up it all means he simply is a 'realistically normal' guy: He has temptations. He is weak.

In modern terms, he makes one huge mistake (likening him all of a sudden to the Creature,) in addition to the fact that he does steal a few kisses offa her.

Ultimately, he does the 'right thing.'

The script remains funny and insightful (is an alcoholic drink really that much worse than a soft drink?) Maybe not Billy Wilder at his most vitriolic, but it's still a great comedy.

Marilyn Monroe at her most iconic and a Creature reference... What else could you ask for?

Highly recommended.