The Seven Year Itch

On the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth, one of her most celebrated images is the New York subway grate scene, which yields the iconic image of Monroe’s uncorked sexuality – even the Hays code couldn’t hope to suppress. She unshamefully embraces the sensation of the wind blowing under her skirt, yet shame proves to be a heavy anchor for the middle-aged family man, who wrestles tensely with the pressing impulses of his libido and his marital vows. While George Axelrod’s script, adapted from his Broadway play, centres on the torments of this poor fellow, Billy Wilder did coax a spirited performance out of Monroe, showcasing her talent for cheeky comedy and her appeal of innocent sensuality that ultimately inspires the man to redefine himself amidst his marital wanderlust.

Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor