I had seen this movie twice before I decided to show it to my family, and in neither viewing was I the least bit impressed with it. I had been hoping for something a lot funnier. Just the same, I didn't (and still don't) feel very strongly about it either way and thought, "Hmmm, maybe the family that has bizarre tast in movies will like this one even though I don't."
Alas. Big mistake. I thought wrong. Seriously, they loathed The Seven Year Itch. I haven't seen such hatred since my mother and I watched Bye Bye, Birdie. If perhaps you've gotten a taste of the sort of criticism my family indulges in, you can imagine what comments were spawned by a movie they despised, but if you can't I'll make it easy for you. Here are some quotes:
"Who on earth would stay married to a nasty old man like that?"
"Hey, she's faaaat!"
"That's the famous skirt-blowing scene? That??"
"This movie was annoying even though I slept through half of it."
"You wouldn't think it was funny if your husband shacked up with some blonde while you were on vacation."
When the whole thing was finished, a lively discussion began on just what sort of mental illness Tom Ewell's character had.
Well, I tried--and failed--but admittedly I didn't like it much more than they did, all because I thought Tom Ewell was very unfunny, and he's basically half the picture, if not three quarters. I also suspect that the general theme--of men being unfaithful while their wives and kids go on vacation--did not appeal to my family because my father works during the summer, and gues who goes on vacation without him? So that idea is really not funny in our house.
Anyway, I'd like to ask your opinions on tSYI. I might as well, since chances are I'll get them anyway, after a negative review.
To be fair, there were some funny moments. I smiled at least five times. And Marilyn Monroe's hair looked nice. However, unless the rest of you looks like Marilyn, don't cut your hair that way unless you want to look like a boy. And I'm saying that because that's just what I did last week. And guess what? I look like a boy.
3 comments:
I too have never found this movie funny! Tom Ewell is a definite dislike of mine! Way too annoying!
Hahaha, but I love your family's criticisms! Sounds quite familiar to a family that I know very well...;-D
And, I am sure you do not look like a boy! I think that is impossible! I saw your photos on Miss Vintage and you were beautiful! No way a haircut could change that!
I adore this movie! But I do understand why other people dislike it. It really is supposed to rub people the wrong way.
It's interesting to think of the film in context of the time and also how iconic this film is for Marilyn Monroe's image. Also, it really is the one movie that epitomizes Monroe's child/woman sexuality.
And I think it's overshadowed by the whole white dress scene.
I just thought this film was fun and sexy. That's all I took from it. I love watching it and always find myself seeing it 2 or 3 times a year.
Potato chips and champagne!!
@Millie: I am so glad to find that someone else dislikes it! And thank you about the hair cut. :)
@Raquelle: It never occured to me that tSYI is supposed to annoy people. I think your right. After all, it does, doesn't it? (To some people.) And you are so right about the white dress scene overshadowing it. People have heard of the scene but not the movie, and sometimes they put the scene in the wrong movie! But still they manage to remember she was standing on a subway grate. Thank you for commenting and giving your opinion.
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