Review Questions for The Seven Year Itch

In a short review essay (2-3 double-spaced pages) answer one of the questions listed below. Essay due: beginning of class, March 15.

  1. The Seven Year Itch is a satire as well as a "sophisticated" comedy, and among its targets are American attitudes toward sex, marriage, gender roles, etc. What is the movie saying about marriage, gender, and sexual relations in 1950s America?

  2. The Seven Year Itch was based on a very successful Broadway play. Not far beneath the surface of the dialogue of the play and the movie is a critique of Richard Sherman's (and the audience's) middle-class tastes and values. Discuss some of the targets of the film's satire and the ways in which they are criticized.

  3. Modern household conveniences feature prominently in the movie -- e.g., air conditioning, kitchen appliances, etc. What do they tell you about the social and economic status of the Sherman family? What does Richard Sherman's use of them tell you about his role in the family?