Marilyn Monroe's 'Seven Year Itch' ultimately a worthwhile comedy

RACHEL BREWER, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, February 22, 2002

Vintage videos

- "The Seven Year Itch" (1955, not rated): Richard Sherman's (Tom Ewell) wife and son are away vacationing in Maine and he is left alone, with the apartment all to himself. Sherman is normally a meek, dedicated family man, but he can't help noticing his beautiful new neighbor (Marilyn Monroe) in the apartment above his. Sherman thinks about the girl all the time, until he finally invites her over for a drink, hoping for some action. But a combination of Sherman's nervous bumbling and her confidence in the innocence of his intentions ensure that nothing will happen. Despite his innocence, Sherman begins to imagine that his actions are being broadcast to people all over America, including his wife. Soon, the beautiful girl is the only thing Sherman can think about, even though he still loves his wife and kid.

Monroe does a good job of playing her "dumb blonde" character, although if you've ever seen any of her interviews, it's not much of a step up from her real self. The movie drags on a little at the end but picks up the pace in time to end the movie humorously.

"The Seven Year Itch" isn't the best movie in its genre, but it's still good. It's filled with many humorous scenes and lines even though many were deleted due to censoring when it first came out.

"The Seven Year Itch" can be rented at Blockbuster Video on Pacific Avenue in Lacey and Blockbuster Video in Tumwater.

Recently released rentals

- "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" (2001, PG-13): C.W. Briggs (Woody Allen) is a sarcastic but well-liked detective at an insurance agency. He gets along with everyone, except co-worker Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt). When the office goes to a nightclub to celebrate a birthday, C.W. and Betty Ann are chosen by hypnotist Voltan (David Ogden Stiers) to be his next "victims." He gives both of them a hypnotic suggestion, each triggered by a different word. C.W. and Betty Ann both leave the nightclub, remembering nothing from when they were hypnotized.

For a while things proceed normally for both of them, but then robberies that even C.W. can't solve begin to occur all over Manhattan. Voltan was hypnotically controlling C.W. and making him commit the robberies. C.W. unknowingly hides the jewels in his apartment, only to have them found by Betty Ann. She turns him in to the police, and C.W. has to try to prove his innocence when all the evidence points to him.

Despite the questionable trailer for this film, it ended up being very good. The screenplay is filled with witty dialogue and sarcasm that keeps the movie going and the laughs coming. Despite their age difference, Hunt and Allen complement each other well. "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" is set in the 1940s, and the sets, costumes and music all portray that era perfectly. The movie jumps back and forth to different scenes fairly quickly, which can make it kind of hard to follow, but overall it's a good movie.

This movie can be rented at Tumwater Video, Blockbuster Video in Tumwater, and both Blockbuster Videos in Lacey.

Rachel Brewer is a junior at Black Hills High School.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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