Everyone knows that iconic photo of Marilyn Monroe standing on a subway steam grate, her white dress flying every which way, but that picture was not spontaneous. In fact, it was actually from the 1955 blockbuster film The Seven Year Itch.

The Seven Year Itch takes place during a New York City heatwave and follows Richard Sherman (Tom Ewell), who becomes infatuated with a neighbor (Marilyn Monroe) while his wife is away, his overactive imagination kicking into overdrive.

Produced at a cost of $1.8 million, the film earned $12 million at the box office and remains of Monroe’s most popular films. For more facts about The Seven Year Itch, keep reading.

The Seven Year Itch is available for streaming on Tubi.

1. The film was almost in black and white

Director Billy Wilder really wanted the film to be shot in black and white, but since Marilyn Monroe’s contract with Fox said all of her movies had to be filmed in color, he was forced to change his mind. Monroe reportedly had the color clause in her contract, because she thought it made her look far more attractive and glamorous.

2. The Seven Year Itch showcases a very famous landmark

The Seven Year Itch was one of few films that showed footage of New York City’s original Pennsylvania Station, which opened in 1910. It was eventually torn down in 1963, because railroad executives decided to rent the land out as air space — much to the dismay of many people.

3. Marilyn Monroe’s mental health made filming difficult

Monroe had always suffered from depression and was well known for self-sabotage. This was reportedly really bad during filming of The Seven Year Itch, the actress frequently forgetting her lines — it could take upwards of 40 takes for her to get it right.

She was also often very late to set, forcing the film’s budget to increase to $1.8 million, pretty pricey at the time (the equivalent to over $20 million today).

4. Both Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell were far older than their characters

In The Seven Year Itch, Marilyn Monroe’s character — “The Girl” — is supposed to be 22 years old, but Monroe was 29 when the film was released. Incidentally, the film also premiered on the actress’ birthday.

The situation was similar with Tom Ewell, whose Richard Sherman was supposed to be 38 years old while the actor was 46 at the time of filming.

That also meant that the two actors had a 17 year age gap between them.

5. The movie was based on a play

The idea for The Seven Year Itch wasn’t new, having been preceded by a three-act play that was written by George Axelrod and debuted on Broadway in 1952. Interestingly, Tom Ewell was in 730 shows of the original stage production, and even won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Richard Sherman.

6. Marilyn Monroe was the only choice for The Girl

When it came time to cast The Seven Year Itch, Monroe was the only choice for The Girl.

The story was a bit different for Tom Ewell, though. Despite being the one who originated the role on Broadway, Fox originally wanted to go in a different direction casting wise.

The process was reportedly so intense, that Ewell himself had lost hope. “I never expected to get the part. In fact, I had already taken a house on Martha’s Vineyard for a vacation. Needless to say, I’m happy they did choose me.”

7. It was the final film of a few different cast members

The Seven Year Itch marked the final film for both Donald MacBride and Victor Moore.

MacBride was best known for his work in Room Service (1938), High Sierra (1940) and The Killers (1946). Whereas Moore was famous for Swing Time (1936), Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) and It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947).

8. The film’s most iconic photo wasn’t actually in the film

Despite being one of the most famous pop culture images of all time, the aforementioned full length shot of Marilyn Monroe with her white dress being blown up wasn’t actually in the film. Instead, only Monroe’s legs were shown, and her reaction never hit the silver screen.

Even so, fans of the film still go to the filming spot — Lexington Avenue and 52nd Street in New York City — and recreate the full body shot.

9. The Seven Year Itch was what led to Marilyn Monroe’s divorce

During filming, Monroe was married to baseball player Joe DiMaggio, who was reportedly wildly upset with the scene where the actresses’ dress blew up. And, the day after that scene was filmed. Monroe supposedly required makeup to cover up all the bruises that came from the couples’ domestic fight the night before.

Monroe filed for divorce three months later.

10. Marilyn Monroe’s character in The Seven Year Itch didn’t have a name for a reason

As mentioned above, Monroe’s character’s name in the film is simply “The Girl,” which was left that way because neither George Axelrod (the playwrite) or Billy Wilder (the director) could think of one.

This story was originally published July 2, 2024, 2:00 PM.