Despite the script's cleverness, the presence of Tom Ewell, who is a first rate comedian and Oscar Homolka, who has long been a first rate actor, the entire film continually misses fire and fizzles out, like defective fireworks.

Very dated and not consistently funny but famous for the iconic Marilyn air-vent shot and a close to the under-wire smuttiness.

What counts is that laughs come thick and fast, that the general entertainment is light and gay.

The Seven Year Itch is another step down in the career of the talented director.