Gidget (1959)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writers:

Frederick Kohner (novel)
Gabrielle Upton (writer)

Release Date:

10 April 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Watch out Brigitte...here comes Gidget!

Plot:

A young girl discovers surfing and love (in that order) during one transitive summer.

Plot Keywords:

Surf | Surfing | Love | Family Relationships | Beach Bum

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sandra Dee	...	Gidget (Frances Lawrence)
James Darren	...	Moondoggie (Jeffrey Matthews)
Cliff Robertson	...	The Big Kahuna
Arthur O'Connell	...	Russell Lawrence
Bruce Belland	...	Lead Singer (as The Four Preps)
Glen A. Larson	...	Group Member (as The Four Preps)
Don Clarke	...	Group Member (as The Four Preps)
Ed Cobb	...	Group Member (as The Four Preps)
Mary LaRoche	...	Mrs. Dorothy Lawrence
Joby Baker	...	Stinky
Tom Laughlin	...	Lover Boy
Sue George	...	Betty Louise aka 'B. L.'
Robert Ellis	...	Hot Shot
Jo Morrow	...	Mary Lou
Yvonne Craig	...	Nan

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (ColumbiaColor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Leo Carrillo State Beach - 35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

James Darren was originally not selected to play Moondoggie because the role required two songs to sing and Darren was not well established as a singer. On his own, he cut a single with the studio's recording subsidiary Colpix Records which charted. Columbia changed their minds and gave him the role despite the fact that he couldn't surf and was a weak swimmer. He became a huge teen idol and subsequently repeated the Moondoggie role in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963)with two other Gidgets: Deborah Walley and Cindy Carol.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gidget gets her lesson on her new surfboard, the fin is broken in half when it rolls over in the water, but is "repaired" when she and Moondoggie reach the beach.

Quotes:

Mr. Russell Lawrence: That's a man-hunter?
Mrs. Dorothy Lawrence: Who did you expect? Kim Novak?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Riding Giants (2004)

Soundtrack:

The Next Best Thing To Love

Gidget Gets Started

Sandra Dee gets to play the first "Gidget" (combining "Girl and Midget"). She's seems too made-up and beautiful for the role, but she acts the perkiness well. James Darren has a good role with "Moondoggie". Cliff Robertson is the "The Big Kahuna" of the beach. At different times, Ms. Dee's Gidget seems to want to: have fun, have sex, grow up, grow out, stay young, and/or learn to surf (which is not at all unusual). Most of all, Gidget wants a boyfriend.

This film seems much more significant in hindsight; since, the Gidget character proved to be so enduring, and filmmakers discovered an audience for teenagers in swimsuits was ready for action. As a film, "Gidget" only fair, and its story is standard. I thought the most interesting part was Mr. Robertson's character -- do you want him to "grow up" and leave the beach, or should he become an old beach bum? You do get an answer, at the end of the movie. Also interesting is how Robertson relates to the younger characters. The music is slight. Mr. Darren does the title song nicely (later on); and, the soundtrack often sounds like the melody to "Tammy" is about to begin.

**** Gidget (4/10/59) Paul Wendkos ~ Sandra Dee, James Darren, Cliff Robertson