Beach Party (1963)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

William Asher

Writer:

Lou Rusoff (writer)

Release Date:

7 August 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

When 10,000 kids meet on 5,000 Beach Blankets ... something's bound to happen!

Plot:

The first of the five official American-International "Beach Party" movies. Anthropology Professor Robert...

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Motorcycle | Surfing | Beach Party | Teenager

Awards:

1 win

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 15

12:00 AM

TCM

Cast

Robert Cummings	...	Prof. Robert 'Bob' Orwell Sutwell (as Bob Cummings)
Dorothy Malone	...	Marianne
Frankie Avalon	...	Frankie
Annette Funicello	...	Dolores / DeeDee
Morey Amsterdam	...	Cappy
Harvey Lembeck	...	Eric Von Zipper
Eva Six	...	Ava
John Ashley	...	Ken
Jody McCrea	...	Deadhead
Dick Dale	...	Himself (as Dick Dale and The Del Tones)
Andy Romano	...	J.D. (Rat Pack member)
Jerry Brutsche	...	Rat Pack member
Bob Harvey	...	Rat Pack member
John Macchia	...	Rat Pack member
Alberta Nelson	...	Rat Pack member

Runtime:

101 min | Germany:94 min (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Alta Vista Productions

Trivia:

Although "old fogey" Professor Sutwell knew nothing about beach life, actor Robert Cummings was a competent surfer himself, as documented in personal home movies shot in Hawaii by Hollywood's television host and author Ken Murray.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sutwell succeeds in surfing, the long shots show him with his cap still on. In close-ups he is bareheaded.

Quotes:

Cappy: Just one thing, Professor, will you level with me? What's with the feather duster? The beard? You think it moves the chicks?
Prof. Robert O. Sutwell: No, it usually works the other way.
Cappy: I don't dig. You don't want to level with me?
Prof. Robert O. Sutwell: All right I'll level with you. When I first started out a Harvard, I was the youngest professor at the university. I was so young that it was sickening. No one took me seriously. Every time when I opened my mouth to speak, my students laughed, the other professors laughed...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Lolita (1962)

Soundtrack:

Secret Surfing Spot

Check Your Mind At The Door

I was five when this movie came out in '63, and didn't see it until a TV showing in the mid '70's. It was already dated and unreal at THAT point. I just caught a second viewing on TCM and I must say, it has not aged well. No thought is required to watch, as the whole thing is completely predictable, although watching pretty girls shake their T&A while dancing hasn't become less interesting. And watching Candy Johnson dance is quite an experience. She was only in a few films in the mid '60's, always dancing the way she does in this film, like a human hurricane. I can understand her short career, as I'm sure she must have blown out a hip in very short order, dancing like that. In fact, she's listed in the IMDb credits only as "Perpetual motion dancer".

There is some dated material that's kind of interesting to see, like being able to drive on the beach in Malibu, or the surfboards that were the size of small boats, and guys were doing handstands on them and putting girls on their shoulders while they surfed. And these kids were surfing 15 to 20 abreast, about a foot apart. I wonder how many shattered shin bones they racked up filming those scenes.

The comedy is of the "groaner" variety, and I think today's teens might have some trouble getting through it, what with the cartoon sound effects and all. I was rolling my eyes a bit myself as I re-watched it. This was fairly popular with teens at the time, but I don't think our 21st century teens, pierced and tattooed, will appreciate it. As for those of us a little older, Beach Party does have some nostalgic appeal.