Gidget (film)

Gidget (1959) is a Columbia Pictures feature film starring Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson, and James Darren in a story about a teenager's initiation into the California surf culture and her affliated romance with a young surfer. The screenplay by Gabrielle Upton was based upon Frederick Kohner's 1957 novel Gidget, the Girl with Big Ideas. The film was directed by Paul Wendkos. Gidget was one of the first "beach movies" and was followed by two sequel films, various television series, several telemovies, and the spoof Psycho Beach Party. Gidget received one award nomination.

Plot and cast

On a jaunt to the beach with her bikini-clad girlfriends, flat-chested tomboy Frances Lawrence (Sandra Dee) meets surfer Moondoggie (James Darren). She takes a liking to him, but he shows no romantic interest.

At home, Francie importunes her parents for a surfboard. The Lawrences (Arthur O'Connell and Mary LaRoche) grant their daughter's request and the excited youngster returns to the beach to surf. She associates with an all-male surfer gang led by the worldly beach bum, The Kahuna (Cliff Robertson). The gang dubs their female associate "Gidget", a portmanteau word based on 'girl' and 'midget'.

Moondoggie continues to pretend indifference to Gidget but quietly keeps an eye on her. She attends a beach party, hoping to attract Moondoggie's attention. When she tries to use The Kahuna to make Moondoggie jealous, her plan backfires and she feels foolish and outcast.

In the end, Mr. Lawrence arranges a date for Gidget with Jeffrey Matthews, the son of a friend. To her surprise, Matthews turns out to be none other than Moondoggie. He professes his love and, as an act of romantic devotion, asks Gidget to wear his class pin.

The surfer gang includes Robert Ellis as Hot Shot, Joby Baker as Stinky, Tom Laughlin as Lover Boy, Burt Metcalfe as Lord Byron, and Doug McClure as Waikiki. Sue George plays Gidget's girlfriend Betty Louise, and the musical group, The Four Preps appear as themselves.

Sequels and spinoffs

Within ten years of the film's release, two sequels, a television series, and a telemovie were produced. Theatrical releases included the sequel films Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) starring Deborah Walley, and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) starring Cindy Carol. In 1965, Sally Field played Gidget in an ABC television series that was canceled after one season. In 1969, a telemovie Gidget Grows Up starring Karen Valentine was aired.

The adult Gidget then appeared in the telemovies Gidget Gets Married (1972), and Gidget's Summer Reunion (1985). Another television sitcom was produced in 1986, The New Gidget starring Caryn Richman. Although the original Gidget was blonde, subsequent Gidgets sported a variety of hair colors.

In 1987, Gidget was spoofed in the off Broadway play, Psycho Beach Party. Written by and starring Charles Busch, the play follows a Gidget-like character called "Chicklet" as she copes with a series of bizarre murders among her surfer crowd. In 2000, a film was released based on the play. Rather than reprising his off-Broadway "Chicklet" role for the film, Busch created and appeared as a new character for the production called Monic Stark, a female police officer.

Soundtrack

Fred Karger composed "Gidget" with lyrics by Patti Washington, and "The Next Best Thing to Love" with lyics by Stanley Styne. James Darren sang both numbers on-screen while The Four Preps sang "Gidget" over the opening credits. At the beach party scene, The Four Preps rendered "Cinderella", a number by two members of The Four Preps, Glen Larson and Bruce Belland.

Reception

Howard Thompson wrote in the New York Times of April 23, 1959, "[The film] is enough to make anybody leave one of the neighborhood theatres, where it opened yesterday, and light out for Long Island Sound. Pictorially, this mild little Columbia frolic, about a teen-age girl with boy trouble, seems an ideal way to usher in the beach season." He praised performers Dee, Robertson, and La Roche.

Craig Butler in All Movie Guide notes, "Although the very title prompts snorts of derision from many, Gidget is actually not a bad little teenaged flick from the '50s. Great art it definitely isn't, but as frivolous, lighthearted entertainment, it more than fits the bill. Those who know it only by reputation will probably be surprised to find that it does attempt to deal with the problems of life as seen by a teenager -- and that, while some of those attempts are silly, many of them come off quite well. It also paints a very convincing picture of the beach-bum lifestyle, much more so than the Frankie Avalon-Annette Funicello beach party movies."

Awards and nominations

The film received a 1960 Golden Laurel nomination for Top Female Comedy Performance: Sandra Dee.

Trivia

• The studio wanted Elvis Presley to play the role of Moondoggie, but his fees were too expensive.
• The popularity of the film led to a "Miss Gidget" contest which was won by Barbara Bouchet in 1959.

References