Gidget (1959)

Buy This Item Gidget (1959) by Sony Pictures  Available from Amazon  $9.98  on 9-22-2008     It seems that while I was growing up, my best friend and I could not have a sleepover or a slumber party without watching "Gidget" and "Grease". We rented the former one day and we loved it instantly, slightly dated as it is. We totally identified with Gidget (the adorable Sandra Dee, God rest her soul), who summed up the innocence and longing of teenage love. Our favorite lines were, "Yeah, but what if the young man doesn't know you're alive?" and, " 'To be a real woman is to bring out the best in a man.' Tell that to the boys today." We, of course, couldn't help but remark, "More like today!!!!" It's easy to see why this film inspired so many beach movies of the 60s. We found it particularly amusing how protective and neurotic Gidget's father (Arthur O'Connell) was, and how he wanted her to date suitable college boys. And James Darren was so great as Moondoggie, and he even got to croon a great love tune!!! It's priceless when Gidget gets one of the surf boys, Hot Shot, to help her make Moondoggie jealous, and Hot Shot backs out of their deal, and Moondoggie steps up to the plate, completely unaware that he was the intended target. Gidget then pretends that it's the Big Kahuna (a young, buff, and tanned Cliff Robertson) she's out to get, and ends up getting in a little deeper than she planned to. <br /> <br />Of course, it all works out in the end. But this movie is a treasure. Now that it's available on DVD, so many people can enjoy it. It takes you back to a simpler time, but at the same moment you can identify with the characters. You may even want to learn how to surf!!! Best of all, it is a great tribute to Sandra Dee, in her most famous role. "Gidget" is one in a million!!!! <br /> <br /> Reader Reviews The reputation of the original "Gidget" (1959) has eroded over the years thanks to two weak sequels and a truly dreadful television series. So if you have never seen the original don't dismiss it based on the extremely shallow content of the Gidget stuff that came later. While not a good double-feature match for "Rebel Without a Cause", it is dark and serious enough to still have some relevance While presenting a rather tame portrait of California's surf and beatnik counterculture, it fits solidly with the better coming-of-age/generational revolution stuff of the 1950's and 60's. Sixteen year-old Francis Lawrence (Sandra Dee at her most innocent) is the film's title character; girl plus midget equals Gidget. Dee managed to avoid the other two features and the television series but not fatal type casting. She would become more associated with "Tammy" than any other character. Although soon to be a teen idol, looking at her films it is probably difficult for today's audiences to understand her appeal. She was a talented actress with an especially good performance in "The Young and the Innocent" but was never able to transcend the teen idol stigma. Francis and her more mature and boy hungry friends (watch for "Batgirl's" Yvonne Craig) start their summer vacation trolling the beach for excitement. Francis doesn't really like boys but she can see that they will inevitably become a big factor in her life. Rescued by a boy named Moondoggie (James Darren who was never much of an actor but would also develop into quite a teen idol), Francis is introduced to the surf culture (watch for "Billy Jack's" Tom Laughlin). She is both attracted and repelled by the hedonist freedom and the inherent hypocrisy of the culture's preoccupation with money. In no sense is she the ditzy Gidget later portrayed on television by Sally Fields. There is a pervasive sexual undertone to the film with the possible loss of Gidget's virginity a unifying theme. But she is essentially a child, and the three main male characters are each protective of her in their own way. Along with Moondoggie are her clueless father (Arthur O'Connell) and The Big Kahuna (Cliff Robertson). Robertson is a combat veteran (Korea) who has basically dropped out and is living in a shack on the beach. Robertson does a good job in a challenging rol, as The Big Kahuna alternates between the seriousness he would soon bring to his portrayal of Jack Kennedy in "PT-109" and the manic qualities of a Dick Shawn character. Ultimately some irony is introduced as "Moondoggie" turns out to be Jeffrey Mathews, the clean-cut boy Mr. Lawrence has been trying all summer to persuade his daughter to date. Their summer at the beach is just a transitional point on the road to a ranch house in Sherman Oaks. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Gidget (1959) Available from Amazon Price: $9.98 Updated on 9-22-2008.

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