![]() ![]() ![]() While in Florida, each girl meets a man who indirectly teaches them something about themselves. The four girls decide to escape their snowy college campus in the midwest (don’t blame them there) and head to spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Where the Boys Are is the coming of age story for four teenage girls, Merritt (Dolores Hart), Tuttle (Paula Prentiss), Melanie (Yvette Mimieux) and Angie (Connie Francis). While it has some silly scenes and characters, the film overall has a more serious tone. ![]() This film, while it takes place at the beach and features teenagers, has a different vibe and feel than the typical teen beach movies of the era. At the end of the film, “the Gidg” and “Moondoggie” are going steady, he’s given her his pin! As Gidget would say, “this is the ultimate!” Later, he finds himself enamored of her and they have their first kiss at the luau. He also displays a protectiveness toward Gidget (as evidenced by him intervening in Gidget’s “surf lesson” with the handsy surfer “Loverboy”). He doesn’t really want to be a beach bum (neither does Kahuna either, it turns out). However, it soon becomes apparent that Moondoggie is putting up a big facade. James Darren (Moondoggie) and Sandra Dee (Gidget) in “Gidget” (1959). To him, Gidget seems like some kid who is perpetually in the way. Under the tutelage of older friend Kahuna aka Burt Vail, played by Cliff Robertson, Moondoggie is determined to live life on his own terms. Moondoggie it seems is determined to strike out on his own and get out from under his father’s thumb (and wallet), and decides that he wants to shirk the responsibility of college and take up the occupation of beach bum. At first, Moondoggie is indifferent to Gidget and gives her the cold shoulder. While surfing with the boys, Gidget meets super-hot college student Moondoggie, played by teen idol James Darren. ![]() The surfers, all boys, quickly take Gidget under their wing. At the beach, she befriends a group of surfers and quickly discovers how much she loves surfing. The beginning of the film finds Gidget being coerced into going to the beach to go “man-hunting.” Gidget is self-conscious (she isn’t as well developed as her friends) and doesn’t feel that urge to partner off with a boy. Gidget is at an age where her friends are boy-crazy and want to find boyfriends. To give a short recap, Gidget is the coming of age story of 17-year old Frances “Gidget” Lawrence, portrayed by 50s-60s teen queen, Sandra Dee. I covered the object of Gidget’s affection–Moondoggie. Gidget (1959).I covered this film earlier when I participated in the “Reel Infatuation” blogathon last summer. Gidget and Moondoggie embrace on the beach in 1959’s “Gidget.” The music, the silliness, the dancing, everything that I want in a film. These films have so much charm (and usually a little eye candy), I love them. These are films where the biggest worry is whether the surf is good, or whether someone has a date to a luau. A time when teenagers weren’t grinding each other in clubs or at school dances, or doing stupid “challenges” like eating detergent (I’m sorry that’s NOT a challenge, that’s just dumb) but rather are doing “The swim” and goofy dances at beach luaus. These films are never going to rank on the top of any “Greatest Movie of All Time” list (except for mine probably), but they’re a fun insight into a nicer, gentler time. And you can’t get much fluffier than 1950s-1960s teen beach movies. ![]()
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