It's just a stupid movie

I never did like this third Gidget because it was boring, Cindy Carol was lousy, I disliked Moondoggie in this one because he was rude to Gidget and they didn't do any more beach scenes other than that lousy brief one in the opening of the film. The only thing I did like was the casting of Don Porter as Gidget's dad who would reprise the role in the series with Sally Field. The film would've been better if Sandra Dee reprised her role and the writing was better with beach and surfing scenes. Deborah Walley was good too but she looked out of shape. Going back to Cindy Carol, her Gidget didn't even dress cute like the first two did, she wore these plain, homely dresses.

Yeah, they didn't seem to be trying too hard with this one.

I personally don't think the original film is anything spectacular, but it's enjoyable and definitely captures it's era. Plus, Sandra Dee is perfect in the role. And even Gidget Goes Hawaiian is pretty fun, albeit of a much fluffier, insubstantial variety than its predecessor.

But Gidget Goes to Rome is a more or less a misfire. Poor Cindy Carol, I can imagine she probably hoped to get more out of the role than the writers gave her. With a better script, the character might've been more likable, but she's really made to be childish here. Plus, the on-again off-again romance with Moondoggie feels super forced. And even the direction is poor. The saving grace is Jessie Royce Landis as Judge's aunt, as she had the only funny bits.

All in all, I'd say the Gidget films show a decline in quality as the sequels go along, but this one is significantly worse than the one before it.

posted 4 years ago by nycruise-1
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I hated this the first time I saw it - back when I was 10 years old, on "The CBS Friday Night Movie."

They only showed it a couple of times and then retired it.

Who is/was Cindy Carol?

Her two supporting girlfriends - Trudy Ames and Noreen Corcoran - had more TV fame than Cindy ever did.

Trudy actually went on to do a Folger's Coffee commercial with "Mrs. Olsen," playing a young wife whose tired of the same old coffee. ("Mrs. Olsen" calls her "Trudy" in the commercial!)

Meanwhile, Noreen Corcoran starred for years as the niece of John Forshythe on "Bachelor Father" - why she couldn't get a better part is beyond me.

And where are all the HOT GUYS that hang around Gidget??? All we get is Joby Baker (by now looking much too old to be a teen) and a blond milquetoast.

The MOST STUPID part of this film is the party with all the "eccentrics" - and that idiotic woman spinning around the rooms. I hated that the very first time I saw this film.

Really? I didn't know the brunette friend of Gidget was the niece from "Bachelor Father." It's been a while since I've seen that series. No wonder the other girls seemed so much more comfortable and confident onscreen than Cindy Carol. I wonder how she even got the title role in the first place. She had her moments, but overall just... didn't gel with the part.

And yeah, I agree. It's a shame the producers didn't do better with the male eye candy. I haven't seen "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" which is probably why I didn't think about it that much while watching this movie. But, you are right, it definitely would've helped make the movie better!

Posted 4 years ago by nycruise-1

My guess is that while the original "Gidget" with Sandra Dee was a big hit, by the time this 3rd adventure of the "girl midget" was released, the character's appeal and her adventures had been usurped by the "Beach" movies starring Annette Funicello.

Those movies retain all the components that made the first "Gidget" a success: surfboards and hot guys stripped down. In addition, the "Beach" movies exploited bikinis and two pieces on the girls in a way that could never happened in the "Gidget" movies, given the wholesome nature of the character. Even Annette wore a two-piecer (although it had to cover her navel).


They also had music - with the likes of Donna Loren and Annette singing it up.

Nycruise-1, while you bring up some interesting points "Gidget" was the movie that started the craze with teenagers and the beach culture in the first place. That was one of the reasons it was such a big hit. The movies with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello didn't even come along until after the release of the final Gidget film.

The reason for the demise of the "Gidget" series is much simpler. Columbia simply failed to find a decent replacement for Sandra Dee after Universal (damn them to hell >:() refused to loan her out for the sequel. Without someone as charming, likeable, and talented as Sandra Dee, the "Gidget" gradually fell through the tubes and so did (temp.) the fad of the beach movie

While, yes, you're right. AIP did find a successful formula for their version of the beach films. But, it also helped that there were contract or loaning disputes with their stars, Avalon & Funicello. So, AIP was able to make several successful beach movies with them without a hitch.

It still makes me sad to think of what might have been had Universal been willing to loan Dee out. Even the TV series had the bad luck of being cancelled after only 1 season b/c ABC refused to give the series enough time to generate ratings. :(