Gidget Goes to Rome (1963)

"Gidget Goes to Rome....and it was never like home!"

After riding the waves in Malibu and basking in the Hawaiian sun, our favorite Southern California beach girl, Gidget, traded in her surfboard for a passport and embarked on her most exciting journey yet—a trip to Rome!  In Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), Francesca "Gidget" Lawrence (now played by Cindy Carol) explores the Eternal City with her ever-doting boyfriend Moondoggie (James Darren) and the "gang" from back home. 

Rome proves to be the perfect playground for Gidget's romantic and cultural escapades. She gets to marvel at the Colosseum, daydream in the Roman Forum, toss coins into the Trevi Fountain, and also find time to go over the deep end for a sophisticated Italian magazine writer, Paolo (Cesare Danova), who claims to be writing an article about an American girl's impressions of Rome. He is really keeping an eye on her as a favor to her father, an old war buddy, but poor Gidge doesn't realize this. 

Jeff aka "Moondoggie" takes Gidget's romantic fling in stride because he has fallen in love himself - with Daniela (Danielle DeMetz), the group's curvaceous tour guide.  

"Everyone falls in love in Rome, Jeff. It is our national pastime - like your baseball."

While Gidget and Moondoggie adjust to their new pairings, she also gets involved in a series of comedic mishaps, all set against the stunning backdrop of a postcard-perfect Italy. The film captures a breezy, early-1960s ideal of international travel—where every piazza is picturesque and romance is always just around the corner. This was a dream trip that every college student at the time wanted to take. 

Gidget Goes to Rome plays like a Technicolor travelogue, making full use of its on-location shooting in Italy. Director Paul Wendkos, who helmed all three Gidget films, gives audiences a delightful tour of Rome’s most iconic landmarks, from the Spanish Steps to St. Peter’s Basilica.

The sights aren't the only dazzling part of the film—the wardrobe is just as eye-catching. The girls get to wear gorgeous Fontana fashions, and a highlight of the film is the elegant fashion show sequence at the legendary Fontana studio where Gidget accidentally stumbles onto the runway. 

Cindy Carol, who steps into the shoes of Sandra Dee and Deborah Walley, plays Gidget with a sprightly flair all her own. Gidget Goes to Rome was the first Gidget film that I watched as a young girl and the movie - as well as Cindy Carol's performance in it - still remain my favorite in the series. Who can resist the catchy title song by James Darren, too? 

Joby Baker returns as Jeff's pal Judge, while Peter Brooks, Noreen Corcoran, and Trudi Ames round out the cast as Gidget's travelling companions. Of course, no Gidget movie would be complete without parental intervention, and this time it’s in the form of the not-so-watchful chaperone Aunt Albertina played by the wig-swapping Jessie Royce Landis.

Gidget Goes to Rome is a typical light-hearted romance adventure that was perfectly in step with the beach-party films and globetrotting romances of the era. It’s a breezy farewell to the Gidget film series and well worth a watch. Just don’t expect too many waves—this time, the only surfing Gidget does is through the winding streets of Rome.

Gidget ( 1959 )

Gidget, directed by Paul Wendkos, is a delightful coming-of-age film that captures the carefree spirit of surf culture in Southern California during the late 1950s. Sandra Dee stars as Francie Lawrence, a young girl who unexpectedly falls in love when her friends take her to the sunny beaches of Malibu on a "manhunting" trip. She is considered "square" by her friends because, up until this summer, her extracurricular activities involved playing the cello and making straight A’s in school. While they lament little Francie's hopelessness of ever catching a boy, Francie catches a new love instead - surfing! 

"Honest to goodness, it's the absolute ultimate!"

Francie pleads with her parents to get the money to purchase a used surfboard and then enthusiastically joins the male-dominated surfing community and gets rechristened "Gidget" ( Girl + Midget ) by her fellow surfers. 

Francie is treated just like one of the guys and loves it, yet she is beginning to think something is wrong with her because she isn't wild about boys the way her friends are. But, as her mother predicts, she simply has not yet met "the one".....until she sees Moondoggie that is. Francie then tries her own technique of manhunting to try and reel in the ultimate catch at the beach. 

Gidget was released in the spring of 1959 and made quite a splash when it first hit the screen. Sandra Dee was launched to stardom and the surfing fad that was in its infancy when the film was made would become the "Big Kahuna" of teen crazes within a few short years. The surfing lifestyle with its surf music, surf wagons, surfing shorts, surfing tees, and surfing tans was all the rage by 1965. Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello helped popularize this Hawaiian import in films such as Beach Party and Beach Blanket Bingo but before they were out there having fun in the warm California sun, little Francie Lawrence was discovering the joys that could be had with a wooden board and demonstrating to teenage girls across America that it was a sport that even girl midgets could master. 

Gidget was based on the 1957 novel of the same name, penned by screenwriter/novelist Frederick Kohner. He was simply writing about the exploits of his own teenage daughter and the summer she fell in love with surfing. Little did he realize that this story would be so endearing that it spawned two follow-up feature films ( Gidget Goes Hawaiian and Gidget Goes to Rome ) and a popular 1965 television series ( Gidget starring Sally Field ). 

For many, Sandra Dee's portrayal of Gidget is considered the best. She was flat-chested and tomboyish but cute and cuddly at the same time. At least, Moondoggie certainly found her appealing. For teeny-boppers, the main draw of the film was Moondoggie himself, played by James Darren. What teenage girl couldn't relate to being stuck on the most handsome boy at the beach? Columbia Pictures certainly hit the jackpot when they signed this dreamy youth to a contract. He not only looked like a Greek god but could sing and act, too. Darren's rendition of the title song hit the Billboard charts at #89 in April of 1959. 

The Four Preps did a marvelous version of the Gidget theme for the opening credits of the film, setting the lighthearted mood of the picture. They appear in the flesh later in the film performing "Cinderella" during the luau scene. One of the members of the group was Glen A. Larson who later produced a number of popular television series ( The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Buck Rogers in the 21st Century ).

Like many Columbia Pictures productions, Gidget had a great cast filled with pros such as the versatile Cliff Robertson who gives a solid performance as the world-wary lost soul known as Kahuna, and Arthur O'Connell and Mary LaRoche as Gidget's parents. Mary LaRoche later played mother to another teenage daughter going through a phase as Mrs. McAfee in Bye Bye Birdie ( 1963 ). 

"Mom, I could perish! I could perish with shame. Last night, after all those hours of concentrated effort, I come home as pure as the driven snow."

While Gidget is primarily a colorful teen beach romance flick, it also subtly touches upon themes of empowerment and defying societal expectations. Gidget's determination to break free from gender stereotypes and pursue her passion for surfing probably served as an inspiring message for young girls. After all, Gidget proved that one didn't have to be a shapely model to catch a boy like Moondoggie.

Overall, Gidget is a timeless gem that continues to charm. Its endearing characters, picturesque visuals, and uplifting theme make it a delightful watch, especially for those seeking a breezy and nostalgic trip to the sun-soaked beaches of the late 1950s.