A young girl discovers surfing and love (in that order) during one transitive summer.
"Bodyguard" star Richard Madden gives us the rundown of his record-shattering new show.
Related News
-
'Lucky' Review: Harry Dean Stanton Gets the Goodbye He Deserves
28 September 2017 | Rolling Stone -
Entertainment or Propaganda? A Brief and Critical Look at 'Christian Films'
14 April 2017 | Alt Film Guide -
The Forgotten: Paul Wendkos' "The Burglar" (1957)
08 November 2016 | MUBI
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Gidget (1959)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
1 nomination.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Gidget Goes Hawaiian
(1961)
Comedy
|
Music
|
Romance
Director:
Paul Wendkos
Stars:
James Darren,
Michael Callan,
Deborah Walley
Gidget Goes to Rome
(1963)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Paul Wendkos
Stars:
James Darren,
Cindy Carol,
Jessie Royce Landis
If a Man Answers
(1962)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Henry Levin
Stars:
Sandra Dee,
Bobby Darin,
Micheline Presle
Tammy Tell Me True
(1961)
Comedy
Director:
Harry Keller
Stars:
Sandra Dee,
John Gavin,
Charles Drake
A Summer Place
(1959)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Delmer Daves
Stars:
Richard Egan,
Dorothy McGuire,
Sandra Dee
Tammy and the Doctor
(1963)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Harry Keller
Stars:
Sandra Dee,
Peter Fonda,
Macdonald Carey
Gidget Grows Up
(TV Movie 1969)
Comedy
Director:
James Sheldon
Stars:
Karen Valentine,
Edward Mulhare,
Paul Petersen
Gidget's Summer Reunion
(TV Movie 1985)
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
Bruce Bilson
Stars:
Caryn Richman,
Dean Butler,
Allison Barron
The Restless Years
(1958)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Film-Noir
Director:
Helmut Käutner
Stars:
John Saxon,
Sandra Dee,
Teresa Wright
Tammy and the Bachelor
(1957)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Joseph Pevney
Stars:
Debbie Reynolds,
Walter Brennan,
Leslie Nielsen
Come September
(1961)
Comedy
|
Romance
Director:
Robert Mulligan
Stars:
Rock Hudson,
Gina Lollobrigida,
Sandra Dee
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Sandra Dee | ... | Francie Lawrence aka Gidget | |
| James Darren | ... | Jeffrey Matthews aka Moondoggie | |
| Cliff Robertson | ... | Burt Vail aka The Big Kahuna | |
| Arthur O'Connell | ... | Russell Lawrence | |
 |
The Four Preps | ... | Band at Beach |
| Mary LaRoche | ... | Mrs. Dorothy Lawrence | |
| Joby Baker | ... | Stinky | |
| Tom Laughlin | ... | Lover Boy | |
|
|
Sue George | ... | Betty Louise aka B.L. |
| Robert Ellis | ... | Hot Shot | |
| Jo Morrow | ... | Mary Lou | |
| Yvonne Craig | ... | Nan | |
|
|
Patti Kane | ... | Patti |
| Doug McClure | ... | Waikiki | |
|
|
Burt Metcalfe | ... | Lord Byron |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (31) »
Storyline
Due to an accident while swimming in the sea, Francis meets the surfer Moondoggy. She's fascinated of his sport and starts to hang out with his clique. Although they make fun of her at first, they teach her to surf. Soon she's accepted and given the nickname "Gidget". But it's hard work to become more than a friend to Moondoggy. Written by Tom Zoerner <Tom.Zoerner@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>
Plot Keywords:
love | character name in title | male objectification | surfing | beach |Taglines:
Watch out Brigitte...here comes Gidget! See more »Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
10 April 1959 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
April entdeckt die Männer See more »Filming Locations:
Leo Carrillo State Beach - 35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USACompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Color (ColumbiaColor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Lyrics by Stanley Styne
Music by Fred Karger
Performed by James Darren (uncredited)
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
In one scene as Gidget's father and mother are waiting for her to return, her mother says to her dad, "Who did you expect, Kim Novak?" Her dad had played "Howard Bevins" in Picnic (1956), starring Kim Novak. See more »Goofs
When Gidget gets her lesson on her new surfboard, the fin is broken in half when it rolls over in the water, but is "repaired" when she and Moondoggie reach the beach. See more »Soundtracks
The Next Best Thing to LoveLyrics by Stanley Styne
Music by Fred Karger
Performed by James Darren (uncredited)
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
See more »Contribute to This Page
Enjoy a night in with these popular movies available to stream now with Prime Video.
Squealing Sandra Dee is an underdeveloped sixteen-year-old in Southern California who is prodded by her friends into finding a man; she ingratiates herself to a bunch of good-hearted surfing boys, but only because she's genuinely interested in learning to surf (they soon realize she's different, but that doesn't stop romance from happening!). Ultra clean-cut growing pains comedy-drama, kept very light and lively, with poppy music and pretty, if repetitive, surfing footage. It is somewhat responsible for the string of surfing movies and TV shows which flooded the market in the 1960s...and yet, one hopes it will be better than it is. Sandra Dee doesn't really sparkle, and acts almost victimized when a guy comes onto her. Still, the picture was popular with similar girls and provides a soft, romantic sell to the fellas and to parents. It's as G-rated as can be. ** from ****