Gidget Goes to Rome (1963)

Frances, now 17, is still in love with Moondoggy. She can persuade her parents to allow them a journey to Rome, together with two of her and two of his friends. However they have to take an... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writers:

Ruth Brooks Flippen (screenplay), Katherine Albert (screenplay) (as Katherine Eunson)

Stars:

James Darren, Cindy Carol, Jessie Royce Landis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Darren	...	Moondoggie (Jeff Matthews)
Cindy Carol	...	Gidget (Frances Lawrence)
Jessie Royce Landis	...	Albertina Blythe
Cesare Danova	...	Paolo Cellini
Danielle De Metz	...	Daniela (as Danielle de Metz)
Joby Baker	...	Judge
Trudi Ames	...	Libby Bennett
Noreen Corcoran	...	Lucy McDougall
Peter Brooks	...	Clay Anderson
Lisa Gastoni	...	Signora Cellini
Claudio Gora	...	Alberto
Don Porter	...	Russell Lawrence
Jeff Donnell	...	Mrs. Lawrence

Storyline

Frances, now 17, is still in love with Moondoggy. She can persuade her parents to allow them a journey to Rome, together with two of her and two of his friends. However they have to take an adult with them, so they choose Peter's eccentric aunt. In Rome they get the beautiful guide Daniela, who's fascinating the guys and making especially Gidget jealous. She starts looking elsewhere herself.

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Plot Keywords:

female butt clench | nickname in title | gidget character | four word title | psychotronic film | 

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Taglines:

Hear Jimmy Darren Sing "Gidget's Roman Moon"

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

7 August 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

April entdeckt Rom

Filming Locations:

Fontana di Trevi, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jerry Bresler Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Porter reprised his role as Russell Lawrence in Gidget (1965).

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Goofs

When Gidget and Moondoggie are by the river on their first day in Rome, he calls her "Midget" instead of "Gidget"

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Connections

Followed by Gidget Gets Married (1972)

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Soundtracks

Gegetta
Lyrics and Music by George David Weiss and Al Kasha
Sung by James Darren

User Reviews

"Gidget" - a contraction, meaning "girl midget."

"Gidget Goes to Rome" in 1963 was the third installment in the Gidget series of films. The first had Sandra Dee and the second Deborah Whalley as the Gidget leads. Including a couple of TV series and some TV movies, there were nine in all, and many of them pretty lame.

This Gidget film, in 1963, is one of the better ones. Cindy Carol as Gidget Lawrence plays her as a bright, perky, mature teenager, and the slight over-acting style she uses fits the character just right. Remember, the Gidget films are not to be taken very seriously. They depict 1960s teenager life and in particular, the mythical beach life. Here Gidget and some of her friends are in Rome, she meets a mysterious and handsome older Italian man who seems to be intent on helping her have a good stay. In the end he has been retained by Gidget's father to make sure she has both a good time, and remains safe.

I was a teenager in 1963, specifically it was the year I graduated from high school. A "Gidget" represents more than anything else that cute girl we admired from afar but never could get close to. Watching any of these Gidget films, especially the first three (1959, 1961, and 1963) brings back fond memories that doesn't quite seem to be 40+ years ago.