Frankie (Frankie Avalon) and Dolores (Annette Funicello) arrive at a beach house. He is surprised that she has invited the whole gang to their romantic getaway. The guys surf while the girls read on the beach. Anthropologist Professor Sutwell and his assistant Marianne are secretly studying the kids from an overlooking house. Sutwell comes to the rescue when bike gang leader Eric Von Zipper harasses Dolores which drives a wedge between the young couple.
This is the first pairing of Avalon and Funicello. While it's not the first beach movie, it does create the series of light weight beach rom-com musicals. It has the music, the style, and a cartoon version of the culture. I can do without the ridiculous comedy of the biker gang. It would serve them better to have a more threatening gang. That may be too dark in this bubble gum movie. There isn't any kind of realism here. It's notable when Frankie and Annette walk in on their sleeping friends. The girls are in one room and the boys are in the other room. This is wholesomeness in a bikini. My biggest issue is Frankie trying to get Dolores jealous. I certainly want them to be more pure in their love for each other especially considering the light sweet nature of this movie. This is not a great movie but it does have some fun and it's a big part of movie history.
This is the first pairing of Avalon and Funicello. While it's not the first beach movie, it does create the series of light weight beach rom-com musicals. It has the music, the style, and a cartoon version of the culture. I can do without the ridiculous comedy of the biker gang. It would serve them better to have a more threatening gang. That may be too dark in this bubble gum movie. There isn't any kind of realism here. It's notable when Frankie and Annette walk in on their sleeping friends. The girls are in one room and the boys are in the other room. This is wholesomeness in a bikini. My biggest issue is Frankie trying to get Dolores jealous. I certainly want them to be more pure in their love for each other especially considering the light sweet nature of this movie. This is not a great movie but it does have some fun and it's a big part of movie history.