Girl Midget
You might find this hard to believe, but I love Gidget. Here’s the quick synopsis: Gidget wants to learn to surf, but girls don’t surf so nobody will teach her. She persists and finally becomes part of the gang. She’s not busty, blonde and tall like the other women on the beach, so the boys think of her as their kid sister. All types of high-jinx occur as Gidget navigates the wacky world of high-school, Southern California, and surfing. There was a movie with Sandra Dee, then others where Gidget goes to Hawaii, Rome, other places, and then the TV show with Sally Field.
The Gidget movie has a good title sequence, but I’m not so keen on the Sandra Dee Gidget. There’s something wrong with her; she’s just too jumpy. I suspect enormous amounts of coffee before hitting the beach. If she were my child, I’d send her to rehab in Malibu or, at least, sedate her with Nyquil. Sally Field, however, has the right amount of cute with less frenetic nervous energy. She has a snappy style, is nice, and tries really hard to be a good surfer. Then there is the real Gidget, Kathy Kohner, who inspired the character. She's badass in real life, smoking, surfing, and eating crackers at the beach.
Kathy Kohner, 1957
I love the fake surfing scenes. Her best friend LaRue is a wonderful sidekick. Gidget already has learned that you should hang out with someone less attractive and dowdy and you’ll look better. The title sequence must have cost 49 cents, and stole the type from I Dream of Jeannie. But how can you not love Gidget’s cute facial expressions and costume choices? For those who aren’t Gidget aficionados, Gidget is a mix of Girl and Midget, hence Gidget.
Gidget and LaRue
