dougdoepke The movie's a big candy box valentine to its time period. But, since there's a lot of boy-girl clinching going on, the box comes with a dramatic warning at the end, a kind of moral reckoning also indicative of the era. As I recall, the movie was a big hit with young fans. And why not, since the popular Gidget series made a whole franchise out of sun and surf. Now I was prepared to really dislike a movie about unthinking hedonism. Just the thought of George Hamilton in a swimsuit makes my hair go greasy. Still, it's a winning cast of young folks, and better than expected. Even Hamilton is not too obnoxious. There's the steady-hand Dolores Hart; the poignant Paula Prentiss; the introverted Yvette Mimieux; and a sparkling Connie Frances. On the male side is a flaky Jim Hutton; a cultured Hamilton; and a goofy Frank Gorshin. Mix 'em together and there's a lot of good natured entertainment. The Technicolor also shines, as it should, since that's a big part of these sunny beach epics. And catch how the screenplay uses awkward innuendo to soften the abundant hormonal drive. After all, these youngsters are not gathering to play Parcheesi. Still, I see a cloud on the distant horizon. It's gathering in southeast Asia and will soon replace these youthful idylls with an Easy Rider (1969) or a Medium Cool (1969). Nonetheless, the movie's a generally frolicking good time, George Hamilton or no.

Boba_Fett1138 To be honest, the movie began as a typical- and not so great, teenage comedy flick, in which a couple of youngsters are going on a spring break holiday. "Where the Boys Are" however handles delicate themes delicately and the movie is way more than just another teenage comedy.Actually quite amazing considering that this movie got made in 1960. The movie and its theme seems far ahead of its time. It makes the movie all the more relevant for the time period it got released in and all the more interesting now days to watch. This movie is basically a good observation of how teenagers handled sexual themes in 1960, without ever getting raunchy or not honest. It's a straightforward flick with its theme but its style ensures that this movie at all times mostly remains an entertaining and light one to watch. The movie also really doesn't feel like it was made in 1960.It's an all the more interesting movie since it tells the story from the viewpoint of the female characters, which works refreshing for a change.The movie knows to create a perfect balance between its more serious moments and its entertainment value. With movies like this the drama would often feel forced and out of place since the entire movie is done in a comical style of film-making. The creators of this movie however managed to find the right balance, without ever crossing any lines.Above all things it's still a very entertaining movie to watch. It's still mostly a comedy that provides some good entertainment and has some likable characters in it.The characters are also really a reason why the movie works out. Lot of the characters are very stereotypical but luckily the actors don't go over-the-top with their roles, which ensures that we can also really start to like- and feel for some of the characters.The acting was way better than expected. Paula Prentiss really impressed me, also with her beauty and the movie further more features George Hamilton and Frank Gorshin in some early roles. Gorshin is still perhaps best known for his portrayal of the Riddler in the early "Batman" series.A surprising and fresh movie that deserves to be seen by more.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

moonspinner55 Attractive locales and performers can't compensate for flimsy, uncharismatic story of college girls vacationing in Ft. Lauderdale in search of potential mates; all the gals are chaste except for Yvette Mimieux, whose flirtations are a signal to us that she's in for trouble! Comedy begins OK, but quickly degenerates as the kids start matching up (of all the couples, Connie Francis and Frank Gorshin, playing a nearly-blind jazz musician, are certainly the oddest). The slapstick finale is just stupid, and the cast (including Dolores Hart and Paula Prentiss) strain for laughs. Francis, singing-star making her movie debut, also croons the title tune--the only truly memorable thing in the picture. Remade as a cheesy T&A flick in 1984. *1/2 from ****

Ed Uyeshima Forty-five years have elapsed since its original release, but it is amazing how this 1960 film introduced a particular genre that continues to be produced today granted in a far more explicit manner - the spring-break, beach-party movie where attractive teens go through a sun-drenched mating ritual and somehow love triumphs over carnal knowledge. Back then, the concept didn't seem quite as jaded as it does now, and consequently there is an entertaining naiveté about the timeworn story of four co-eds from a snowy Midwestern college who journey to Ft. Lauderdale for spring break to meet boys.The plot is based on the then-accepted notion that girls in college are only marking time waiting for husbands to come along, but the journey to that goal depends on the girl. The four in question are Merritt, a smart blonde who is not living up to her academic potential as she questions the moral code around premarital sex; Melanie, so deeply insecure she mistakes sex for love with a less-than-honorable Ivy Leaguer; Tuggle, a tall brunette who zeroes in on an even taller, eccentric hitchhiker; and Angie, the supposedly plain one who gets used to being ignored by men.Directed in a perfunctory fashion by Henry Levin, this is not the type of movie where you are terribly impressed with the performances, but I have to say the acting is certainly miles above subsequent beach-party movies. Elvis' former leading lady Dolores Hart plays Merritt credibly even as she is being seduced by a youthful George Hamilton wanly playing Ryder, a well-to-do Ivy Leaguer with a conveniently located yacht. As the most troubled of the girls, Yvette Mimieux (always loved her name) accurately captures the constantly forlorn, little-girl-lost state of Melanie, a teen-aged Blanche du Bois in the making.So pert and charming as Angie, Connie Francis actually seems miscast as a plain-Jane, especially when she sings "Turn on the Sunshine" with a stage polish completely out of character. The standout is Paula Prentiss who portrays Tuggle with her unique personality in full bloom and partnered the first of several times with Jim Hutton as the comically obnoxious TV. She is an under-appreciated comedienne with a loopy charm and vibrantly twangy voice all her own - it's a shame her career never really took off the way it deserved to.I think the film does make a valid, sometimes even perceptive attempt to address the confusion that Eisenhower-era girls had over sex and love. Girls were expected to function under a double-standard where the only way to attract boys was to have something to offer but at the price of their reputations. This point is hammered home when the tone shifts in the last portion to melodrama. At the same time, the film is filled with predictable comic scenes, including a contrived mêlée in an underwater tank with the zaftig and nasal Barbara Nichols as Esther Williams-wannabe Lola Fandango.Prentiss offers her services and remembrances to the alternate audio commentary track on the DVD, which also comes with a looking-back featurette which includes interviews with Prentiss and Francis. Who knew this film would launch a hundred imitations? The minute you hear Francis sing the title tune, it is hard for a baby boomer not to get nostalgic. If you have an interest in understanding the mid-century moral code enforced upon the youth of America, especially girls, I can think of worse films to see.