Starring Mary Ann Mobley, Chris Noel, Joan O'Brien, and Chad Everett
Directed by Sidney Miller
Music and Lyrics by various
This week, we hit the slopes with a pair of drive-in musicals from the early 60's that showcased teens having fun at winter resorts. MGM jumped into the Beach Party pool with this entry, adding former Miss America Mobley and some genuine major musical acts to the story of a female songwriter whose college career is threatened when the heads of the school learns what she writes is rock. How does all this look now? Let's begin with a ballet class at Wyndham College for Women and find out...
The Story: Teresa "Terry" Taylor (Mobley) is furious when her publisher Gary Underwood (Everett) calls the school and exposes her as a songwriter. The school's board of trustees, including Senator Hubert Morrison (Willard Waterman), are shocked at a woman singing so frankly about sexual matters. Terry promises that she and her best friend Sue Ann Mobley (Noel) won't even consider boys while they're on their Christmas break ski vacation. They even bring along their ballet teacher Marge Endicott (O'Brien) as a chaperone.
Of course, that lasts for approximately two days once they arrive at Sun Valley, Idaho. Gary is also at the resort with his French friend Armand (Fabrizio Mioni), and they're determined to win the girls and figure out why Terry rejects men when she writes so well about sex and get her to pose for a sexy painting. Morrison is down for vacation, too, trying to figure out these young people. After he and Terry get caught in a compromising photo, Terry, Gary, and the others gather rock acts for a big political rally to prove that Morrison is more "hip" to the young than everyone thought.
The Song and Dance: I give them credit for a shred of originality. None of the other beach party films end with a political rally, and none of them praise feminism quite this fervently. In fact, it's interesting to hear the women discuss their rights (or lack of them) nearly a full decade before women's liberation became a household word. Mobley is spunky and charming as Terry, who just wants to make it in college on her own terms, and Waterman and Noel have some good moments as the Senator who wonders how this young lady learned so much about sexual matters and the giggly blonde who wants a guy, any guy, no matter what her friend thinks.
Favorite Number: We open with "The Swinging Set," the film's original title, performed over the credits by Donnie Brooks. The ballet class gives us our first instrumental number as they trade pirouettes for the Watusi and gyrate to something less formal in class. Mobley herself sings and plays the actual title song with its lyrics discussing girls and their relationship to sexual matters at Wyndham's Christmas dance. Jazz songwriter Stan Getz gave the movie its big hit, the sweet and sexy "The Girl from Ipanema," performed by deep-voiced, low-key Astrud Gilberto. The Rhythm Masters give us another dance routine at Sun Valley, "Beat Street Rag."
Popular British Invasion band The Dave Clark Five performs two numbers, "Whenever You're Around" at the school dance and "Thinking of You, Baby" at the rally. Likewise, the original Animals also do "Blue Feeling" early and "Around and Around" at the rally. The Jimmy Smith Trio get "Comin' Home Johnny" and the instrumental dance routine "The Sermon" at Sun Valley. The Standells get two of their major hits at the masquerade party, "Bonie Maronie" and "The Swim." Freddie Bell and Roberta Lynn join the Bellboys for "Talkin' 'Bout Love."
Trivia: First film for Mary Ann Mobley and last for Joan O'Brien.
Filmed on location at Sun Valley, Idaho.
What I Don't Like: First of all, while the running gag with Terry's married friend Lynne, played by Nancy Sinatra, spending the vacation with her new husband in their hotel room is funny, Sinatra really could have been given more to do...like actually singing. Though this has its comic moments, it's not quite as spoofy or joke-a-minute as the Beach Party films. Frankly, the political rally in the end is kind of sudden and makes very little sense. I wish they'd figured out how to resolve all this back at Sun Valley. They didn't need to return to the school. They barely even mention how Terry finally manages to stay at the college.
The Big Finale: One of the better Beach Party imitations is worth checking out for fans of the stars in question, the genre, or 60's rock and jazz.
Home Media: Unfortunately, this is also one of the harder-to-find Beach Party imitations. The Warner Archives DVD is currently out of print and unavailable, but at press time, there is a copy streaming for free on the Internet Archive, and you might be able to find the DVD used.
No comments:
Post a Comment