Okay, no one will ever put this movie alongside The Godfather or Citizen Kane in the pantheon of great movies (at least I hope not). And maybe it wasn't even realistic about teen life in 1959. But as entertainment this is sure a lot better than scores of movies (think Waterworld or Ishtar) that believed they were a good way for people to spend a couple hours of their lives. Gidget may not aim high but it hit the exact spot it was aiming for.<br /><br />With a daughter about to turn 21, I sure wish girls spent their teenage years interacting with boys the way Gidget did. Never worrying about drugs or alcohol, knowing not to let boys take advantage of her. Listening to the Four Preps instead of that damn rap music today.<br /><br />Sandra Dee does a great job of playing a teenager (which shouldn't have been a stretch for her in 1959 unlike James Darren or the other surfers). She does a great job of acting like she's really on a real surfboard in those rear projection shots. I mean, I'm sure Gidget and Moondoggie could surf a few feet from each other all the while giving meaningful glances at each other. And while Arthur O'Connell does a good job as her father, I've never been able to picture him as anything other than a determined bachelor after his role in Picnic.<br /><br />So if you have a couple of hours that you just want to veg out on the couch and give your brain a rest, you could do a lot worse than spend it with Gidget. RIP Sandra!