Gidget Grows Up (1969)

Wow! Such a good movie.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is a late 60s incarnation of Gidget...with Karen Valentine instead of Sandra Dee, Deborah Walley or Sally Field. In fact, to date 8 different ladies have played this character! Because it's the late 60s, the film has a definite stamp of the era--with groovy (?) music and fashions...as well as a love of the UN and an optimism you'd never see today.When the film begins, Gidget has returned home from a long trip to Europe. During this time, she stupidly send letters to Moondoggie (Paul Peterson) saying she was being wined and dined by a lot of men. He is, not surprisingly, cold towards her and soon announces he's heading off to Greenland...as he's joined the Air Force! Soon Gidget sees the US ambassador to the UN on TV talking about a need for young folks to volunteer to work as 'Peace Heroes'. Well, in typical Gidget fashion, she rushes into this role--with very little forethought...but lots of energy! She eventually finds herself in a training program and seems to fall into the routine rather well (other than practically causing a major incident involving Mobutu). But there is a hitch...she really does love Moondoggie and vice-versa but neither is willing to take the first step. So, in the meantime, she begins dating a man much, much older (Edward Mulhare, who was 46). Can she ever get down to business with Moondoggie or is she destined to marry this nice Aussie (who actually was played by an Irishman)?This is mildly enjoyable BUT with one major warning--the music is often god-awful! There are many musical montages which would make most viewers today ill...very ill. Even for the standards of the day, the music sucked and was very invasive. Apart from that, enjoyable and slight--exactly what you'd expect from a Gidget outing.

I adored this movie when I first watched it as a young thirteen year old on TV when it premiered. I've always loved Karen Valentine ever since I first spotted her on Room 222. What a wonderful movie and step back in time. I have also been trying to find Gidget Goes Hawaiian on the Internet for years, but to no avail. They never show that one anymore. *Sigh* For anyone who Loved the Gidget movies, you are going to LOVE this one. Karen V, Paul L, and Paul P were the absolute BEST! It is great to see Gidget doing something other than surfing and hanging out at the beach. And as much as I have always loved Gidget and Moondoggie as a couple, it was also nice to see her not pining over him this time. I guess she really did "Grow Up!" I Loved It! Thank you for uploading this wonderful movie...

Fond nostalgia can do only so much for making this cheese-fest TV movie watchable beyond the odd giggle at the expense of the script, fashions and "performances" in this surprisingly laugh-free entry in the creaky Gidget franchise that began back in 1959.A blender mix of "That Girl" and "Love American Style," "Gidget Grows Up" finds the former beach-bunny, father-fixated Gidget Lawrence (Karen Valentine- all wide eyes and Cinemascope grin) moving to New York to make the world a better place and recover from her tiresome on-again-off-again romance with steady beau Moondoggie (Paul Petersen)…not necessarily in that order.Befitting the timbre of the times, the heretofore famously self-interested teen is now a bleeding-heart tree hugger type complete with roommates that are a virtual Benetton ad of diversity (unfortunately, all are stricken with a serious case of the cutes).The plot, such as it is swerves on its predictable path with hints thrown that little Gidget actually gets deflowered by an older gentlemen (there is much talk about "reaching out" and so many montages that one can do what one will with the inferences and fade outs. To my jaundiced eye, this was 60s TV's way of saying that Gidget REALLY grew up).Desperately in need of a laugh track, "Gidget Grows Up" only really comes alive for the brief moments that Paul Lynde (as the "eccentric" bachelor landlord) is on screen. To pad out time to the inevitable final clinch, we have to watch like a million scenes of Valentine walking thoughtfully through Manhattan while listening to endless variations on a really awful theme song ("Growing up and falling down a lot…" Oh, brother!).A must for Karen Valentine fans (who developed into quite an actress…later) and those who like to relive their pasts, but otherwise not much here beyond camp value.

Personally I can't believe this Gidget movie is given such a low rating. It was my favorite of all the Gidget movies. It was a switch from the Gidget surfing to Gidget getting out on her own and experiencing life.I wish they'd bring it out on DVD so I could get the movie for my youngest daughter because I know she'd like it.I'd even sit and watch it with her.I would enjoy seeing it again.It's a good movie for young girls to watch, I wish they'd still make movies like this.Karen Valentine did a great job as Gidget and Paul Peterson as Moon Doggie.Good movie in my opinion.