Probably the genesis of the Grade-B surfing and Beach Blanket movies, no mean feat in my humble opinion. Dee is spunky teen (only 15 when this was filmed!) who gets in over her head, in more ways than one, hanging out with the older guy surfers. The boys don't know whether to take her seriously or not, until she ends up on "old-timer" Robertson's couch with the lights off and the fire roaring..... Light comedy/drama played straight by the actors to a pleasing finale. Kind of ahead of its time, it has more of an early-mid 60's than a 50's feel. There's only one real Gidget - this one - which was followed by several inferior movie and television productions, none involving Dee. Frankie Avalon stole Robertson's character name, the Big Kahuna, for his 1987 beach blanket reprise "Back to the Beach".