Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) User Reviews

Gidget Was Here, In The Eternal City!

[Noirdame79 · 6/10 · 21 May 2005]

While this is nowhere near the best "Gidget" film, it is entertaining in its own right. Cindy Carol(whatever happened to her?)doesn't hold a candle to Sandra Dee and Deborah Walley (both RIP), but she does have spunky personality to spare. James Darren, impeccably tanned and handsome as always, is right in his element, singing under the Roman sun. The beautiful scenery, lively colors, peaceful music and the humorous performances are enough to recommend this movie.

Gidget, enjoying her last summer before college, manages to convince her folks to let her go to Rome for the summer with her friends and a chaperone. She and Moondoggie arrive in the Eternal city, hand in hand, only to again fall into problems when Jeff becomes infatuated with their beautiful guide, Daniela (the lovely Danielle de Metz). Gidget then begins seeing an older man, Paolo Cellini (Cesare Danova), thinking of it as romance, unaware that he is actually and army buddy of her dad's, whom he had asked to watch over the Gidge. Many misadventures, misunderstandings, and girl midget fantasies abound!!! Trudy Ames, as Gidget's friend Libby, is hilarious, ("They have to help the poor girl because she's so top heavy!"), and she has a perfect foil in Noreen Corcoran, as Lucy, ("Yes, that's probably what made her ankles so thick."). Joby Baker, back as Judge, nearly steals the show with his goofy and appealing portrayal. Jessie Royce Landis is priceless and Judge's aunt Albertina, serving as the group's chaperone, who has no idea which side of Judge's family she's related to. Oh, and I liked her wigs and her cute little dogs, Howard and Ethel too. Cesare Danova, suave and sensitive, is everyone's idea of a Roman, and Lisa Gastoni is wonderful as his understanding wife. I rather liked Don Porter as Gidget's dad, and it was nice to see Jeff Donnell back as her mom.

Am I the only one who notices that every movie, Gidget gets a new house, new parents, new set of female friends, and a complete makeover? And she doesn't seem to age much past seventeen? Lucky girl. The bottom line: this movie is harmless fun. But if you watched it for the scenery alone, you still wouldn't be disappointed!

Elvis connections ....

[Historyteaches · 4/10 · 7 November 2023]

The casting director for Elvis movies in the sixties must have been impressed by this movie!

The next year, 1964 Cesare Danova was featured in Viva Las Vegas as Count Elmo Mancini. The race car driver/ playboy competing in the race and off the track for Ann Margret.

Peter Brooks and Joby Baker appeared in Girl Happy the next year. 1965. Brooks as a nerd around the motel (who morphs into Nita Talbot's date in the finale). And Baker is a buddy who played in Elvis's band. And shares in the hijinx.

The Gidget movie was intended to show the character as more mature and growing into a young adult. Beach scenes and family interaction were quickly disposed of in the first ten minutes. And the teenage romance/courtship dynamics of the earlier films was pretty much suspended as each lead pursued other potentially romantic partners for the bulk of the story.

The reunited ending was totally predictable. What else could it have been given the light comedic theme of the plot.

James Darren was in his prime then. On the charts in the early sixties he had a number of hit singles. Including Goodbye Cruel World and Her Royal Majesty amongst many others. He was in a handful of teen oriented films. And in a couple of years would star in the Time Tunnel sci Fi TV show.

All in all it was a nice enough bright, vivid time capsule of an early sixties milieu. And a view of a fun stereotypical tourist first visit to Rome. Hardly a memorable or captivating movie, but it did what it was intended to. Move Gidget off the beach and appeal to a familiar demographic.

Simple, innocent fluff that does build on the earlier Gidget mythos. The TV series actually is the best representation but has more time to expand on character and stories.

And as a footnote. Noreen Corcoran had just finished playing the teen daughter in the sitcom Bachelor Father.

Weakest of the Three Movies

[debra_vs · 5/10 · 10 March 2008]

Although this movie is the weakest of the three Gidget films, it's still a fun view. James Darren is back again as 'Moondoggy' - always a good thing. It's also nice to see the Rome of the early 60s, Cesar Danova is gorgeous, and Jessie Royce Landis is charming. Cindy Carol? Not too much of an actress and definitely second rate compared to Sandra Dee and Deborah Walley. The girl was two-dimensional all of the way through the movie. However, she didn't have as much to work with, script-wise, as the other two actresses, so I'm not sure that it's totally fair to compare them. Being the third sequel, what should we expect, after all? Still, it is a fun movie and actually has some funny bits that are intentional (and some that are unintentional, but not surprising given how old the movie is). If you liked the first two 'Gidget' movies, you'll probably enjoy this one, as well. Just don't expect too much in the way of great acting, slick plot lines, and scintillating conversation.

"Gidget" - a contraction, meaning "girl midget."

[TxMike · 31 December 2002]

"Gidget Goes to Rome" in 1963 was the third installment in the Gidget series of films. The first had Sandra Dee and the second Deborah Whalley as the Gidget leads. Including a couple of TV series and some TV movies, there were nine in all, and many of them pretty lame.

This Gidget film, in 1963, is one of the better ones. Cindy Carol as Gidget Lawrence plays her as a bright, perky, mature teenager, and the slight over-acting style she uses fits the character just right. Remember, the Gidget films are not to be taken very seriously. They depict 1960s teenager life and in particular, the mythical beach life. Here Gidget and some of her friends are in Rome, she meets a mysterious and handsome older Italian man who seems to be intent on helping her have a good stay. In the end he has been retained by Gidget's father to make sure she has both a good time, and remains safe.

I was a teenager in 1963, specifically it was the year I graduated from high school. A "Gidget" represents more than anything else that cute girl we admired from afar but never could get close to. Watching any of these Gidget films, especially the first three (1959, 1961, and 1963) brings back fond memories that doesn't quite seem to be 40+ years ago.

The worst of the Gidget films

[bensonmum2 · 3/10 · 3 April 2006]

Gidget Goes to Rome is easily the low point of the series. The comedy is lame and the story is neither original nor as sweet as Gidget. While Cindy Carol makes a better lead than Deborah Walley did in Gidget Goes Hawaiian, she's not going to make anyone forget about Sandra Dee. The series should have ended in Hawaii.

Maybe it's just me, but I found a few things about Gidget Goes to Rome a little weird. First, take the relationship between Gidget and Moondoggie as presented in this movie. James Darren looks to be about twice the age of Carol. Seeing the older Darren snuggling up to a girl half his age is just a little too creepy for me to enjoy. Second, Moondoggie spends the entire movie ignoring Gidget and wooing the hot Italian tour guide. He even asks her to marry him. Yet when she refuses and sends him on his way, Gidget takes him back with open arms and without any questions. Again, it's just too creepy.

The Worst Gidget

[Drea_mz · 3/10 · 10 November 2007]

I'm 21, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate or love the Gidget movies. My friends look very puzzled when I mention how much I love these movies. However, "Gidget Goes to Rome," gets no love from me and was by far the most boring Gidget to date. Cindy Carol, as Gidget, did not click with me the way Sandra Dee and Deborah Walley did. I don't mean to put her down or bash her but she didn't have that spunk that the previous Gidget's had. The best part about the movie was the gorgeous Moondoggie, but even he couldn't save this film. I'm not sure why they had a new Gidget every movie (maybe no one wanted to stay on) but I really wish they could have gotten Sandra or Deborah back. Even Sally Field's television version of Gidget was much better than Cindy Carol's portrayal.

As lousy as it sounds...

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 15 March 2006]

Before the "Gidget" franchise got a shot in the arm via television (with young Sally Field in the title role), she trudged along theatrically, here with Cindy Carol in the lead. 17-year-old Frances Lawrence goes on a chaperoned trip to Italy with boyfriend and gal-pals in tow. Slick but artificial mixture of on-location tourist's folly and set-bound situation comedy isn't at all interesting, despite the efforts by veteran comedy writer Ruth Brooks Flippen. The teens seem tired, Carol exudes very little charisma, and only Don Porter is engaging playing Gidget's dad, a role he filled even more comfortably a few years later on TV. *1/2 from ****

While 13 years old, I met Cindy at a drive in theater.

[ladymoonpictures · 7/10 · 20 June 2006]

Gidget, played by Cindy Carol was at our local drive in theater in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pa, during the fall/summer of 1963. I was 13-years old. And during intermission, there, sitting at a round, rod-iron outdoor table, sat Gidget, in the same pink dress you see her in, on the "Gidget Goes To Rome", IMDb page! She wrote on the autographed picture, "To Rick with love, Cindy Carol" How cool was that! Frankly, I don't remember much about the movie except that it was curious for a "movie star" to find herself, 'here and now' at the Ardmore Drive in theater, which was in itself, a very special drive in. It was a modern, state of the art facility. Big wide screen, great concession stand and on both sides of which, there were mini, "theater rooms" where drive in movie goers, could venture out from their car and sit inside, with theater seats and sound, and watch the movie. During those early/mid teenaged years in the 60's, us kids would "sleep out" and at night go sneak over the hill through the thick trees in the back, to get into the drive in. Since they had the indoor seats, we would naturally go to "lover's cars" in the back of the drive in, knock on their windows, and ask for their stubs, so that when Chucky Pollack would make his rounds in the theater, he would ask to see our tickets. There may be 4 or 5 of us in there and we'd all pull our tickets out of our pockets. Chucky would say, "Why are all the ticket numbers out of sequence?" We would respond, "Because we all came in different cars!" Those were truly, the good old days! The drive in's been gone for many, many years as most have gone that way, which now is a strip mall with one of the most used, "Giant Eagle" super markets in Pittsburgh. I hope Cindy reads this one day she might look for her acting accomplishments on IMDb, and just maybe, she will remember that one particular night in Pittsburgh (Braddock Hills) when she sat outside at the drive in and signed autographs at the Ardmore Drive In -- making lasting memories in the heart and mind of a young, movie going enthusiast and still "Cindy Carol-fan"! Cindy turns 65-years old this year (2009). At last check, she was teaching in California. Dare you leave me a message Cindy. I'd love to catch up! Perhaps leave me a message at ladymoon here on IMDb!

Third Gidget Movie Wears Thin

[CitizenCaine · 4/10 · 10 August 2009]

Gidget Goes To Rome was the third film made about the teenage heroine of the early sixties. Squeaky clean and pretty keen were the watch words then. Cindy Carol plays Gidget in a bit less charming fashion than her two predecessors: Sandra Dee and Deborah Walley. James Darren is back for his third go round as Moondoggie, yikes! That pet name just sounds a bit too cutesy, even for the time period. This time the kids make off for Rome in the care of an aunt with a vague familial connection to one of the guys who goes along. Jessie Royce Landis does these adult, comic relief roles in her sleep.

While in Rome, viewers get a travelogue of the city from Danielle De Metz, who is actually French, posing as a competitive love interest for James Darren as Moondoggie. In the meantime, Gidget gets fed up with the lack of attention and soon finds Cesare Danova available to escort her at several points throughout the film. The usual complications (or lack of them) ensue, and viewers are treated to limp comedy and moments somewhat lacking in the drama department. However, the film contains lush color and viewers will enjoy the many sites of Rome circa 1963. Eddie Foy, Jr. has a cameo as a beach-goer wanting to use a public telephone at the beginning of the film. *1/2 of 4 stars.

Gidget Goes to the Well.

[anaconda-40658 · 6/10 · 1 September 2015]

Gidget Goes to Rome (1963): Dir: Paul Wendkos / Cast: Cindy Carol, James Darren, Cesare Danova, Jessie Royce Landis, Don Porter: This time the innocence of Gidget disturbs Rome where she travels to with friends while her parents secretly have someone watching out for her. Third film in the series is simple, slow and only really comes to life in the third act when it is uncertain the destiny of two key players. Paul Wendkos directs again with great imagery of Rome. Had it not been for the dedication of Wendkos then perhaps this series of beach films might have deteriorated with too many points of views of other filmmakers. Cindy Carol is perky as the 18 year old Gidget who is constantly in trouble. She is the third actress to portray Gidget, and her constant arrivals at the police station keep things humorous when the story grinds slow. James Darren returns as her boyfriend for the third time. He joins the director in his constant loyalty to the series. We know the character but his dealings with troubled Gidget provide great charm. Cesare Danova plays an older gentleman who sweeps Gidget off her feet. Jessie Royce Landis steals scenes as an aunt who is just out of plain sight of the real issues at hand. Don Porter plays Gidget's father who will likely never understand his ditsy blonde daughter. Weaker and less ambitious than previous films yet sustains a certain level of charm. Score: 6 / 10

This movie is terrible

[jlkrejer · 1/10 · 9 January 2023]

Watched the first Giget with Sandra Dee who stole the film. She sparkled and was so pretty. Sandra Dee really captured the essence of Giget. Cindy Carol in Giget goes to Rome does not have any sparkle and is annoying to watch. She adds nothing to the film at all and does not have the same beauty or quality that Sandra Dee had. Her acting is terrible and this film is such a disappointment to watch. Plus her voice is so whiny. Truly horrible. Also the actress who plays her friend is a terrible actress as well. Moondoggy is the only charater holding the film together. The scenery is beautiful though as well as some of the fashion. It truly is a shame Sandra Dee was not in the 2 sequels.

Light comedy--circa 1963

[tbob02 · 8/10 · 17 April 2005]

Of the three Gidget movies, this one was my favorite--maybe because I was four and six when the other two movies came out. Cindy Carol's Gidget comes closer to the Sally Field Gidget than Sandra Dee's or Deborah Walley's did. The actress who portrayed the aunt (Jessie Royce Landis) reminded me a lot of Agnes Moorehead.

You can't watch this movie and expect grand performances--these are kids and the subject matter isn't Shakespeare. (Lighten up, people!!) You have to take this movie for what it is--circa 1963. Most comedies 42+ years ago were fluff..

If you don't take this type of comedy too seriously, watch it just for the fun of it..

Cindy Carol is the best of the three Gidgets, plus several Rome attractions

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 29 May 2018]

RELEASED IN 1963 and directed by Paul Wendkos, "Gidget goes to Rome" chronicles events when Gidget (Cindy Carol) visits Rome with two girlfriends along with Moondoggie (James Darren) and two of his buds, but the group has to enlist the services of Judge's eccentric aunt as a chaperone (Jessie Royce Landis). While Moondoggie becomes infatuated with a beautiful guide (Danielle De Metz) Gidget finds herself drawn to a suave writer, who's much older (Cesare Danova).

Gidget is 18 years-old and freshly graduated from high school in this film, which means the events take place about two years after the events in the original 1959 movie. Cindy Carol was 18 during filming and makes for a superior substitute for Sandra Dee than Deborah Walley did in 1961's "Gidget goes Hawaiian." Deborah was charming enough, but her hair & eyes didn't fit, plus she tended to have weak & whiney facial expressions, which detracted from what Gidget was all about as established in the first film, i.e. a precocious, tomboyish teen who was more interested in surfing and insightful exchange than kissy-kissy, although she was interested in that too; it just wasn't her first & only priority.

Honestly, Carol is my favorite of the three actresses to play Gidget in the three theatrical movies, followed by Dee. Unlike Dee, Carol has womanly curves, which are on display from the get-go at the Malibu beach, as well as in a later scene at a Rome fashion show. Like Dee, she's also all-around kinetic and winsome. The head-turning De Metz also scores well on the feminine front, not to mention the amusing Trudi Ames (Libby) and redhead Noreen Corcoran (Lucy).

Another plus is how the story naturally takes advantage of numerous tourist attractions in Rome. As such, the viewer gets his/her own tour of "the eternal city." While the theme lacks the potent subtexts of the original movie, it's still worthy: Get out and see the world when you have the opportunity and get cultured from every angle.

THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 44 minutes and was shot in Southern Cal and Rome. WRITERS: Ruth Brooks Flippen, Katherine Albert & Dale Eunson.

GRADE: B

Gidget needs a chaperon in the Eternal City

[bkoganbing · 4/10 · 7 September 2012]

The third and last Gidget big screen movie has Cindy Carol as the surfing crazed California girl on a trip to Rome. She's got two friends she's taking along and James Darren once again as Moondoggie is taking two buddies of his.

But it's not that easy as Don Porter calls on an old friend Cesare Danova to unofficially chaperon the group and keep a special eye out for his little sugar plum Gidget. Not only that but Joby Baker who is one of Darren's friends gets his eccentric aunt Jessie Royce Landis to also act as a chaperon.

You have to remember we were still in the innocent times before the Kennedy assassination. Today this whole attitude would be laughed at and certainly dates Gidget Goes To Rome.

Danova also provides a tour guide in the person of his daughter Danielle Metz for the group. She's got Darren certainly thinking twice about his relationship to Gidget.

The next time we would see Gidget it would be on the small screen with Sally Field and also with Don Porter as her father. Interesting though how Porter who was wise and trusting on the small screen is such paranoid father here. His character worked so much better with Sally Field.

We'd see a lot more of Gidget, but not as big screen character any more after Gidget Goes To Rome.

All in all it wasn't bad...

[Minty924 · 2 April 2000]

The movie itself was ok, good scenery and all, but the acting wasn't exactly the best. Cindy Carol wasa terrible choice for gidget because of a lack of acting skills. If you look past the fact that her acting was lousy the movie is pretty good, the plot is slighlty more mature than the other gidget's. The scenery was great and so was the fashion show sequence. All in all, it wasn't that bad...

Gidget on a Romantic Roller Coaster in Rome

[Uriah43 · 5/10 · 10 February 2023]

This film essentially begins with a teenager named "Frances 'Gidget' Lawrence" (Cindy Carol) begging her father, "Russell Lawrence" (Don Porter) to allow her to fly to Rome with her friends. After some consideration, her father finally relents but only after ensuring that a suitable chaperone is provided. Yet even after learning that one of the other teenager's aunts named "Albertina Blythe" (Jessie Royce Landis) has agreed to chaperone them, Russell remains somewhat concerned and subsequently calls an old friend living in Rome named "Paola Cellini" (Cesare Danova) to secretly check up on them from time to time. For her part, Gidget is only too happy to spend more time with her boyfriend "Jeff 'Moondoggie' Matthews" (James Darren) who is also going on the trip. Problems develop, however, when the group's tour guide turns out to be a beautiful Italian woman named "Daniela" (Danielle De Metz) who all of the teenage boys immediately become enamored with--especially Moondoggie. Needless to say, this takes a serious toll on Gidget's emotions. Her sadness quickly vanishes, however, when she meets an older gentleman who suddenly takes a great interest in her--Paola Cellini. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an okay comedy for the most part, which started off slow, but picked up rather nicely toward the end. And while I thought James Darren seemed a bit too old for his character, I thought that Cindy Carol performed extremely well in the lead role. I also liked the performances of Cesare Danova and Danielle De Metz--who was absolutely gorgeous. In any case, while this wasn't a great comedy by any means, it seemed to pass the time well enough, and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Francesca and Paolo have some sweet but adult conversations in this Gidgetta goes to Rome!

[cgvsluis · 5/10 · 13 June 2022]

This is the third film in the Gidget movie series and again Gidget and her parents have been recast. This might be my second favorite actress who played Gidget, Cindy Carol (second to Sandra Dee of course). This film is the first Gidget that spent little to no time on the beach. Gidget has a plan to go to Rome with Moondoggie and four other friends. First she has to talk their parents into it, second they have to find a chaperone and finally she has to convince her parents to let her go!

"Except from a purely aesthetic viewpoint of course."-Gidget

This was a little sadder than the other Gidget films. Moondoggie spends their entire trip fawning over the Italian beauty who is their guide. I'm afraid Gidget has a bigger heart than me to so easily take him back after that. Gidget spends the film getting into trouble with the Italian police and developing a crush and subsequent broken heart.

Roman sites were fun to see and it was fun to hear the beautiful Italian language, but the overall sad storyline and easy acceptance at the end make this one a miss for me even though I loved the music in this third film...and Gidget's new Italian nickname "gidgetta"!

Jesse Royce Landis and Cesare Danova were real standouts in this film.

Cindy Carol is the best Gidget

[swbottles · 9/10 · 1 April 2005]

This is one of my favorite movies, it features Cindy Carol. She is my idea of the perfect girl, she is so pretty and has a perfect personality. I wish she was in more movies. This movie would be nothing without her in the lead role. I think this is the best of the Gidget movies. She is a little known actress, watch this movie and she if you agree that she deserved more movie roles. Filmed in 1963, the height of the beach movies. A great movie for all ages. It stands the test of time, it's just as good today as it was 40 years ago. I wish Cindy stared in the Gidget TV show, I can't get enough of her joyful personality.

Weak

[Esmollin · 21 July 2013]

This is by far the worst of the three Gidget movies. The plot is ridiculous, with Gidget breaking up with Moondoggie right away of course. He falls for a Roman tour guide who oddly, has a French accent. By the end of the tedious movie he asks her to marry him. When she refuses, right away he goes back to Gidget. Meanwhile, Gidget falls for a married man. Yes, all this in between seeing the sights And crashing a fashion show.

She was much ore interesting back in Malibu. Sandra Dee was the best Gidget in my opinion. But that had a lot to do with a better script and cast.

Cindy Carol is great!

[vhkbfan · 10/10 · 30 January 2005]

Cindy Carol effortlessly projects warm and verve onto the silver screen. The storyline is written for children and teenage women of the early 1960's. Like so many movies during the 60's, (e.g., 007 films), Gidget Goes to Rome was probably snubbed by some reviewers of the time, only to reappear decades later to a new audience of more appreciative viewers. It is now a classic period piece of that particular time and genre. I rented the VHS tape and noticed that Ms. Carol's name was way down the list on the credits shown on the cover. Cindy Carol's face in shown for most of the 110 minutes this film runs. With her beauty, presence and naturally bubbly personality, she is carrying the entire cast.

Actors lousy

[suelyon · 8 January 1999]

The one thing I enjoyed was the scenery and fashion show sequence.Carol Carol is a lousy actress, and the "gang" are as equally uninteresting.James Darren is a gorgeous italian and I love his songs!