Beach Party
At one point in the film, Professor Sutwell takes Dolores up in the air for a flight in a small plane. She asks him where he learned to fly, to which he says he was a pilot instructor during World War Two. In real life, Robert Cummings was an accomplished pilot and had in fact served as a WWII military flight instructor.,At the end when Von Zipper says "I will return!" to the beach gang, it's still daylight. But seconds before, the gang is gathered around a campfire and it's pitch dark.,Big Daddy: The pit! Bring me my pendulum, kiddies, I feel like swinging!,(First Screen after Director's credits) "Special Thanks to Vincent Price as Big Daddy..." (Next screen) "Soon to be seen in Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace (1963).,Edited into Back to the Beach (1987),Beach Party
by Gary Usher and Roger Christian
Performed by Frankie Avalon (uncredited) and Annette Funicello (uncredited),I find it very difficult not to like Beach Party. While it may seem dated by today's standards, it is interesting to see surfing done this way and how people acted and I thought it added to its charm. My only real problem with Beach Party actually is the banal subplot between Sutwell and Marianne that seemed to come from a completely different movie altogether. Bob Cummings however is very likable, and Dorothy Malone is resourceful with some nice lines. Her character may seem somewhat worthless compared to this subplot, but not because of her performance. The rest of the performances are also fine, Harvey Lembeck seems to be enjoying himself, and the leads Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello(it's easy why anybody would have a crush on her) are really charming and sweet. Vincent Price also has a nice if brief cameo. The film looks colourful, and the soundtrack is very catchy and drives it wonderfully. The pacing is zippy, the characters are appealing and the story is rarely dull. The dialogue has its wit and fun too, if perhaps very of the time. All in all, charming, likable and fun, very difficult not to enjoy regardless of whether it's perfect or not. 8/10 Bethany Cox,