“It’s the “Cycle Rats” vs “The Bikini’s” on bikes – Thrills and Spills in the wildest motorcycle race ever run”
With Frankie away on Naval Reserve duty in Tahiti, Dee Dee (Annette Funicello) and the rest of the gang are involved in a new series of adventures in this, the final in the series of Beach Party movies from producers James Nicholson and Sam Arhoff – who had previously presented Beach Party(1963), Muscle Beach Party(1964), Bikini Beach(1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo(1965).
Frankie doesn’t trust Dee Dee to be faithful to him while he’s away, so he hires a witch doctor named Bwana (silent film star Buster Keaton) to help him. Bwana conjures up a floating bikini and stuffs it with Cassandra (Beverly Adams) so she can lure advertising executive Ricky (Dwayne Hickman) away from Dee Dee.
Other key plotlines this time involve an opportunistic advertising man (Mickey Rooney) and an oddly appearing and disappearing pelican.
Set against the backdrop of Malibu’s Paradise Cove, the movie features numerous dance numbers in between its potion mixing and schemes developed by jealous partners and also features songs such as Better Be Ready by The Kingsmen.
Annette Funicello looks way too old to be hanging out at the beach – and her (real-life) pregnancy is clearly visible. The dialogue is more inane than usual, and the jokes are relentlessly unfunny.
In a parody of her role as Samantha Stephens in Bewitched, Elizabeth Montgomery makes a cameo appearance as a witch at the end of the film. Director William Asher was her husband at the time.
Dee Dee
Annette Funicello Ricky
Dwayne Hickman B.D. ‘Big Deal’ MacPherson
Brian Donlevy Johnny
John Ashley Bonehead
Jody McCrea Bwana
Buster Keaton Cassandra
Beverly Adams Eric Von Zipper
Harvey Lembeck Animal
Marianne Gaba North Dakota Pete
Len Lesser Dr Melamed
Arthur Julian Khola Koku
Bobbi Shaw Puss
Alberta Nelson Chickie
Marianne Gordon J.D.
Andy Romano Peanuts
Sue Williams Peachy Keane
Mickey Rooney The Kingsmen
Themselves Mike
Michael Nader Rat Pack
John Macchia
Jerry Brutsche
Bob Harvey
Myrna Ross
Alan Fife
Director
William Asher
Video
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