College girl Merritt Andrews (Dolores Hart) hits the road and drives down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for Spring Break with her girlfriends – smart Tuggle (Paula Prentiss), vulnerable Melanie (Yvette Mimieux) and funny Angie (Connie Francis, who also sings the hit theme song).
On the way, they pick up hitch-hiker TV Thompson (Jim Hutton), a lanky eccentric who is happy to talk all the way to the beach and beyond. When they reach their destination, the girls settle down to find somewhere to stay (they all sleep in the same one-room apartment) and then begin searching for a good time.
Tuggle and TV (so-called because he wants to work in TV) hit it off almost immediately, but like all the girls, Tuggle is reticent about committing to a sexual relationship, and like all the boys, TV is keen on starting one.
This becomes the theme, set against a background of youthful sun-seeking and partying; it’s not that the girls aren’t interested, it’s just that they don’t want to get into trouble, and Merritt, for one, is keen to settle down with the boy she gives her virginity to.
Her beau turns out to be Ryder Smith (George Hamilton), a dashing millionaire who respects her decision not to end an evening the way he wants – he’s obviously safe marriageable material.
It’s good-natured, nostalgic stuff and the movie never pretends to be anything other than what it is – a teenage beach party movie.
The storyline isn’t strong, but the appealing characters make up for it, with Angie taking a liking to jazz band leader Basil (Frank Gorshin), who wears Coke-bottle lensed spectacles.
Poor Melanie winds up with the wrong crowd, and events take a grim turn when she is raped, which is quite jarring in such a light-hearted film, but it’s made clear that not every male is like the ones who Melanie encountered – so there is a happy ending of sorts.
Merritt Andrews
Dolores Hart Ryder Smith
George Hamilton Melanie Tolman
Yvette Mimieux TV Thompson
Jim Hutton Lola Fandango
Barbara Nichols Tuggle Carpenter
Paula Prentiss Angie
Connie Francis Basil
Frank Gorshin Franklin
Rory Harrity Police Captain
Chill Wills
Director
Henry Levin
Video
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Tuggle and TV (so-called because he wants to work in TV) hit it off almost immediately, but like all the girls, Tuggle is reticent about committing to a sexual relationship, and like all the boys, TV is keen on starting one.
