For Those Who Think Young
                                                                                  
Director: Leslie H. Martinson
Year: 1964
Rating: 5.0
Well, no one accuses me of that these days. I don't think they ever did. I was born an old crotchety man. Still, I can enjoy a paper thin semi-beach film like this just for the youthful enthusiasm. And a pretty nifty cast. But damn, Nancy Sinatra and they don't give her a song to sing. I bet the producers kicked themselves when she came out with These Boots are Made for Walkin' the next year. This film could have used that. So could I have. So, I had to put on my Nancy Sinatra The Hit Years with 18 of her songs to get through this review. I told you I was born old. Though still creepy that she sings that love song Something Stupid with her dad, Frank Sinatra. Not really meant for a father daughter duo.

 

Anyway, this came out right at the beginning of the Beach films generally with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon but I don't think it is usually put into that category. But when the lifeguard yells Surfs Up, all the kids first do a circle dance before they pick up their surf boards and head for the big waves. Those beach movies are great to look back at - Americans all so fit and attractive before fast food and cookies did us in. This stars Pamela Tiffin who is really astonishingly lovely. I remember thinking that when I saw Harper and she plays a seductive bit of jailbait in a bikini for much of the film. She never quite made it big - spent time in Italy and retired when she married but zowie.

 

A few of the other cast members are James Darren who just passed away recently and I was surprised at the number of people on social media who felt a great deal of affection for him. Star Trek; Deep Space Nine, T.J. Hooker, The Time Tunnel? Not sure where that affection stemmed from. Bob Denver basically plays Maynard from Dobie Gillis and teaches Sinatra how to have Mantra sex. No touching. And then there is the lovely Tina Louise. Both she and Denver were just beginning their long successful run stuck on Gilligan's Island. And there is more to get excited about. Paul Lynde! Eating a hot dog. A very young Ellen Burstyn! And finally Introducing Woody Woodbury!! Huh? Who? At the time he was a stand-up comedian and put out a few racy comedy albums. A great cast for a film as flimsy as this.



The plot such as it is. Darren plays a spoiled rich kid who the girls drool for. But not Tiffin who he really wants. He chases her. She resists. For a while. His grandfather tries to break them up because she has bad genes. Holy cow. Didn't I just hear a candidate say that about immigrants recently? Bad Genes, I tell you. Tina does a harmless strip tease in a club owned by Lynde and Woody. Woody does his tame comedy act. Burstyn plays a morality checker till Woody warms her heart. But they should have let Sinatra sing. But hey, we do get Denver singing Ho Daddy Surf's Up. Before I forget, I should mention that there are cameos from none other than George Raft, Robert Armstrong, Jack La Rue and Allen Jenkins.