“It’s not the same, down by the sea … since the Gidget came to Waikiki …” It’s especially not the same since in the second Gidget film, “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” (1961), the whole cast except for Moondoggie is different.

Thankfully, the book version of “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” is much better than the film.

To recap: In 1957, screenwriter Frederick Kohner wrote the bestselling novel “Gidget: The Little Girl with Big Ideas,” which was based on the summer adventures of his daughter, Kathy. Gidget discovers surfing, hangs out with a college-aged male surfers at Malibu and has a crush on one in particular, named Moondoggie. The bestselling book was adapted into the hit film, “Gidget” (1959), starring Sandra Dee, James Darren and Cliff Robertson.

Frederick Kohner penned another Gidget adventure, “Cher Papa” in 1960. But the character of Franzie “Gidget” Lawrence wouldn’t come to the screen again until 1961 when she unwillingly goes to vacation to Hawaii with her parents.

In both the film and the book, Gidget is blissfully in love with her boyfriend, Jeff (surfer nickname, Moondoggie). So when her parents announce that they are taking a family trip to Hawaii, Gidget is devastated to leave Jeff. When she runs to tell him the tragedy of their vacation, he is excited that she gets to experience Hawaii. Jumping to conclusions, Gidget assumes that because Jeff is okay with her leaving for the remainder of the summer, he doesn’t love her and that he is breaking up with her.

On the plane to Hawaii, Gidget meets sophisticated Abby who senses Gidget has gone through a breakup. While describing their relationship, Gidget says she gave herself “completely,” leading Abby to assume Gidget isn’t a virgin. Also on the plane is singer Mike Horner (in the movie, the character is dancer Eddie Horner played by Michael Callan), who is smitten with Gidget, and she eventually takes interest too. Gidget is mending her broken heart and forgetting Jeff/Moondoggie when he arrives in Hawaii as a surprise to her — thanks to a telegram from her father.

While the whole premise of the story is silly, the 120-page book adaptation is much better than the movie. The Bantam Books novel, “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” was written by Frederick Kohner, based off of Ruth Brooks Flippen’s script for the film, according to a Oct. 10, 1960, Los Angeles Times news brief.

In an interview with film historian Thomas Lisanti, Kathy Kohner said she did visit Hawaii in 1959 and her parents visited shortly after. Frederick Kohner visited Hawaii to scout locations and “absorb atmosphere prior to starting work on the novel,” according to a Dec. 2, 1960, article in the “The Montreal Star.”

Though the film script was written prior to Kohner’s novelization and the nuts and bolts of the story are the same, the book is a better read and less stupid than the film.

Here are some of the main differences:
• At the beginning of the film, Gidget and Moondoggie start going steady and he gives her his fraternity pin. But this event already happened at the end of the 1959 film. This is omitted from the novelization, since readers already knew they were going steady. Perhaps this was added to the film as a reminder.
• The two female characters, Barbara Jo Wells (Jan Conaway) and Dee Dee Waters (Robin Lory), are not in the book. To be frank, they shouldn’t be in the movie. Unnecessary characters that add nothing to the story.
• In the book, though Gidget does briefly fall for Mike (or Eddie) Horner, she drops him like a hot potato once Moondoggie arrives. In the film, Gidget flirts with all of the other young men to make Moondoggie jealous. This doesn’t happen in the book.
• In the film, Moondoggie goes on a few dates with Abby, this also doesn’t happen in the book.
• Gidget does not water ski in the book.
• At the end of the film, there is an (overly long) mix up where Abby and Gidget’s parents go out with each other (Gidget’s mom with Abby’s dad, Gidget’s dad with Abby’s mom). Gidget frets that they are all cheating on each other and searches for their parents, while they also search for her. This whole complicated plot thankfully doesn’t happen in the book. Instead, the resolution of Gidget and Moondoggie and Gidget’s virtue are wrapped up in a less complicated and more satisfying way.

Each time I start to feel kindly towards the film “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” (1961), I watch it again and remember how dumb it is. However, if it followed the book and omitted some of the differences mentioned above, I think it would be a better film. In the book, Gidget is still a streetwise, smart aleck but she’s also now older and a bit more mature. But Deborah Walley’s character is a bit whiney.

Strangely, the film has an excellent cast of supporting characters including Jeff Donnell, Carl Reiner, Peggy Cass, Eddie Foy Jr., Michael Callan (who I LOVE) and James Darren, reprising his role of Moondoggie. And by all accounts from film historian Thomas Lisanti’s interviews, making the film was a happy experience and the cast got along well. I wish that same happy experience was felt when you watched the film.

This article is part of the 2023 Classic Film Summer Reading Challenge hosted by Out of the Past.

Check out the Comet Over Hollywood Facebook page, follow on Twitter at @HollywoodComet, follow me on Letterboxd or e-mail at cometoverhollywood@gmail.com