It's a Bikini World

Deborah Walley and Tommy Kirk compete against each other in this battle of the sexes played out on sunny California beaches. When Walley initially rejects him, Kirk takes on a disguise and pretends to be the kind of guy that she claims she really likes. As usual in beach movies, there are popular music acts of the day, including the Toys and Eric Burdon and the Animals. Silly plot, yet one of the better non-Frankie and Annette beach movies as far as the fun quotient goes.

So much fun weirdness going on here...the plot is pure '60s cornball but the actors are game and there are a lot of strange subtleties to appreciate: The Pop Art feel of the film, from the comic book opening titles (this was made at the height of the Batman craze, after all) to the Warhol/Lichtenstein style artwork hanging on the walls (pretty ahead of its time...I want a pad just like Mike's!) -- Veteran horror actor Sid Haig as an Ed "Big Daddy" Roth type -- The Crispin Gloveresque "McSnigg" character -- Bobby "Boris" Pickett of Monster Mash fame playing the goofy sidekick Woody (?!?!) -- Nice musical performances, more imaginatively photographed than in most films of this sort. The Animals' "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" is a highlight -- Not to mention beautiful sunny locales and lots of bright, 1960s colors. If you enjoy beach party films, give this one a shot!

I caught this movie on cable one day and actually really enjoyed it. I even looked for the movie to buy but I'm assuming it's not out on DVD.

Mike is your stereotypical male chauvinist. He has to be the best at everything and when a girl comes along and challenges him at different events, he feels he must beat her. He also ends up falling for her and pretends to have a dweeby twin brother named Herbert. The girl falls for Herbert and Mike has to figure out how to tell her who he actually is.

There is also a cameo by The Animals and a groovy skateboard race scene.

Skateboarding champion Tommy Kirk (as Mike Samson) poses as his own bookworm brother "Herbert" in order to woo pretty bikinied Deborah Walley (as Delilah Dawes). "It's a Bikini World" begins with a great instrumental opening and graphics sequence, which was usually a strong suit in American International's "Beach Party" movies. That series was sputtering to an end, and this film follows the formula well enough, but audiences were moving on...

The Animals, The Toys, The Gentrys, and The Castaways are lip-syncing highlights...

Although Mr. Kirk performs well fully clothed, he is obviously not in shape to play the muscle-toned, athletic "Samson" on the beach. As his "Delilah", Ms. Walley (still) fills her bikini well. Kirk and Walley had appeared in original "Beach Party" spin-offs. The second-tiered players fall in line: Bobby "Boris" Pickett (as Woody) provides Kirk with a foolish-looking, older beach pal. Suzie Kaye (as Pebbles) is a shapely sidekick for Walley.

*** It's a Bikini World (4/14/67) Stephanie Rothman ~ Tommy Kirk, Deborah Walley, Bobby Pickett

It's Christmas in Los Angeles, and yet there are still kids hitting the beach in the early morning hours! Brrrr. Tommy Kirk plays the local Lothario who gets put down by the new girl on the block; he dons nerdy glasses and attempts to woo her Clark Kent-style, but she's more interested in showing up his alter-ego at skateboarding and speedboat racing. Stephanie Rothman directed, and though she doesn't cut back on the cheesecake factor, neither does she seem to know where exactly to point the camera. We get glimpses of behinds and legs and exposed tummies, but without faces and personalities it's all a beach blur. The skateboard race around local side streets is fun, and Deborah Walley twinkles and giggles pleasantly enough, but the quasi-pop art look is scuttled by the low budget and the musical numbers are lethargic. In fact, nearly everyone here seems to be dragging their feet, as if benumbed by the whole enterprise. *1/2 from ****