The second to last Beach Party movie. In this one Frankie Avalon is separated from Annette Funicello by being in the Naval Reserve. While on an island he gets a witch doctor (Buster Keaton!) to see if Annette is being faithful to him. Keaton sends a pelican (???) to spy on Annette. Meanwhile handsome, attractive Ricky (Dwayne Hickman) is hitting on her. Then there's Mickey Rooney looking for the boy next door and girl next door for an ad campaign.

Even for a beach party movie this is pretty desperate. Funicello looks way too old to be hanging out at the beach (and her pregnancy is clearly visible); the dialogue is more inane than usual; the songs are (to be nice) terrible; the jokes are stubbornly unfunny; Hickman is as bland as they come (even worse than Chris O'Donnell); Harvey Lembeck returns as the incredibly unfunny Eric von Zipper; the "comical" motorcycle race at the end is incredibly stupid; and it's kind of sad seeing Keaton and Rooney reduced to this. Still, this is kind of fun in a silly sort of way. It's not even remotely good but I kept watching. The Claymation opening is fun and I did laugh out loud at the "Bewitched" joke at the end. Also this is perfect for young kids. So it's not good but it's harmless. It's certainly better than the next (and last) beach party movie "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini"!

Annette Funicello is always tempting and/or is a temptation when left alone, so sailor Frankie Avalon goes to Witchdoctor Buster Keaton and sends an enchanted Pelican to watch over her. That doesn't stop Dwayne Hickman as "Ricky". Mickey Rooney as "Peachey Keane" arrives on the beach to search for "The Girl Next Door", and he finds an eager ally in Harvey Lembeck's "Eric Von Zipper", naturally...

Is there such a thing as a "Cheap Beach Party" movie? This one could not wait for Ms. Funicello to either get in shape or have the baby. Mr. Avalon is hardly present at all; strangely enough, he is missed. The film is unimaginative in recycling ideas both good and bad. Astute observers will know the "twitch" in the ending cameo isn't even done correctly. On the plus side, Mr. Keaton has more to do this time around, and it's good to see he and Mr. Rooney in a film. The song material sounds better at the end, and the opening credits are the highlight. Still, the "Beach Party" film series looks more tired with every entry…

** How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (7/14/65) William Asher ~ Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Mickey Rooney

Frankie Avalon off doing his Naval Reserve training in those innocent days before Vietnam is wondering whether Annette is being true to him back at the beach with all those other hunks around. He's stationed on a tropical Pacific Isle with lots of other curvaceous cuties around. He asks one of them to bring him to the local witch doctor for help. The witch doctor sends a pelican out to spy on Annette back at the beach.

So help me this is the beginning of the story. But it's not a half bad film, in fact it gets down right satirical at times. In addition to Frankie, Annette and the rest of the beach crew, some Hollywood old timers got some work in this film and they get a chance to overact outrageously. They include Brian Donlevy and Mickey Rooney as a pair of scheming advertising executives along with Dwayne Hickman who's their schemer in training, Harvey Lembeck as a Marlon Brando type motorcycle gang leader and Buster Keaton as the witch doctor.

I'd try to see How to Stuff a Wild Bikini if for no other reason than to see all these players ham it up. Though in some spots the pelican gives the best performance in the film.