MovieChat Forums > Gidget (1959) Discussion > Betty Louise aka B.L.

Betty Louise aka B.L.

posted 9 years ago by MargiePax
3 replies | jump to latest

Do you think Betty Louise aka B.L. was supposed to be a lesbian? Or just a tall tomboy with short hair? It was pretty obvious that she wasn't boy crazy and wasnt interested in going on a manhunt at the beach with the others.

As Seinfeld said, "Not that there is anything wrong with that." I just don't think Hollywood was that progressive in that era. Censors never would have let an openly gay character be in a family movie. Actually, the sexuality of a sixteen year old girl seemed a bit risqué for a 1950s movie.

The Sally Field Gidget on TV was pretty tame. I remember an episode where she wanted a part time job to save up money to buy a hearse to bring surf boards to the beach. Another boy tried to out bid her or buy it before she saved enough money. In the end, she decided it was easier to just date boys to drive her to the beach.

[–] DarcyBrandon 9 years ago

Well at the start of the movie the other girls told BL that BL's reputation was already solid because BL had a college boyfriend and was already "pinned" by someone else. I guess BL didn't dress up because she wasn't off on a man-hunt with the other girls.

[–] jl-39962 8 years ago

She did totally look like a guy. I thought she was one at first.

Maybe the point was to make clear that someone could appear non-sexual, and yet still be heterosexual? After all, if she could be straight, then Gidget totally could, even if initially not interested in boys.

[–] Techto (1299) 3 months ago

Yes, she looked quite butch.