A SWINGIN' AFFAIR - Dick Dale and the Del-Tones - "Romance That Zings" (1963)

Here's a real Saturday Night Special for you, from 1963, a little movie called

 "A Swingin' Affair!"

I think I'll spend the next few weeks on rock n roll in the movies, and "A Swingin' Affair" is a damn good place to start! In my book, you can't go wrong combining two of the world's finest arts, the sweet science of boxing and surf music together! Doesn't really much matter about the rest of the movie!

Here he is, The King Of Surf Guitar, Dick Dale, and here's just a taste of what Dick did best!

I know it doesn't seem possible, but just like Link Wray, Dick Dale is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is truly sinful!!

Lots of mediocre bands like ABBA, AC/DC, The Beastie Boys, KISS, Green Day, etc have been inducted into the Hall, but some of the true original innovators have been left in the dust! It just doesn't make sense! Maybe it all derives from Jimi making the statement that once you're experienced, "You'll never listen to surf music again!" He was dead wrong on that one!

These are the majestic Del-Tones!

Dick Dale was also in four other movies, "Let's Make Love" with Marilyn Monroe, and "Beach Party," "Muscle Beach Party," and "Back To The Beach" with Annette and Frankie!

William (Born Losers, It's Alive) Wellman Jr. is Johnny Kwalski, also known as  Kid Gallant 

Kid Gallant is a pretty good boxer, and this victory makes his record move to 10-0. His trainer can get him some bigger and better fights, but he's reluctant to move up for personal reasons!

The boxing scenes are filmed quite realistically!

Arline (The Crawling Hand) Judge has the role of Marge, Kid Gallant's Mom!

Suzan Sturtbridge as Leslie is one of the girls making Johnny's life complicated!

This would be her third and last acting gig! She was also an uncredited cheerleader in one movie, and in one episode of the "Ozzie and Harriet" TV show as a sorority girl!

Just because of it's sheer simplicity and the year it was made, "A Swingin' Affar" reminded me a lot of "The Yesterday Machine!"

I really didn't know that Dick Dale also ever performed as a vocalist until I saw this movie!

In this framed shot, he's singing the title tune, "A Swingin' Affair!"

The whole story in a Texas pecan shell is that even though Johnny is a successful prizefighter, he's trying to keep it secret from the rich kids at the college where he's trying to get into a fraternity. He thinks he would be blackballed if they ever found out, but just the opposite happens in the end!

Sandra Gale (The Glory Stompers) Bettin is Johnny's girlfriend Sally. She is too lowbrow to go to the school, but she works in the cafeteria! When Johnny invites Leslie to the prom instead of her, she turns it on so the President of the fraternity asks her to the big dance!

Instead of taking Sally out, Johnny takes out his fraustrations in the gym instead!

The whole fraternity pledge routine is kinda creepy!

They're going to let Johnny in, but now he needs to come up with $700.00 fast, so he talks his manager into getting him into a bigger fight, even though he knows it's going to blow his cover!

So it's Kid Gallant against the up and coming championship contender Freddie Martini in an action packed 10 rounder!

It's a good, but tough fight, and even though Johnny loses in a split decision, he ends up getting lots of respect from all the chicks, and all the fraternity loser guys, and he can go back to dating Sally, and continue his life without all the secrets that were tearing him apart!!