source: 13 Frightened Girls

Trailer—13 Frightened Girls

13 Frightened Girls

This is a fun movie for the reasons other reviewers note--the action and suspense, the silly idea of the diplomat's daughter becoming a spy, the bright colors. But the "action" scenes are beyond ridiculous; "Kitten" escapes from dangerous situations by the most unbelievable luck. In one scene, for example, she's drugged and wakes up supposedly paralyzed by the drug. But when the baddie tries to throw her off the balcony, with one feeble hand she manages to pull him up, over the balcony, and throw him below. Umm, how? In another scene, she's chased into a room by two baddies, screaming at the top of her lungs, but a moment later she's crawling around behind the furniture and they can't find her! It's completely absurd, but the movie gives no nod to how silly it is, just plunges forward.

Miss Pittford's Academy for Young Ladies is a Swiss boarding school for the daughters of competing diplomats from various countries. American Candace Hull earns the right to drive the bus for a school trip. She has a desperate crush on secret agent Wally Sanders (Murray Hamilton) who is involved with his work partner Soldier (Joyce Taylor). She is in the Chinese embassy when she accidentally comes upon a murdered man. She becomes secret agent Kitten, a secret even to her father and Wally. How old is this girl? She's 16 and driving the bus? Then she's chasing around forty year old Murray Hamilton. This is a weird premise of Gidget fights the Cold War. Kathy Dunn is a fine Gidget. It has the feel of a bad Disney movie with murder and suggested sexuality. It's intriguingly despite being weirdly bad. I am never sure if this is intended to be a silly comedy or a serious thriller. It's both and not quite successful in either.

Director William Castle supposedly held an international talent search to find the 13 talented actresses to play the 13 Swiss boarding school students which caters to the children of diplomats. All 13 girls(led by Candance 'Candy' Hull, played by Kathy Dunn) get involved with spies who are after their parents. They also are from various countries, and have their own way of doing things. Can they help their important parents and escape certain death? Strange film doesn't seem to know what it wants be, or what tone to carry. Is most definitely a curio, if little more. Not as bad as Castle's previous two pictures, and not quite the BOMB Leonard Maltin claimed, this is still pretty poor.

I saw this movie in the early 70's. I remembered the movie was about 13 girls and one of them had a cat. She played quite the little detective and got into some real misadventures. Leaving her mark as Kitten by dipping her cat's paw in ink. I loved it and would like to get my hands on it sometime soon. Great movie for young kids into detective suspense stuff. I'm glad I found this site because finding this movie has been a monkey on my back for over 20 years.

Brainless teen shenanigans produced and directed by William Castle, who seems to miss the ghosts and goblins of yore! Daughters of the world's leading diplomats (all schoolmates at the same institution) converge on London for a getaway, but the American girl gets more than she bargained for after a party at the house of her Red Chinese comrade--she finds a dead body in the freezer, stabbed with a letter-opener from the desk of her own father. Wide-eyed nonsense won't fool anyone who has outgrown "Nancy Drew". The production isn't bad, but Castle's direction is leaden, and the adults in the cast look properly embarrassed. * from ****

Several decades later, I still remember it, and wish it were on video or dvd. William Castle had a unique ability when it came to putting children in dangerous adult situations. His other film that comes to mind here is "Let's Kill Uncle," about a 12 year boy whose life is in dangered by his charming, cunning, financially challenged, ex-spy uncle. I think the bad reviews are a reflection of the fact that the film is hard to catagorize. As a pre-teen I found the idea of a group of young girls from different nations and cultures saving the world very appealing. Kinda fit in with my devotion to the Man From UNCLE.

Well this is a weird one. Interesting but weird. A mix of a Gidget type of teenage comedy with a spy spoof. Not sure why it's so hated. Leonard Maltin gave it a BOMB rating, for crying out loud. That's completely unfair. It's a cute and harmless little bit of fluff with some funny moments, especially early on. I liked Kathy Dunn and Lynne Sue Moon. Maybe people hate it because it's from William Castle and has a misleading title that makes it sound like a horror movie? I don't know. Admittedly the fun and cuteness of it wears off after awhile. When it seems to take its spy plot seriously is when things get a little dull. But it picks back up towards the end. I didn't think it was bad at all. Ignore the overly harsh criticisms and judge it for yourself.