by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel
Heading off to the beach with your swimsuit, towel, and blanket packed is a typical August pastime. Knowing how fashion keeps changing, we can notice this by watching old films to see what was worn at the beach. Going back decades, there were scores of movies that centered on swimsuits and being at the beach. Some actually became film classics and award winners. Then of course there is the1950’s pop song, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, which follows the summer swimsuit theme and sets the mood. 
Early favorites of my parents were films that featured Esther Williams who starred in early 1950’s movies known as “aquamusicals” that included elaborate synchronized swimming routines in each one. Ms. Williams was an American competitive swimmer that became an actress and directors used her skills in every film. She was unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of World War II, so she joined Billy Rose’s Aquacade. Making the most of her high salary, Ms. Williams was also known as a successful businesswoman and invested wisely her biography describes. Besides several investments she lent her name to a swimming pool line, swimwear and instructional swimming videos for children. In the 1984 Summer Olympics, Ms. Williams was still active and was a commentator for synchronized swimming.
Then there is the 1953 film, From Here to Eternity, which starred Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, and had a “steamy” embrace on the sand that showed both actors in swimwear for this, at the time, borderline scandalous scene. The storyline takes place in 1941, before Pearl Harbor at a U.S. Army base in Hawaii where several conflicts, relationships, and romances take place. Mini trivia note: Frank Sinatra, a popular singing idol at the time, had his first dramatic role in this film and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Another famous actress who became known for her wearing a swimsuit was Ursula Andress. The young starlet was Swiss born and her bio described her as “one of six children in a strict German Protestant family,” yet she became famous for her scanty swimsuit and sultry look. In the 1962, Dr. No, Ms. Andress made her white bikini famous and it began her long career. She was the first “Bond Girl” that began the trend of having beautiful starlets in each film. Sean Connery played the debonair, James Bond, a British government agent who was suave, lethal and super intelligent and whose mission in that film was to save the American space program. The Bond series about the fictional intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service known as MI6 was created by author Ian Fleming. His book series went on to be turned into 25 Bond films starting in 1962 through 2021, so far.
Speaking of beach bound beauties, there is an equally famous film made in 1979, starring Dudley Moore and introducing, Bo Derek. The film was simply named 10, which was the beauty rating thought of by the star, Dudley Moore, after seeing Bo Derek. Moore played a middle-aged composer that becomes infatuated with Derek. This romantic comedy was written, directed and produced by Blake Edwards (late husband of actress Julie Andrews), with music by Henry Mancini. So right there is a powerhouse combo of creativity that made this film an audience winner. 
This low budget film cost about five million to make and hit box office records, earning over 107 million, with this simple story line.
No bathing suit and beach movie list would be complete without adding movies featuring grown up “Mouseketeer” Annette Funicello and pop singer, Frankie Avalon. Starting in 1964, they made seven films with the same theme of teens at the beach that included singing. Known as beach party movies they all had surfing, the beach, and a very thin plot line, usually similar to the previous film. They were low budget, comedic, light romance and filmed mostly in Malibu, California and easily billed as family rated for their sweet content. Pretty girls romping in swimsuits were a staple of this genre.
Another popular beach film with singing throughout was Blue Hawaii, made in 1961, starring Elvis! The thin plot of the film had Elvis arriving back in Hawaii after serving in the Army and defying his parent’s wishes that wanted him to work at their family business. Instead, Elvis’ character wants to work as a tour guide. During the entire film Elvis was surrounded by gorgeous girls in swimsuits as he sang his way through yet another fluff movie “Colonel” Parker, his manager, insisted he make. Fans knew the weakness of these films, but went just to see their idol on the silver screen.