SURFER's 1964 review of Bruce Brown's new movie was upbeat, but not frothing. "

 is the most advertised surf film," the notice begins, "and, in this column's opinion, the most well-rounded." Every grem from Oceanside to Brooklyn ran out to see the movie, of course. But SURFER sure wasn't lighting fires under any asses with that kind of term-paper language. (For comparison, Dale Davis' 

: "Mr. Davis' film is jam-packed with surfing from start to finish. We might add that it is jam-packed with good surfing. We consider 

 to be a ranking movie in 1964." Sight unseen, hell, I'd have my wallet out for Dale's movie.)

 to its bosom as if it were the world's cutest, friskiest, funniest rescue kitten. "An ode to sun, sand, skin, and surf," 

 said. "Great music. Great move. Out of sight," 

 said. "Here, at last, is a completely uncomplicated film, fresh and natural, designed only to please. It does." Roger Ebert said. The 

 reported that Brown's "$50,000 home movie" was expected to be shown in more than 8,000 theaters (23 in New York alone), and had it would likely earn more than $3 million. Real money in those days. (The 

 also quoted the 28-year-old Brown as saying he wasn't going to make a sequel. "I'm tired of talking about surfing," he said, "although I still do a lot of it.")

, along with soon-to-be Oscar Best Picture winner A

 and other high-flown Hollywood offerings, as one of the ten best movies of the year. "Bruce Brown," 

 noted, "the young Californian responsible for this celebration of surf, knew little about the niceties of shooting a documentary. What he did know is that a surfer searching for a great ride is simply a moistened man in quest of beauty, which is the wave of any film's future."

Thank you, Bruce. Thank you, Robert and Mike. And to 

ENDLESS SUMMER: THE ONE THING WE ALL AGREE ON

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