Bolero (1984, Bo Derek, George Kennedy, Ana Obregon) – Classic Movie Review 11,803

Director John Derek’s 1984 American romantic drama Bolero stars Bo Derek, George Kennedy and Ana Obregon.

This self-style ‘adventure in ecstasy’ is an uncomfortable piece of soft core that put a halt to the burgeoning career of Bo Derek. She plays sexy rich 1920s student Ayre ‘Mac’ MacGillvary, a virginal 23-year-old young American, who graduates from an English college and roams far and wide to find a chap worthy of her virginity. She is accompanied by her family’s chauffeur Cotton (George Kennedy) and her best friend Catalina (Ana Obregon).

Spanish actress Ana Obregon plays her buddy Catalina, Andrea Occhipinti plays Angel Sacristan, the bullfighter she fancies, and Greg Bensen plays The Sheikh of her ideals, and Olivia D’Abo (as Paloma) and Sharon Stone are there too, but it is sad to find George Kennedy relegated to playing her chauffeur/ bodyguard.

Bolero is not helped by the star’s husband John Derek being the only begetter as writer, photographer and director. Some laughs or more soft porn, or both, might have helped.

The film was a box office failure and savaged by the critics, earning nominations for nine Golden Raspberry Awards at the 5th Golden Raspberry Awards and winning six, including Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay (John Derek) and Worst Musical Score (Peter and Elmer Bernstein). Even so, it earned about $8.9 million in American ticket sales against a $7 million production budget.

Cannon Films boss Menahem Golan urged John and Bo Derek to make the sex scenes more explicit, but this got Cannon into problems with American distributor MGM, who dropped the film. Cannon released the film with no MPAA rating, but many cinema chains refused to show it.

The cast are Bo Derek as Ayre ‘Mac’ McGillvary, George Kennedy as Cotton, Andrea Occhipinti as Rejoneador Angel Sacristan, Ana Obregon as Catalina, Olivia d’Abo as Paloma, Greg Bensen as Sheik, Ian Cochrane as Robert Stewart, Mirta Miller as Evita, Mickey Knox as sleazy Moroccan guide, Paul Stacey as Young Valentino #1, James Stacey as Young Valentino #2, and Sharon Stone.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,803

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