Kansas City Bomber ** (1972, Raquel Welch, Kevin McCarthy, Helena Kallianiotes) – Classic Movie Review 11,326

Raquel Welch in Kansas City Bomber (1972).

Raquel Welch stars in the 1972 sport drama film Kansas City Bomber. Welch said: ‘I had to learn to skate again. The film was fun. I like to be in physical pictures. And the Roller Games is a microcosm of this country.’ 

Director Jerrold Freedman’s 1972 sport drama film Kansas City Bomber stars Raquel Welch, who is on roller skates as K C Carr for this interesting if largely tedious though occasionally giggle-worthy tale of a roller derby skater champ who splits her time between rollin’ and romancin’.

Supposedly, it is an inside look at the world of Roller Games, a popular league sport entertainment then, and a more theatrical version of roller derby. K C Carr restarts her life as a single mother over again in Portland, Oregon, with a team called the Portland Loggers, whose ruthless owner Burt Henry (Kevin McCarthy) is evidently interested in her.

The script by Thomas Rickman and Calvin Clements Sr (based on a story by Barry Sandler) just isn’t good enough, but the film is certainly worth a look for Raquel Welch and the action. And Welch really proves a bit of a wiz on rollerskates. It is notable as one of the earliest film appearances of Jodie Foster, aged 10.

Also in the cast are Kevin McCarthy, Norman Alden, Jeanne Cooper, Helena Kallianiotes, Katherine Pass [Mary Kay Pass], Dick Lane, Jodie Foster, Martine Bartlett, Patti Cavin, Joan Darling, Stephen Manley, Russ Marin, Jimmy Nickerson, Shelly Novack, Cornelia Sharpe, Georgia Schmidt, and William Gray Espy.

Helena Kallianiotes (playing Jackie Burdette) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.

K C Carr (Raquel Welch): ‘I just want a little piece of the action so I don’t have to apologise every time I turn around, that’s all.’

The film was written by Barry Sandler as a UCLA MA thesis, with Welch in mind. Sandler recalled: ‘Raquel was a huge star at the time – kind of like the pop culture goddess – and that meant if she wanted to do it, the movie would get made. ‘I just thought it would be great to see her as a roller derby queen; it seemed like a perfect meshing of pop culture with that role.’

Welch said: ‘I believe that he had me in mind when he wrote it. The girl is more than a little bitchy.’

Sandler and Welch shared the same agent, ICM, and delivered a copy personally to the house Welch shared with her husband/ manager, Patrick Curtis, who bought the script in March 1971 for their production company, Curtwel Productions.

Sandler said the original script was a dark, gritty character piece and very different from how the movie became.

Welch said: ‘I’m not much of an athlete. For the film I had to learn to skate again. I hadn’t skated since I was seven.’ She practised skating for several months, training with pro teams, wearing a wig and dark glasses, posing as a journalist. In January 1972 a rink was built on the MGM soundstage, so she could practise daily. Welch said: ‘The film was fun. I like to be in physical pictures. And the Roller Games is a microcosm of this country.’

The cast are Raquel Welch as K C Carr, Kevin McCarthy as Burt Henry, Helena Kallianiotes as Jackie Burdette, Norman Alden as “Horrible” Hank Hopkins, Jeanne Cooper as Trainer Vivien, Richard Lane as TV Spokesman Jen, Jodie Foster as Rita, Shelly Novack as Ben, Russ Marin as Dick Wicks, Bill McKinney as Buddy Taylor, Katherine Pass [Mary Kay Pass], Dick Lane, Jodie Foster, Martine Bartlett, Patti Cavin, Joan Darling, Stephen Manley, Jimmy Nickerson, Cornelia Sharpe, Georgia Schmidt, and William Gray Espy.

Raquel Welch was born on 5 September 1940 in Chicago, and died at her home in Los Angeles on 15 February 2023 after a brief illness, aged 82.

Jodie Foster was born on 19 November 1962 in Los Angeles.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,326

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