BOLERO

US, 1985, 104 minutes, Colour.
Bo Derek, George Kennedy.
Directed by John Derek.

Bolero is a sex fantasy comedy, designed by John and Bo Derek to exploit Bo Derek. It generally does - but, apparently, not sufficiently for it to become a box office hit.

The film has its tongue in cheek. Bo Derek takes the proceedings not entirely seriously - though perhaps John Derek, her husband, behind the camera, does. (And one wonders about an elderly husband exploiting his glamorous wife in this way - as director and photographer.)

The film is a corny sex fantasy, set in the 20s and the period of Valentino, parodying the Valentino films. Bo is at finishing school in England and travels to Africa. She encounters a reluctant sheikh, is kidnapped and then goes to Spain where she has a semi-torrid affair with a bullfighter. All this is under the eye of, of all people, George Kennedy as her guardian chauffeur. There are some sex scenes. Bo is exploited. However, the screenplay is fairly silly, geared as a fantasy - and obviously not to be taken too seriously. Critics and the public did not.