The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Some films to watch starring Raquel Welch

- Emily St. Martin |

Raquel Welch, the 1960s internatio­nal sex symbol whose acting career spanned more than half a century, died Feb. 15 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 82. Welch shot to stardom in the ’60s with the films “Fantastic Voyage” and “One Million Years B.C.” The pulpy movie poster for the latter famously featured Welch front and center in a doeskin bikini, and the rest was history. While many of Welch’s best performanc­es are now hard to find, here’s how you can watch five of her most notable films.

‘Fantastic Voyage’ (1966)

This was Welch’s breakthrou­gh role, in which she portrayed Cora Peterson, the technical assistant for Dr. Duval, in this sci-fi adventure about a submarine crew tasked with repairing the brain of a scientist who’s nearly been assassinat­ed. The crew is shrunken microscopi­cally and injected into the bloodstrea­m of the injured scientist. Naturally, they face many obstacles during their mission.

You can stream “Fantastic Voyage” on HBO Max and Amazon Prime.

‘One Million Years B.C.’ (1966)

This British adventure fantasy takes place in a fictional age when both dinosaurs and humans roamed the earth. Welch starred as Loana, a woman of the Shell tribe. When Tumak is banished from his savage Rock tribe to a harsh desert, he battles various prehistori­c creatures before collapsing on a remote beach, which is where he meets Loana. Together they fight hunters and volcanoes and, of course, fall in love.

You can buy “One Million Years B.C.” on DVD and Bluray via Amazon.

‘Myra Breckinrid­ge’ (1970)

This 1970 film adaptation of Gore Vidal’s satirical novel starred Welch as a trans woman in the title role. After Myron Breckinrid­ge gets a sex-change operation in Copenhagen, she returns to America as Myra, where she arrives at her Uncle Buck’s acting school claiming to be Myron’s widow and that she’s been granted half of the school or $500,000 in his will.

You can buy “Myra Breckinrid­ge” on DVD or VHS via Amazon, or watch it in Spanish on YouTube.

‘The Three Musketeers’ (1974)

Welch starred as Constance Bonacieux in this 1974 swashbuckl­er film. Swordsman D’Artagnan arrives in Paris chasing his dreams to become a king’s musketeer, where he commits many a faux pas and gets robbed, among other indignitie­s. Ultimately, he finds himself in conflict with three musketeers who each challenge him to a duel.

However, when they are ambushed, they decide to join forces in opposition to the Cardinal. D’Artagnan then falls for his landlord’s wife, Welch’s Bonacieux, and they begin a torrid love affair.

You can stream “The Three Musketeers” on Amazon Prime.

‘How to be a Latin Lover’ (2017)

In her final film, Welch portrayed widowed billionair­e Celeste Birch, the target of Maximo, a rusty gigolo who’s made his career seducing wealthy older women. Maximo is shocked when his 80-year-old wife leaves him for a younger man, setting off his pursuit of Celeste.

You can stream “How to Be a Latin Lover” on Showtime, or rent it on Amazon Prime.

 ?? SNAP/ZUMA PRESS/TNS ?? The movie poster for “One Million Years B.C.” featured Raquel Welch in a doeskin bikini and quickly made her famous.
SNAP/ZUMA PRESS/TNS The movie poster for “One Million Years B.C.” featured Raquel Welch in a doeskin bikini and quickly made her famous.
 ?? ARMANDO GALLO/ZUMA PRESS 2017 ?? Raquel Welch’s final film was 2017’s “How to be a Latin Lover.”
ARMANDO GALLO/ZUMA PRESS 2017 Raquel Welch’s final film was 2017’s “How to be a Latin Lover.”

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States