# Bolero (1984 film)
*Bolero* is a 1984 American erotic drama directed, written, and photographed by [John Derek](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-derek), starring his wife [Bo Derek](https://www.edgepedia.org/bo-derek) as a wealthy young woman who travels through Morocco and Spain in search of the ideal man to take her virginity.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/bolero) Produced by Bo Derek for The Cannon Group under executive producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, the film opened widely on August 31, 1984, earned about $9 million domestically, and received a Metacritic score of 13 with all nine surveyed critics rating it negatively.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) • [4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) It went on to win six [Golden Raspberry Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/golden-raspberry-awards), including Worst Picture, and its disputed erotic content ended MGM's distribution arrangement with Cannon.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/) • [6](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-17-ca-20318-story.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director, writer, cinematographer | John Derek, in all three roles[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/) |
| Lead cast | Bo Derek as Lida MacGillivery, with George Kennedy (Cotton), Andrea Occhipinti (Angel), Ana Obregón (Catalina), and Olivia d'Abo (Paloma)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/) |
| Production and release | The Cannon Group; wide release August 31, 1984 by Cannon[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) |
| Box office | $9,000,000 domestic; opening weekend $4,579,240 in 1,015 theaters, 50.9% of the total gross[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) |
| Critical reception | Metascore 13; 9 of 9 critic reviews negative[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) |
| Razzie Awards (1985) | Six of ten categories, including Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Director, and Worst Screenplay[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/) |
| Rating controversy | Preliminary MPAA X rating; released without any rating at all[7](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/09/04/Scotts-WorldNEWLNBo-defends-Bolero/9037463118400/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and cast
The story follows Lida MacGillivery, an English heiress who, after graduating from a strict private school, sets out on a journey to lose her virginity to an ideal lover.[8](https://familystyle.com/movie/detail/id/215) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/bolero) Her travels take her from England to Morocco and Spain, where her encounters include an Arabian sheik and a Spanish bullfighter, accompanied by her friend and butler who help arrange her couplings.[7](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/09/04/Scotts-WorldNEWLNBo-defends-Bolero/9037463118400/) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/bolero) Roger Ebert, the longtime film critic of the *Chicago Sun-Times* and winner of the 1975 [Pulitzer Prize](https://www.edgepedia.org/pulitzer-prize) for criticism, summarized the premise as a woman who believes the cure for a man's impotence is for his woman to train as a bullfighter.[9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bolero-1984)
Bo Derek played Lida, with [George Kennedy](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-kennedy) as her chauffeur Cotton, Andrea Occhipinti as the bullfighter Angel, Ana Obregón as Catalina, and [Olivia d'Abo](https://www.edgepedia.org/olivia-dabo) as the young gypsy Paloma.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/) The film runs 104 minutes.[9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bolero-1984)
## Production and the rating dispute
The film was a family affair in more than name: John Derek wrote, directed, and served as director of photography, while Bo Derek produced.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/) • [3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) Peter Bernstein composed the score, with [Elmer Bernstein](https://www.edgepedia.org/elmer-bernstein) conducting and supervising the music.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/)
The Motion Picture Association of America's rating board gave the film a preliminary [X rating](https://www.edgepedia.org/x-rating), the category then associated with pornography. The film was withdrawn and released without any rating at all.[7](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/09/04/Scotts-WorldNEWLNBo-defends-Bolero/9037463118400/) Bo Derek publicly defended the picture, saying it contained no dirty words and no violence, and that "it is a G rated picture if you take out three scenes."[7](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/09/04/Scotts-WorldNEWLNBo-defends-Bolero/9037463118400/)
The rating had business consequences. The movie was to be distributed by MGM as part of its deal with Cannon, but disagreements over the handling of the X-rated *Bolero*, which MGM never did distribute, led to the disintegration of that arrangement.[6](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-17-ca-20318-story.html) Cannon released the film itself on August 31, 1984, in 1,015 theaters.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero)
## Box office
The film opened at number 3 for the weekend of August 31, 1984, grossing $4,579,240, which accounted for 50.9% of its total domestic gross.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) Business fell sharply afterward: the second weekend dropped 61% to $1,795,225, and the fourth weekend took in $301,155 in 295 theaters.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) Domestic receipts totaled $9,000,000, all of it from the United States, with an average run of 2.8 weeks per theater.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero) A home video release followed on September 29, 1991, from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.[3](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero)
## Critical reception
Critical response was uniformly negative in the Metacritic survey, which recorded a Metascore of 13 from nine reviews, all negative.[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) Janet Maslin of *The New York Times* wrote that the plot "sounds like that of a straight porn film" and called the star's tanned torso and radiant smile the movie's only assets.[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) Ebert gave the film one star, remarking that "Nobody is going to *Bolero* for the plot anyway. They're going for the Good Parts," and predicted its real future lay in home cassette rentals.[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) • [9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bolero-1984) TV Guide Magazine's review stated that *Bolero* "must rank as one of the worst major movies ever made," while the *Christian Science Monitor* called it "a strong candidate for worst picture of the year."[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/) A March 1985 Los Angeles Times survey of critics around the country placed *Bolero* among the loose consensus ten worst films of 1984.[10](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-03-ca-32632-story.html)
## Razzie Awards
At the 1985 Golden Raspberry Awards, which honor the year's worst films, *Bolero* was the runaway winner, taking six of the ten categories.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/) It won Worst Picture of the Year; Bo Derek won Worst Actress; John Derek took both Worst Director and Worst Screenplay; Olivia d'Abo received Worst New Actress; and the film also won Worst Musical Score.[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/) The Washington Post described the result as a clean sweep and noted that the Dereks' run of Razzie wins prompted a suggestion that they be retired to a "Golden Raspberry Hall of Fame."[5](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/) The film's reputation persisted: in 1990 it was nominated for the Razzie for Worst Picture of the Decade.[11](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/bolero/2000004933/)
## References
1. [Bolero (1984) – Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086987/fullcredits/)
2. [Bolero – movie: where to watch streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/bolero)
3. [Bolero (1984) – Box Office and Financial Information, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Bolero)
4. [Bolero critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bolero/critic-reviews/)
5. [And Now, the Razzies, The Washington Post (March 24, 1985)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/style/1985/03/25/and-now-the-razzies/79feedfe-5fa6-4f55-99ed-5966e139ce8e/)
6. [Turner, MGM: What Hath Mogul Bought?, Los Angeles Times (September 17, 1985)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-17-ca-20318-story.html)
7. [Scott's World; Bo defends 'Bolero', UPI Archives (September 4, 1984)](https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/09/04/Scotts-WorldNEWLNBo-defends-Bolero/9037463118400/)
8. [Bolero (1984), FamilyStyle Film Guide](https://familystyle.com/movie/detail/id/215)
9. [Bolero movie review & film summary, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/bolero-1984)
10. [The Best / The Worst films of 1984, Los Angeles Times (March 3, 1985)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-03-03-ca-32632-story.html)
11. [Bolero – Where to Watch and Stream, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/bolero/2000004933/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of the 1980s*
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