Raquel Welch Shines Bright in B.C. and The Three Musketeers

And a fond farewell to the iconic 1960’s (and beyond) screen goddess, Raquel Welch. Although Welch was more renown over the decades for her incredible, lasting beauty and physical attributes, from One Million Years B.C. on audiences looking past that fur bikini could witness a true pro plying her craft. As Loana in B.C., the role may not place the biggest demands on a starlet, but an engaged Welch maintains admirable focus and conviction in each scene with a verve not normally found in a prehistoric fantasy, bringing a lot more to the part than her obvious charms. Her success in B.C. followed a breakthrough in another 1966 hit, the sci-fi opus Fantastic Voyage; after this one-two punch, Welch was quickly established the era’s top sex symbol, and she never looked back. She does nice work opposite Dean Martin and Jimmy Stewart in Bandolero! and achieved some good notices for other dramatic fare, such as her turn as a roller derby whiz in Kansas City Bomber, but possibly achieved her best results in comedy, which she played with relish whenever the opportunity arose. She’s both arousing and sly as “Lust” in Bedazzled, made a game effort as the heroine in the disastrous cult classic Myra Breckenridge (“. . . and there goes the career,” Welch later amusingly recollected), brightens up the otherwise lackluster Bluebeard opposite Richard Burton and possibly reached her cinematic peak as the klutzy and good-hearted Constance in 1973’s The Three Musketeers.

Watching the never-lovelier Welch in Musketeers tackle each bit of physical comedy thrown at her with aplomb was an endearing moment among my early childhood movie-going excursions, and I always wished thereafter Welch had gained more chances for great comedy roles in grade-A films.  As Constance, Welch is incredibly likeable, and also gets the chance to display a warmth and kindness not often found in roles more in line with her sultry image. Welch gained a Golden Globe for her lively efforts in Musketeers and reprised the role in a sequel (filmed at the same time as Musketeers, unbeknownst to some of the cast!); however, worthwhile screen roles became rarer after her Musketeers triumph, and she found greater success on stage, performing a one-woman show in Vegas and elsewhere, and appearing on Broadway in the 1980’s and 1990’s via Woman of the Year and Victor/Victoria, respectively.  More recently, Welch maintained a high profile via her 2010 book Beyond the Cleavage and as the creator of a highly successful line of wigs. Fittingly, Welch’s final foray into films came via 2017’s amusing How to Marry a Latin Lover, with the still-vibrant Welch serving as one of the title character’s objects of affection. RIP, dear Ms. Welch.