Cherry, Harry, and Raquel!
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Cherry, Harry, and Raquel! |
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| Technical | |
| Type: | Film Color
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| Alternate title(s): | Russ Meyer's Cherry, Harry & Raquel Three Ways to Love (Great Britain) Les Stimulatrices, Ménage à trois (France) |
| Country: | USA |
| Release date(s): | November 26, 1969 |
| Running time: | 71 minutes |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $90,000 |
| Company: | Panamint Films Eve Productions |
| Staff | |
| Directed by: | Russ Meyer |
| Starring: | Linda Ashton Larissa Ely Uschi Digard Michele Grand |
| Produced by: | Russ Meyer |
| Written by: | Russ Meyer Tom Wolfe (a.k.a. Thomas J. McGowan) |
| Music by: | William Loose |
| Cinematography: | Russ Meyer |
| Editing by: | Russ Meyer Richard Serly Brummer |
| Websites and databases | |
| IMDb | |
Cherry, Harry & Raquel! is a 1969 softcore exploitation film produced and directed by American director Russ Meyer.[1] Following the success of Vixen! (1968), the film is notable for the first appearance of actor (and Meyer regular) Charles Napier playing Harry Thompson, a California border sheriff and marijuana smuggler who makes a reappearance in 1975's Supervixens. The film was shown in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 7, 1969, and released nationally on November 26, 1969.[2]
Uschi Digard, who would also go on to make frequent appearances in Meyer's films, was cast as the naked muse of the Geronimo character. Shown in cut scenes usually wearing only an Apache headdress, this plot device was necessitated after the lead actress left the shoot early and there was 20 minutes of footage needed to complete the film.[3]
Plot
The film begins with a monotone narration about the developing evil of marijuana in modern society and the need for vigilance in stopping the actions of the "pushers" and the "smugglers."
Harry, a small town border sheriff, lives at the site of a defunct silver mine with his girlfriend Cherry, an Englishwoman who works as a nurse. The blonde Raquel (Larissa Ely) is a writer and works to sexually pleasure the local men for the enjoyment of it. Cherry and Raquel are intrigued with meeting each other, but Harry prevents this meeting as he feels that the idea of two women having sex is "un-American."
Harry and his Mexican-American associate Enrique, work for local politician Mr. Franklin (Frank Bolger) in an operation in which they divert marijuana through the border. Mr. Franklin informs Harry that their associate "Apache" has gone into business for himself and must be eliminated (killed). Harry summons Enrique (who is in bed with Raquel) and they go to the desert to look for Apache in order to carry out their plan. They fail and Apache gets away and manages to steal Harry's jeep.
Frustrated with repeated failures to kill Apache, Mr. Franklin calls Harry to tell him he is taking too long and that now Enrique also needs to be killed because he knows too much. They set Enrique up to deliver drugs to the mine where Harry will kill him. En route to the mine, however, Enrique is killed in the desert by Apache who brutally runs him down with Harry's jeep. When Raquel arrives at the hospital where Mr. Franklin is staying to sexually service him, she finds he also has been murdered by Apache.
Raquel is in the hospital recovering from the shock of finding Mr. Franklin dead. Her assigned care nurse turns out to be Cherry. When Cherry enters her room for nursing duties, Raquel produces a small case containing marijuana cigarettes. They share a couple of joints, then dance naked together and have a sexual experience.
Meanwhile, Harry, is alone at the mine, still waiting for Enrique. Geronimo shows up instead, driving up in Harry's jeep and taunting him with the horn. Harry comes out shooting and they trade multiple gunshots. Finally, after each having been shot several times, Harry drops dead and Geronimo falls dead on top of him while Cherry and Raquel continue to have sex in the hospital.
Cast
- Larissa Ely ... Raquel[2]
- Linda Ashton ... Cherry
- Charles Napier ... Harry
- Bert Santos ... Enrique
- Franklin H. Bolger ... Mr. Franklin
- Astrid Lillimor (Uschi Digart) ... Soul
- Michele Grand ... Millie
- John Milo ... Apache
- Robert Aiden ... Tom
- Michaelani ... Dr. Lee
- John Koester ... gas attendant
- Daniel Roberts ... delivery boy
- Russ Meyer
External links
- Beldin, Fred. Cherry, Harry and Raquel (review) (English). All Movie Guide. Retrieved on August 9, 2008.
- Firsching, Robert. Cherry, Harry and Raquel (plot synopsis) (English). All Movie Guide. Retrieved on August 9, 2008.
References
- ↑ Infobox data from Frasier, David K. (1998). Russ Meyer : The Life and Films : A Biography and A Comprehensive, Illustrated, and Annotated Filmography and Bibliography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co, p. 208. ISBN 0-7864-0472-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Krafsur, Richard P. (1976). "Cherry, Harry & Raquel", The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures; Feature Films 1961-70. New York & London: R.R. Bowker Company. ISBN 0-8352-0440-5.
- ↑ McDonough, Jimmy,Big Bosoms and Square Jaws 2004.
