Fathom

Raquel Welch, at the peak of sexiness, does the perfect Bond girl one better--she's Bond herself! The flimsy and kooky premise has Fathom caught up in a international hunt for a Red Chinese nuclear device hidden in a Ming Dynasty dragon statuette. She dodges bullets, jumps out of planes, and plays each side against one another, all along looking sensational. This is a stylish little movie directed by the same guy who later delivered such colorful TV fluff as "The Brady Bunch," "Wonder Woman," and "Fantasy Island." But the real draw is the understated almost smirky performance by Raquel. Raquel's Fathom is all woman: a gorgeous fashion-plate, yet strong, smart, and very much in control. Catch her if you can!

Skydiving dental assistant from La Jolla, CA finds herself in hot water while touring Spain after she's recruited by two blokes from Western Intelligence to locate a stolen treasure from the Ming Dynasty--the elusive Fire Dragon! Opening credits montage with Raquel Welch as Fathom Harvill packing her parachute is so frisky and welcoming, it sets the perfect light tone for the rest of the picture. The clever screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr., adapting an unpublished novel by Larry Forrester, is full of fresh, funny banter (with an amusing running joke that has different characters speculating on how Fathom got her name: "As a child you were very...deep?"). One of Welch's best films, with Clive Revill fabulous in support as an eccentric collector allergic to cold weather. Beautiful locales, a wonderful score by John Dankworth, plus a terrific airplane-chase finale. Good show! ***1/2 from ****

This is the quintessential Raquel Welch movie. In her most beautiful prime (27) and in a plot that allows for many opportunities to display that beauty, she shows why she was the ultimate sex symbol of the sixties, and, for many of us, of all time. Most of her films never fully captured her incredible appeal; this one does!

Welch looks good in this, to be sure. But she also carries across the oddball charm this movie is attempting to convey. She looked good in Bedazzled and Myra Breckinridge as well, but wasn't given much to do. Here she gets some good dialogue to parry the men with, and she comes across as an exciting heroine that unlike Flynt or Matt Helm, should have been given more than one movie to do her thing. This film is very reminiscent of the more whacked-out Modesty Blaise. Just a little funnier. One could also find the roots of the current Charlie's Angels flix in this movie, albeit without the battering music.

Leslie H. Martinson is a director who should be studied more closely. He did so many TV shows, it would be easy to dismiss him as style-free. But from what I've seen (Hot Rod Girl, PT 109, Batman) he uses simplicity in his favor, and makes good little movies that stick with you.

Aside from her prehistoric antics ONE MILLION YEARS B.C., this is the quintessential Raquel Welch movie from her heyday as the ultimate 60's sexpot. The tone is light 'n bright in this bouncy adventure flick with Raquel doin' her swinging sixties thing in a colorful assortment of very suitable costumes. It's nice to see the lighter side of Ms. Welch after falling for her as an atonal cavegal with nothing to smile about. British jazz musician Johnny Dankworth provides a breezy pop score that caps things off quite nicely. A great mid-century, midnight flick.