Raquel Welch, Myra Breckinridge
In Time Out New York, Melissa Anderson chats with Raquel Welch about the making of the epic 1970 disaster Myra Breckinridge, based on a Gore Vidal novel, starring Welch, Rex Reed, John Huston, and Mae West, and directed by former pop singer and film critic Michael Sarne.
A brief excerpt, in which Welch discusses West (right), who at the time of filming was 77 years old:
"I found her surreal. Here was this star from the '30s who had this unbelievably different way of doing things. Now she's doing this movie in 1969/70, and she's never made a color movie before in her life.
"I wouldn't want to undertake that at 77. I thought, She's got a lot of chutzpah and she's completely bonkers. Mae was one of those people I always felt had a distinctly masculine vibration about her.
"I have often ventured the opinion that she was a man in drag. [Laughs]"
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I recall reading that Loretta Young sued 20th Century-Fox in order to have film clips in which she appeared removed from the release print of Myra Breckinridge — which is peppered with old-movie bits — for those were interspersed with scenes of, if I remember correctly, masturbation. Who was masturbating whom, I don't know, but in any case, if I'm not misremembering anything, Young won her suit and the clips were taken out.
Michael Sarne, by the way, is the director of Joanna (1968), a Swinging London tale starring Geneviève Waïte that was well-received in some quarters. His directorial career, however, never recovered from the Myra Breckinridge debacle. As an actor, he could be recently spotted in David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises.
I knew Mae West for years and kept in contact with her until her death in 1980 – she also did a water commercial for my tiny town of Poland Springs just before her death; and I met Rex Reed here in Maine a few times in the 70's. I liked him very much as he is an excellent film critic and I was led to this link by accident and read the comments. I was actually looking for more recent info on Raquel Welch as I have always admired her so much as an actress and as a true SURVIVOR in Hollywood over the decades. I think Myra Breckinridge could have been a hugely successful film had it been made later, had a different director ( where they found Sarne is still beyond me ) and had Raquel Welch and Rex Reed now playing their original roles and Jessica Simpson playing Mae West's role as Leticia! It's a shame that Gore Vidal's great visionary novel was turned into such a mess on film by Michael Sarne because all the actors involved wanted to make it revolutionary ( 1969 ). Further, according to Mae West telling me personally, word of her being sniped on the set and in the press by both Rex Reed and Raquel Welch and others ( John Huston – her dear friend – not being one of them ) – led her to be defensive and to use her power of " My Earned / Rightful Hollywood Movie Queen Status " to retaliate. Today, this is an absolute NO NO when a star plugs a film on TV and in the press -
to dish a fellow star – no matter how they feel. Mae West WAS the QUEEN of Hollywood for decades and did whatever it took to guard her status and always with great success. It was a different era. I absolutely loved her and I also love Raquel Welch – who had to fight her way through decades of a different Hollywood makeup to show she was far more than a beautiful face and body. She is so talented and a very sharp woman and will be 70 soon ( looking like a very hot 40 without all the garbage ). God bless her and I hope she gets the role of her life in her 70's ! I love you Raquel ! Dr. Mark Christian Defazio
hi, i would like to know where i can get some pictures of Mae West. im going to dress up as her for a costume party. thank you,ed kirsch
Where can we buy a poster of this pose of Raquel Welch with the american flag allfit. thanks.
Many "Myra" fans are still hoping that someday, someway, somehow more will emerge about Roger Herren, the handsome young man who was the boyfriend of Farrah Fawcett's character in the film. Anyone have any insights for us?
"Myra Breckenridge" is available on DVD. And yes, you are allowed to fast forward through the Rex Reed scenes.
I hope that's available on DVD. The film sounds like a hoot. And I can always fast forward through the Rex Reed bits.