Cherry, Harry & Raquel!
Encyclopedia
Cherry, Harry & Raquel! is a 1970
softcore
exploitation film
produced and directed by American film director
Russ Meyer
. 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
.
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.
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.
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
softcore
Softcore
Softcore pornography is a form of filmic or photographic pornography or erotica that is less sexually explicit than hardcore pornography. It is intended to tickle and arouse men and women. Softcore pornography depicts nude and semi-nude performers engaging in casual social nudity or non-graphic...
exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
produced and directed by American film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Russ Meyer
Russ Meyer
Russell Albion "Russ" Meyer was a U.S. motion picture director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, actor and photographer....
. Following the success of Vixen!
Vixen!
Vixen! is a 1968 satiric softcore sexploitation film directed by American motion picture director Russ Meyer. It was the first film to be given an X rating for its sex scenes, and was a breakthrough success for Meyer...
(1968), the film is notable for the first appearance of actor (and Meyer regular) Charles Napier
Charles Napier (actor)
Charles L. Napier was an American actor, known for his portrayals of square-jawed tough guys and military types.-Early life:...
playing Harry Thompson, a California border
United States–Mexico border
The United States–Mexico border is the international border between the United States and Mexico. It runs from Imperial Beach, California, and Tijuana, Baja California, in the west to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and Brownsville, Texas, in the east, and traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from major...
sheriff and marijuana smuggler
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
who makes a reappearance in 1975's Supervixens
Supervixens
Supervixens is a 1975 sexploitation film by American filmmaker Russ Meyer. The cast features Meyer regulars Charles Napier, Uschi Digard, and Haji...
.
Uschi Digard
Uschi Digard
Uschi Digard is a Swedish former softcore porn star and model known for her roles in Russ Meyer films.- Early years :...
, who would also go on to make frequent appearances in Meyer's films, was cast as the naked muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
of the Geronimo character. Shown in cut scenes usually wearing only an Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
headdress, this plot device
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
was necessitated after the lead actress left the shoot early and there was 20 minutes of footage needed to complete the film.
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
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
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
- Charles NapierCharles Napier (actor)Charles L. Napier was an American actor, known for his portrayals of square-jawed tough guys and military types.-Early life:...
as Harry - Linda Ashton as Cherry
- Larissa Ely as Raquel
- Frank Bolger as Mr. Franklin
- Bert Santos as Enrique
- Uschi DigardUschi DigardUschi Digard is a Swedish former softcore porn star and model known for her roles in Russ Meyer films.- Early years :...
as Soul - Robert Aiken as Tom
- Michaelani as Dr. Lee
- Michelle Grand as Millie