Every so often a nude scene gets paired with a song that, for better or worse, ends up making it that much more memorable, and today is one of those rare examples where the nudity was so iconic, it brought the music to a whole new level of popularity… over 50 years after it was first released.
The song is no other than French composer Maurice Ravel’s most famous work, Boléro, which for classic film fans will probably forever be associated with the 1979 Blake Edward’s comedy 10, starring Dudley Moore and model/actress Bo Derek.
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Not only was it the background for the film’s trailer, it had a prominent role within the film itself. Moore plays a songwriter who develops an unhealthy obsession with a woman (Derek) he sees on her wedding day, to the point where he crashes her honeymoon in Mexico, saves her husband’s life,and learns she’s in an open marriage when she seduces him into a 15-and-1/4-minute tryst set to "Boléro".
Bo Derek Nude in 10
As the trailer states, on a scale of 1 to 10, Bo Derek nude is an 11. Hands down. The pulling off of her clothes, revealing her beguiling butt and bongos to Ravel’s opening drum beats are a perfect match, and no matter how distracted she gets by wanting to match their lovemaking to the music, nothing can distract us from drinking in every inch of her terrific T’n’A both before and after.
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The piece became so linked with seeing Bo’s bare boobs and booty, that two things happened. First, there was a massive spike in sales of "Boléro," generating an estimated $1 million in royalties and briefly making Ravel the best-selling classical composer 40 years after his death.
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Bo Derek Nude in Bolero
The second thing was the spawning of the 1984 film Bolero starring Bo and written and directed by her husband, John Derek. Unfortunately, while 10 is considered an acclaimed romantic comedy, Bolero was widely panned and even nominated for the Razzie for Worst Movie of the Year - and Worst Musical score despite it heavily relying on classical themes inspired by the titular song from famous Hollywood composer Elmer Bernstein and his son, Peter.
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The only good thing the two films seem to have in common is seeing Bo in the buff. Even her taking her nudity in 10 a step further and bringing out all three Bs sadly couldn’t salvage it. Luckily, the film’s reviews didn’t stop Bo from bo-wling us over with even more nudity in the years to come.
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