Andrea Occhipinti was not a great actor, at least not in the few films that I saw, but he is certainly worthy of being on the big screen. That face, those eyes, that body! Watching he and Bo Derek 'act' in Bolero was more than cringe worthy, but you can't really put the blame on Andrea. The story and writing were week. Had John Derek taken out the dialogue, and just had Andrea and Bo running around naked to an orchestration of the Bolero theme, the movie might have been a hit.
Miranda (1985)In this erotic comedy, Miranda is the landlady of a small country tavern who is looking for a husband, and tries out a variety of men for size.
Andrea comes off much better in 1985's Miranda. Maybe in part, because he gets to speak in his native Italian. Andrea also gets naked, fully naked, unlike Bolero, in the films opening scene.
If you watch the film, you'll notice a patch of dark hair on the top of Andrea's beautiful butt. I couldn't decided whether it turned me off, or turned me on. I was surprised to see it though. Natural as it may be, if the film had been an American production, he would have been waxed and shaved to save his life. I have to wonder what discussions took place between the director and producers about whether to keep the dark patch of hair.
I believe Andrea's appearance in Miranda and Bolero mark the actors only on-screen nudity. Despite his early bad performance reviews, he did continue to get steady work as an actor for the next few decades. Although he still acts occasionally, today, the beautiful actor has moved behind the scenes as a successful film producer and distributer.
Paparazzi shots
Bolero (1984)
Set in the 1920s, a young woman sets out to lose her virginity. Her mission leads her to a Moroccan sheikh and a Spanish bullfighter.
'Monumentally stupid as the plot may be, at least its faint outline can be perceived. The subplots defy understanding.'
The Washington Post