Virna Lisi Movies
In European films from 16, ash-blonde beauty Virna Lisi was required to do little beyond display her physical attributes. Lisi's appearances in Duel of the Titans (1961) and Casanova 70 (1965) were the ones best known to American audiences. She made her U.S. film bow in George Axelrod's satirical How to Murder Your Wife (1966), delivering a well-timed comic performance despite her unfamiliarity with English. Lisi was then co-starred with Frank Sinatra in Assault on A Queen (1966), and Tony Curtis in Not With My Wife, You Don't (1967). Though she never openly expressed any displeasure at being typed in sexy roles, Lisi returned to Europe in hopes of securing three-dimensional character parts. More recently, Virna Lisi has been playing ice-blooded villainesses and predatory "cradle robbers," undoubtedly relishing every opportunity to be more than just a (fabulously) pretty face. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1969
Laurent (William Holden) is willing to give his terminally ill son Pascal (Brook Fuller) anything to make his last days comfortable. The unfortunate boy is stricken with leukemia after being showered with radioactive poison when an airplane exploded. Laurent takes Pascal back to Paris where he and his girlfriend Catherine (Virna Lisi) and his war buddy Verdun (Andre Bourvil) try to cater to his every wish. He buys a farm tractor and with the help of the faithful Verdun steals some wolves from the Paris zoo. Father and son spend as much time as they are allowed in this sentimental family story. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Holden, Virna Lisi, (more)
In this Italian drama, Wilma, an aging dance hall girl, befriends La Cicada, a feisty, free-spirited woman who refuses to have sex for money. Together, they go traveling and on the rode take up with the handsome Hannibal, who dreams of opening up his own truck stop/gas station. The two women end up helping him achieve his dream. The place becomes a nightspot which they name La Cicada and turn into a big success. During this time, Wilma marries Hannibal, but Wilma begins worrying that her husband would rather have the young, sexy Cicada. The younger woman proves that he does not want her. When her lovely 18-year-old daughter comes to call, Wilma really gets worried because like her mother, the daughter has also become a whore. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1965
A young writer goes to a summer resort in wintertime to be alone and contemplate his moral dilemma in this thrilling and suspenseful psychological drama. He goes to visit Tilde (Virna Lisi), a young woman with whom he had a brief sexual relationship. To his horror, the writer learns that she has been killed by having her throat slashed, and her body was thrown into the lake. He finds no one willing to talk about the crime, and he uncovers the medical examiner's report that lists the promiscuous victim as being a virgin. When the wife of the hotel-owner is found dead, the writer urges for an in-depth investigation of the unsolved crimes. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Baldwin, Salvo Randone, (more)
- 1967
Set in Italy during WW I, this war drama centers on the off-beat relationship between a Bavarian general an a peasant girl after they both end up captured by a bungling Italian soldier. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virna Lisi, Rod Steiger, (more)
- 1964
Alain Delon stars as twin brothers in Christian-Jaque's film based on a novel from Alexandre Dumas. Set in 18th century France during rumblings of revolution, Guillaume De Saint-Preux is the legendary Black Tulip, battling for the people against the monarchy. In reality, he is not much more than a self-serving thief who steals from the rich in the name of the people, but keeps it for himself rather than giving to those in need. After his face is scarred to mark him as a bandit, he enlists the aid of his identical twin, Julien, to carry on his work. Unfortunately for him, Julien is a revolutionary at heart and the ensuing events are nowhere close to Guillaume's expectations. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alain Delon, Dawn Addams, (more)
- 1967
Adapted from the novel by C. Virgil Gheorghiu, this satirical concentration-camp drama from Turkish-born French director Henri Verneuil stars Anthony Quinn as Johann Moritz, a Romanian peasant who experiences the horrors of World War II when the Nazis invade his country. Because local police chief Dobresco (Gregoire Aslan) is anamorous towards Moritz's wife Suzanna (Virna Lisi), he has the lowly fieldhand falsely labeled a Jew and sent to a work camp. Moritz's troubles continue to mount, as his wife is threatened with losing their property unless she divorces him. Also starring Michael Redgrave, La Vingt-cinquième heure is also known as The 25th Hour, though it should not be confused with and bears no resemblance to the 2002 Spike Lee film of the same name. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, Virna Lisi, (more)
- 1967
Yet another entry in a long series of 1960s Italian sex comedies, this one has some clever moments in its study of four beautiful women (Ursula Andress, Marisa Mell, Virna Lisi, and Claudine Auger) who cheat on their husbands to relieve their marital discontent. Jean-Pierre Cassel also stars in this typical anthology written by Ruggero Maccari and Ettore Scola. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ursula Andress, Virna Lisi, (more)
- 1970
Patterning himself after the American gangster John Dillinger, the criminal (Robert Hossein) is tracked by the inspector (Charles Aznavour), a former childhood friend. Plenty of gunplay and psychology is used to trap the killer. His only tender moments are spent with his girlfriend Stella (Virna Lisi). Dillinger is cornered by the police and kills several innocent victims in a crowd during the shootout. The mob decides to take things into their own hands as they approach the doomed man with a noose when he runs out of bullets. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hossein, Charles Aznavour, (more)
- 1963
In a biting, critical look at "justice" and how it does not necessarily work, director Christian-Jaque develops this tale of murder and deception via two principle, conniving characters and their upright opponents in the legal system. Catherine (Marina Vlady) is a heartless, self-serving woman miffed at her spouse's infidelity, who murders him while he is bedridden in the hospital by inserting a toxin into his next injection. She then renews an amorous relationship with a sharp and unscrupulous lawyer, knowing he could mount the best defense for her in court. The lawyer does just that, leaving the judge and the opposing attorney with a desire to see justice done but not much recourse to implement it. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Brasseur, Marina Vlady, (more)
- 1972
Virna Lisi stars in this slick French romantic thriller. She plays Almy, a beautician on her way to a "fat farm." The story pairs her with a tough, charming race car driver (Maurice Ronet). After he rapes her, she seeks to get revenge by seducing him, but instead finds herself falling in love with him as she taps into his concealed wellsprings of vulnerability. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1961
The trouble in this Italian crime drama begins when five convicts and their leader escape from Elba and endeavor to rob the payroll office of an iron mine. The mine owner's son refuses to allow this. Unfortunately, the son's sister and her pals happen into the office and soon find themselves held hostage. Fortunately one of the girls escapes and runs for help. Unfortunately, she is caught by a criminal who tries to rape her. A struggle ensues and the girl shoots him in the arm. Engraged, the convict kills her. The loyal son, having no choice, gives the fugitives the money. The ring leader then takes the son's sister with him to the bank to sign the checks. The quick-thinking girl endorses the checks, but on the back of one, she rewrites a note to the police. They return to the mine only to find that another crook has killed the leader. A gunfight ensues and the robbers kill themselves. Soon the police arrive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Made in Italy is a multistoried film, set...in Italy, of course. An all-star cast appears in brief seriocomic vignettes about rich and poor, tourist and native. Director Nanni Loy exhibits the realistic and somewhat earthy technique he'd used on his earlier documentaries, with heavy emphasis on ironic punch lines. Filmed in 1965 by a Franco/Italian production team, Made in Italy received the best possible exposure upon its 1967 American release when clips were showcased on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Best bit: The "give to the poor" poster in an impoverished Italian mountain village. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Magnani, Marina Berti, (more)
- 1968
A British engineer tries to convince the Mafia to allow an oil refinery on some prime waterfront real estate in Sicily. Proby (Peter McEnery) talks to the mob bosses about the project, but disagreements in the Mafia soon surface. One faction wants the refinery, the other a beachfront resort. Comedy ensues when Proby falls for the beautiful daughter of a mafioso, leading to a family argument. Rosa (Virna Lisi) is engaged to a mobster and causes a stir when she professes her love for the persistent Proby. The mob fights over which direction to choose for the property, as Proby and Rosa fall in love in this romantic comedy adventure. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virna Lisi, Peter McEnery, (more)
William Tepper, whose only significant credit to date was the lead role in the Jack Nicholson-directed 1972 cult film (#Drive, He Said), wrote and stars in Miss Right. He plays Terry Bartell, a U.P.I. reported stationed in Rome. Bartell is an inveterate ladies man who suddenly decides he's through playing meaningless romantic games and wants to find "Miss Right." As a prelude to beginning the search, he sets up a series of "farewell" dinners with his three current girlfriends, scheduled in his apartment in two hour intervals. Most of the film consists of these lengthy encounters, including one with veteran Italian actress Virna Lisi, playing an older married woman. Karen Black is another of the ladies, who arrives by jet for a midnight rendezvous and is unpleasantly surprised. The following morning, Terry picks up Juliet (Margot Kidder), indicating that he's not ready to change his lifestyle after all. Miss Right was made in Rome in 1980 by American director Paul Williams for an Italian production company. It was never released theatrically in the United States. The 1989 video release shows signs of extensive cutting and revisions. Actress Clio Goldsmith, listed in the credits, never appears on screen, and British star Jenny Agutter is glimpsed only in a cameo in the opening minute. Williams was known in the late '60s and early '70s for his films about the hippie counterculture, including Out of It (1969) and The Revolutionary (1970). After several years of inactivity he returned in 1978 with the independent feature Nunzio. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karen Black, Margot Kidder, (more)
In this convoluted spy thriller, a Russian ambassador places his life on the line when he steals classified documents and defects to the U.S. The papers he carries could rock the free world. Unfortunately, the C.I.A. must first prove that they are real. The film is also known as The Serpent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yul Brynner, Henry Fonda, (more)
- 1966
In the words of Hamlet, there's a plentiful lack of wit in Not with My Wife, You Don't! Korean war vet Tony Curtis is living in London, blissfully married (so he thinks) to Virna Lisi. In strolls old air force buddy George C. Scott, who has a history of stealing Curtis' ladies away from him. Unable to woo Lisi by fair means, Scott resorts to foul; he exercises his prerogative as Curtis' superior officer, shipping him out to a faraway post. George C. Scott may have been right to refuse his Oscar for Patton; he doesn't look like much of an award-winner in Not With My Wife, You Don't! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Curtis, Virna Lisi, (more)
- 1965
Marcello Mastroianni stars in this film which combines much of the 1965 release Paranoia with new footage. A police inspector is told of the bizarre behavior of a pistol-packing papa who shoots blanks at his wife to keep her intimidated. He inserts a real bullet every so often just to let her know she should pay attention. Another story has Mastroianni as a man who tries to sell his blonde wife to a wealthy sheik with a large harem. His wife has her own ideas and sells her husband instead as an addition to a male harem. He is condemned to servitude as the beautiful blonde steps into a luxury car and leaves him in the desert. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcello Mastroianni, Pamela Tiffin, (more)
The historical novel by Alexandre Dumas was adapted for the screen with this lavish French epic, winner of 5 Césars and a pair of awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Isabelle Adjani stars as Marguerite de Valois, better known as Margot, daughter of scheming Catholic power player Catherine de Medici (Virna Lisi). Margot is an heiress to the throne during the late 16th century reign of the neurotic, hypochondriac King Charles IX (Jean-Hugues Anglade), a time when Protestants and Catholics are vying for political control of France. Catherine decides to make an overture of good will by offering up Margot in marriage to prominent Protestant Huguenot Henri of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil), although she also schemes to bring about the notorious St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572, when tens of thousands of Protestants are slaughtered. The marriage goes forward but Margot doesn't love Henri and takes a lover, the soldier La Mole (Vincent Perez), also a Protestant from a well-to-do family. Murders by poisoning follow, as court intrigues multiply and Catherine's villainous plotting to place her son Anjou (Pascal Greggory) on the throne threatens the lives of La Mole, Margot and Henri. The American release version was cut to 145 minutes. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isabelle Adjani, Daniel Auteuil, (more)
- 1963
This unexceptional Duel of the Titans takes place on two different levels at once. The legendary brothers Romulus and Remus go at it to see who will ultimately survive and found the city of Caesars. And the slightly less legendary but still impressive Steve Reeves (Romulus) and Gordon Scott (Remus) are brought into a kind of body-building competition. Romulus and Remus are shown from their earliest beginnings as abandoned babes on the Tiber River, destined to face all sorts of challenges. First come their adventures after they are adopted by a female wolf as her own offspring. Then they later handle catastrophes like an erupting volcano or hand-to-paw combat with an irate bear. Once the two brothers have reached adulthood, they become enemies, as Remus seeks to aggrandize his power and Romulus seeks to cut him down to size. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, (more)
- 1983
In this nostalgic look back at the 1960s through rose-colored glasses, a group of teens meet and frolic and experience their individual emotional maelstroms at a seaside resort one summer -- and then they meet again two decades later. Most of the film is spent on the teen summer, filled with characters such as the wealthy and weighty young man romancing a would-be socialite, and the intellectual fellow who turns from his steady girlfriend to hook up with a powerfully attractive older woman (Virna Lisi). When the teens come together as vintage adults 20 years later, their lives have all changed and the experiences that bonded them during that far away summer echo in everyone's mind. Director Carlo Vanzina treats the teens' relationships with an intentionally light hand, which might unexpectedly make that later "echo" less resounding than intended. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marina Suma, Jerry Calà, (more)
- 1966
Pietro Germi's funny anthology combines the standard sex comedy format with some unexpectedly subtle observations about village life. The film centers on three stories exposing the sexual secrets of the Italian town of Treviso. Toni Gasparini (Alberto Lionello) pretends to be impotent in order to wrangle an illicit affair with his doctor's wife. Bank clerk Osvaldo Bisigato (Gastone Moschin) leaves his shrewish wife (Nora Ricci) to move in with his mistress Milena (Virna Lisi), a cafe cashier, but Treviso's jealous husbands unite to cost the lovers their jobs and have them arrested. Meanwhile, most of the village's men are busy seducing a promiscuous teenager (Patrizia Valturri), whose father eventually reveals that she is underage. Franco Fabrizi, Beba Loncar, and cult filmmaker Giulio Questi are among the cast, and Carlo Rustichelli provided the score. Signore e Signori won the Best Film award at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virna Lisi, Gastone Moschin, (more)
- 1983
In a revealing documentary about one slice of film history, directors Francesco Bortolini and Claudio Masenza interview eight Italian actresses who attained fame in the U.S. through films they made in Hollywood. Most of the eight agree that performers are treated better in Hollywood than in Italy, and that U.S. efficiency and organization impressed them -- but that in Italy, they had more challenging roles than was allowed in the U.S. Virna Lisi was made over to look like another Marilyn Monroe, Gina Lollobrigida was employed like the others for her sex appeal -- and left after a few films --, and Claudia Cardinale, for inscrutable reasons, was meant to be another Doris Day. Unfortunately, even though great stars are included among the eight, the most obvious and inexplicable omission is Sophia Loren, well-known to American audiences. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Lollobrigida, Sylva Koscina, (more)
- 1969
Childhood sweethearts Jolanda (Virna Lisi) and Franco (George Segal) meet once again after a separation of nearly 15 years. The two immediately rekindle the romance on an adult level. Franco is a dedicated physician working hard to have a successful career and longtime security, while Jolanda is a free-spirited woman who embraces radical causes and lives from day to day. Comedy ensues when this odd couple experiences life from each other's point of view. Jolanda releases animals from a research hospital in protest over their capture. Franco is always chasing the fast-moving Jolanda around in order to extricate her from the consequences of her many activities in this convulsively funny romantic comedy. The exasperated Franco is torn between the love for Jolanda and the stoic professionalism of his medical career. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Virna Lisi, George Segal, (more)
