Virna Lisi (Actor)

Virna Lisi. (Photo: Mel Traxel)

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