| |
Elsa Martinelli, the model who became an actress in the 1950s, died today, it has been announced. She made her start in fashion but was quickly snapped up by the movies to capitalise on her looks, mostly for decorative roles. Yet she possessed a cool quality that strongly indicated she was not coasting on her beauty, and made memorable performances out of The Indian Fighter (given her first big chance by Kirk Douglas), Manuela (demonstrating her talent in a serious role), Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses (as a potential vampire), Hatari (opposite John Wayne), Orson Welles' The Trial, The V.I.P.s, Rampage (with Robert Mitchum), cult classic sci-fi The Tenth Victim, spy caper Maroc 7, Manon 70 (with Catherine Deneuve), memorable super-flop Candy, peripatetic hit If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, Lucio Fulci's One On Top of the Other and more though into the 1970s and beyond she turned her attention to other areas, taking only occasional roles and pursuing singing. Ever stylish, she will remain an indelible face of a particular kind of European 60s movie, a minor icon. |
 |
