Celebrating Italian Sex Kitten Ornella Muti!
You may not know her well, but you should! One of Italian cult cinema’s most beautiful stars has a great collection of films!
Ornella Muti was born in 1955 in Rome, Lazio, Italy as Francesca Romana Rivelli.
She is one of Italy’s most successful and enduring Actresses, appearing in dozens and dozens of films as well as TV shows…
For my “2020 Sex Kitten countdown”, I want to highlight a few of her more well known performances, as well as her appearance in Playboy – and the poll that called her “the world’s most beautiful woman!”
Ornella has been in show business for FIFTY YEARS – she began acting early on, beginning with this film from 1970:
“The Most Beautiful Wife” is a 1970 Italian film directed by Damiano Damiani, based on the 1965 case of Franca Viola, who challenged the southern Italian custom of kidnapping and raping a prospective bride! She actually refused to marry her abductor. It was the debut film for the then 14-year-old Muti.
She was off and running with a succession of ever-more-provocative work:
“An Ideal Place To Kill” from 1971 was also known as “Oasis of Fear” – this Italian giallo film was directed by Umberto Lenzi.
A newly remastered blu-ray has just been released, and one site says this:
“a very strong performance from Ornella Muti, using a body double (with one exception) for her more exposed moments since she was still under eighteen at the time.”
She was willing to bare all at an early age in her films, including this sex comedy from 1973:
The Sensuous Sicilian
Italian star Giancarlo Giannini plays Paolo Castorini, a Sicilian baron, who is as attracted to women as they are to him.
Muti played Giovanna, a servant girl who falls for his charms:
That same year, Ornella appeared in this “Nunsploitation” film:
“The Nun and the Devil!”
This erotic 1973 “Nunsploitation” film was also known as: “Sisters of Satan” in the UK and “The Nuns of Saint Archangel” in the US. The film was set in the 16th century at the convent of Sant Arcangelo, near Naples, then under Spanish rule.
Muti continued to act in films all around the world throughout the 70’s…
In 1980, Muti was on the cover of Italian Playboy, with some breathtaking photos inside as well…
She followed it up with the lead in one of the biggest cult films of the 80’s:
“Flash Gordon!”
While not a hit when released, “Flash Gordon” has become a cult favorite, with the iconic opening theme song by Queen.
Muti was Princess Aura – a chance to dress up and be seen by American filmgoers…
Muti was also in “The Girl from Trieste”, a 1982 Italian drama based on a novel with the same name.
Some may remember Ornella from one of Sylvester Stallone’s ill-advised forays into comedy – she actually starred alongside him in the 1991 flop “Oscar”.
The best part of this role was that Ornella was only nine years older than Marisa Tomei when she played her mother the film!
Now, to one of Muti’s great distinctions: she was voted “The Most Beautiful Woman In The World” by a worldwide poll of readers of the magazine Class in 1994 – and it’s hard to argue!
Ornella Muti continues to act in film and TV, and has become a very successful Mogul as well – she has her own fashion line – and reportedly once had her breasts insured for $350,000!
This Italian Sex Kitten is one of a long line of Italian beauties, and the camera certainly loved her:
Ornella is just one of many Italian Cult Movie Queens I have discovered as I research my “2020 Sex Kitten Countdown” series:
Gloria Guida had a great career in Italian films, including the notorious “To Be Twenty” – see more of that by clicking on my story here:
And let’s not forge the great Italian Sex Kitten
Andrea Belfiore had a provocative career, and you can see her most revealing roles by clicking on my profile here:
Italy gave us some of the most exotic and sunntingly beautiful Actresses of all time:
Debora Caprioglio was a spicy “Paprika” and much much more!
See her career here:
Let’s not forget Italian sex kitten Agostina Belli:
From “The Sex Machine” to “Bluebeard” and more – what a great career! You can see it all by clicking here:
If you like these stories, and don’t want to miss any of my “2020 Sex Kitten Countdown”, then go to my website’s front page and sign on to follow me – there are NO ads at all, just lots of stories to come about the wild world of exploitation and cult films!
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Categories: 70's Films, Artsploitation, Books / Media, Classic Action Films, Cult Classics, Euro-Sleaze, Exploitation Films, Extreme Cinema, Grindhouse, JRsploitation, Nudity, sex kittens, Talent / Celebrites
JR-Sploitation! 
I see the poster with Ben Gazarra, which I thought was Tales of Ordinary Madness, based on the writings of Charles Bukowski. It turns out they actually did a second movie together called The Girl from Trieste. I did not know that! Just learned about it now on wikipedia after reading your article. Must look for that movie! Tales of Ordinary Madness used to be available on YouTube. I’m not seeing it, but here’s the preview:
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I remember her well from Flash Gordon, perfect casting!
(I also enjoyed ‘Flesh Gordon’, a very amusing film. 🙂 )
Best wishes, Pete.
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Indeed Pete! Have a great holiday season!
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