A film critic, Lizzani became a scriptwriter and assistant director after World War Two, and worked on such notable films of the late '40s as Roberto Rossellini's Germania Anno Zero (aka Germany Year Zero), Giuseppe De Santis' Riso Amaro (aka Bitter Rice), and Alberto Lattuada's Il Mulino Del Po (aka The Mill on the Po). After helming documentaries, he debuted as a feature director with the admired World War Two drama Achtung! Banditi! Respected for his drama Cronache Di Poveri Amanti (aka Chronicle of Poor Lovers), he has proven a solid director of genre films, notably crime films such as Banditi A Milano (aka The Violent Four) and Crazy Joe. He has worked frequently for Italian television in the '80s. ~ All Movie Guide