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Ninotchka
Theatrical release poster
Directed byErnst Lubitsch
Screenplay byCharles Brackett
Billy Wilder
Walter Reisch
Story byMelchior Lengyel
Produced byErnst Lubitsch
Sidney Franklin
StarringGreta Garbo
Melvyn Douglas
Ina Claire
CinematographyWilliam H. Daniels
Edited byGene Ruggiero
Music byWerner R. Heymann
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • November 9, 1939 (1939-11-09)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.4 million (est.)
Box office$2.3 million

Ninotchka is a 1939 American romantic comedy film made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by producer and director Ernst Lubitsch and starring Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas.[1] It was written by Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and Walter Reisch,[1] based on a story by Melchior Lengyel. Ninotchka marked the first comedy role for Garbo, and her penultimate film; she received her third and final Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

In 1990, Ninotchka was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". It has been listed as one of the greatest films of all time by Empire in 2008[2] and Time in 2011.[3] Ninotchka has a 95% rating on the review-aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 40 reviews.[4]

Plot

[edit]
Melvyn Douglas, Greta Garbo and Richard Carle
Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas

Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski, three agents from the Soviet Board of Trade, arrive in Paris to sell jewelry confiscated from the aristocracy during the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Count Alexis Rakonin, a White Russian nobleman reduced to employment as a waiter in the hotel where the trio are staying, overhears details of their mission and informs the former Russian Grand Duchess Swana that her family jewels are to be sold by the three men. Swana's debonair paramour, Count Léon d'Algout, offers to help retrieve the jewelry before it is sold.

In their hotel suite, Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski are negotiating with Mercier, a prominent Parisian jeweler, when Léon interrupts the meeting. He explains that the jewels were seized illegally by the Soviet government and a petition has been filed in Paris preventing their sale or removal. Mercier withdraws his offer to purchase the jewelry until the lawsuit is settled.

The amiable, charming and cunning Léon treats the three Russians to an extravagant lunch, gets them drunk and easily wins their friendship and confidence. He sends a telegram to Moscow in their name suggesting a compromise.

Displeased by the telegram, Moscow then sends Nina Ivanovna "Ninotchka" Yakushova, a special envoy whose goal is to win the lawsuit, complete the jewelry sale and return with the three renegade Russians. Ninotchka is methodical, rigid and stern, chastising Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski for failing to complete their mission.

Ninotchka and Léon first meet on the street near the hotel, their identities unknown to one another. He flirts, but she is uninterested. Intrigued, Léon follows her to the Eiffel Tower and shows her his home through a telescope. Ninotchka tells him he might be an interesting subject of study and suggests they go to his apartment.

At his apartment, Léon tells Ninotchka he finds her fascinating and believes that he is falling in love with her; she acknowledges they share a mutual chemical attraction. They begin to kiss, but are interrupted by a phone call from Buljanoff. Both then realize they are each other's adversaries over the jewelry and Ninotchka promptly leaves, despite Léon's protestations.

The next day, Léon follows Ninotchka to a working class bistro where she again rebuffs him. However, after several attempts at making her laugh, Léon finally breaks down her resistance and she falls in love with him. While attending to the various legal matters over the lawsuit, Ninotchka gradually becomes seduced by the West. At a dinner date with Léon where she unexpectedly meets Swana face-to-face (her rival for the jewelry and for Léon's affections), Ninotchka consumes champagne for the first time and quickly becomes intoxicated. The following afternoon, a hungover Ninotchka is awakened by Swana and discovers Rakonin has stolen the jewelry during the night. Swana has come to offer Ninotchka a proposition: the jewels will be returned and the litigation dropped if Ninotchka returns to Moscow immediately so that Swana can have Léon to herself. Ninotchka reluctantly agrees to Swana's proposal and, after completing the sale of the jewelry to Mercier, she, Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski fly back to Russia. Later that evening, Léon visits Swana and confesses his love for Ninotchka. Swana then informs Léon that Ninotchka has already left for Moscow. He attempts to follow her but is denied a Russian visa, because of his nobility.

Sometime later in Moscow, Ninotchka invites her three comrades to dinner at her communal apartment and they nostalgically recall their time in Paris. After dinner, Ninotchka finally receives a letter from Léon, but it has been completely censored by the authorities, and she is devastated.

More time passes. Commissar Razinin informs Ninotchka that Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski were sent to Constantinople to sell furs but once again have failed to complete their mission. Against her wishes, Ninotchka is again sent by Razinin to investigate the situation and retrieve the trio.

After Ninotchka arrives in Constantinople, her three comrades inform her that they have opened a restaurant and will not be returning to the Soviet Union. When Ninotchka asks them who is responsible for this idea, Buljanoff points to the balcony where Léon is standing. Léon explains that he was barred from entering Russia to win Ninotchka back, so he and the three Russians conspired to get her to leave the country. He asks her to stay with him and she happily agrees.

The final shot in the film is of Kopalski carrying a protest sign complaining that Iranoff and Buljanoff are unfair, because, unlike theirs, his name does not illuminate on the electric sign in front of their new restaurant.

Cast

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Ninotchka trailer

Release

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Ninotchka was released in late 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II in Europe, where it became a great success. It was banned in the Soviet Union and its satellites. It went on to make $2,279,000 worldwide. USA: $1,187,000. International: $1,092,000. Profit: $138,000.[5]

In a play on the famous "Garbo Talks!" ad campaign used for her "talkie" debut in Anna Christie (1930), Ninotchka was marketed with the catchphrase "Garbo Laughs!", commenting on Garbo's largely somber and melancholy image (though Garbo laughs several times in many of her previous pictures).

Reception

[edit]
Greta Garbo as Nina Ivanovna "Ninotchka" Yakushova and Melvyn Douglas as Count Léon d'Algout

Critical response

[edit]

When the film was shown at the Radio City Music Hall, The New York Times film critic Frank S. Nugent praised it:

The comedy, through Mr. Douglas's debonair performance and those of Ina Claire as the duchess and Sig Ruman, Felix Bressart and Alexander Granach as the unholy three emissaries; through Mr. Lubitsch's facile direction; and through the cleverly written script of Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, has come off brilliantly. Stalin, we repeat, won't like it; but, unless your tastes hew too closely to the party line, we think you will, immensely.[6]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards Outstanding Production Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Nominated [7]
Best Actress Greta Garbo Nominated
Best Story Melchior Lengyel Nominated
Best Screenplay Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, and Billy Wilder Nominated
National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films 4th Place [8]
Best Acting Greta Garbo Won
National Film Preservation Board National Film Registry Inducted [9]
New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Director Ernst Lubitsch Nominated [10]
Best Actress Greta Garbo Nominated

Ninotchka is recognized as well by the American Film Institute in the AFI 100 Years... series in the following lists:

Origins

[edit]

Ninotchka is based on a three-sentence story idea by Melchior Lengyel that made its debut at a poolside conference in 1937, when a suitable comedy vehicle for Garbo was being sought by MGM: "Russian girl saturated with Bolshevist ideals goes to fearful, capitalistic, monopolistic Paris. She meets romance and has an uproarious good time. Capitalism not so bad, after all."[13][14][15]

Revival

[edit]

An attempt by MGM to release Ninotchka later during World War II was suppressed on the grounds that the Soviets were then allies of the West. The film was released after the war ended.[16]

Legacy

[edit]

In 1955, the musical Silk Stockings, based on Ninotchka, opened on Broadway. Written by Cole Porter, the stage production was based on Ninotchka's story and script and starred Hildegard Neff and Don Ameche. MGM then produced a 1957 film version of the musical directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse. Actor George Tobias, who appeared uncredited in Ninotchka as the Soviet visa official, is featured in Silk Stockings as Commissar Markovitch. Rolfe Sedan, who portrayed the hotel manager in Ninotchka, appears uncredited as a stage manager in Silk Stockings. The MGM films Comrade X (1940), starring Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr, and The Iron Petticoat (1956), starring Bob Hope and Katharine Hepburn, both borrow heavily from Ninotchka.

MGM had scheduled Madame Curie as Garbo's next film, but pleased with the success of Ninotchka, the studio quickly decided to team Garbo and Douglas in another romantic comedy. Two-Faced Woman (1941) was the result and Garbo received the worst reviews of her entire career. It turned out to be her final film and Greer Garson eventually starred in Madame Curie.

The Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa cited Ninotchka as one of his favorite films.[17][18]

Filipino writer and activist Ninotchka Rosca revealed during a 1966 Philippine congressional hearing that her pen name was inspired by the film.[19]

Nazi German Reich Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels remarked in his meeting notes on June 9, 1940 that "The German press should go and see the excellent American anti-Soviet film Ninotchka." He would later tell multiple German actors that he thought it was one of the best films he had ever seen.[20] During the 1948 Italian general election the US State Department encouraged film distributors to show the film as a means of countering the increasingly popular Italian Communist Party.[21]

Cultural influences

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"Colonel Ninotchka" was a character in the 1980s women's professional wrestling promotion, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ninotchka

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is a 1939 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by for , starring as Nina Ivanovna Yakushova, a disciplined Soviet trade envoy dispatched to to enforce the sale of confiscated jewelry from Russian aristocrats. The screenplay, credited to , , and Walter Reisch, adapts an original story by Melchior Lengyel, depicting Ninotchka's ideological rigidity clashing with capitalist luxuries and her romance with Leon Dolga, a French lawyer representing the jewels' former owner, leading to her personal transformation. Released on November 9, 1939, the film marked Garbo's debut in comedy, promoted with the tagline "Garbo Laughs!", and satirized Soviet bureaucracy and puritanism through Lubitsch's signature subtle wit, known as the "Lubitsch touch." It earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, for Garbo, Best Original Story, and Best Screenplay, though it won none amid competition from Gone with the Wind. Critically acclaimed for its prescient critique of communist inefficiency during the pre-World War II era, Ninotchka highlighted contrasts between authoritarian austerity and Western individualism, influencing later Cold War-era satires.

Synopsis and Characters

Plot Summary

Three Soviet trade delegates—Kopalski, Iranoff, and Buljanoff—are dispatched from to in the late to sell jewelry confiscated from Russian aristocrats during the 1917 Revolution, with proceeds intended to support the Soviet state. Upon arrival, the delegates succumb to the temptations of Parisian luxury, including and , neglecting their mission and failing to secure buyers for the items, which originally belonged to the exiled Grand Duchess Swana. Swana, residing in , enlists her American lawyer and romantic companion, Leon Louzeye, to challenge the sale legally, arguing the jewels' return to her as rightful owner. To rectify the delegates' laxity, the Soviet government sends Lieutenant Nina Ivanovna Yakushova, a stern and ideologically rigid envoy nicknamed "Ninotchka," to supervise operations and enforce discipline. Ninotchka arrives uncompromising, rebuking her comrades for bourgeois indulgences and insisting on austerity; she dismisses Parisian frivolities, such as fashion and the Eiffel Tower, as capitalist corruptions. Leon encounters Ninotchka by chance and, intrigued by her unyielding demeanor, pursues her with charm and wit, initially to undermine the Soviet sale but gradually developing genuine affection. Ninotchka resists Leon's advances, viewing romance as , but exposure to erodes her resolve; she experiences her first laughter and embraces personal joy, culminating in a night of intimacy that transforms her outlook. The group attempts to the jewels, but Swana's courtroom intervention, leveraging French law, results in a ruling awarding the items to her, thwarting the Soviet proceeds. Dejected, Ninotchka returns to alone, yet Leon follows, publicly professing his love at her train station farewell, prompting her and reunion; meanwhile, the three delegates opt to remain in , abandoning their posts.

Cast and Roles

Ninotchka features in the lead role as Nina Ivanovna Yakushova, known as Ninotchka, a disciplined Soviet trade delegate dispatched to to oversee the sale of confiscated Russian jewels. Garbo, who had largely retired from film following in 1941 but returned briefly for this project, portrays a character initially rigid in her communist ideology before experiencing personal transformation through romance. co-stars as Count Léon d'Algout, the charming playboy nephew of the exiled Grand Duchess Swana, tasked with reclaiming the jewels through seduction and wit. The supporting cast includes Ina Claire as Grand Duchess Swana, the elegant Russian aristocrat whose jewels are at stake and who enlists d'Algout's aid. Bela Lugosi appears as Commissar Razinin, a stern Soviet official suspicious of Ninotchka's mission. Three comedic Soviet envoys provide relief: Sig Ruman as Michael Simonavich Iranoff, the group's leader enjoying Parisian luxuries; Felix Bressart as Vladimir Ivanovich Klopchin; and Alexander Granach as Gavril Andreyavich Yosloff. Their portrayals satirize bureaucratic inefficiency and ideological hypocrisy.
ActorRole
Nina Ivanovna "Ninotchka" Yakushova
Count Léon d'Algout
Grand Duchess Swana
Commissar Razinin
Michael Simonavich Iranoff
Vladimir Ivanovich Klopchin
Gavril Andreyavich Yosloff

Production History

Development and Scripting

The original story concept for Ninotchka originated with Hungarian Lengyel, who devised a three-sentence outline in 1937: "A Russian girl imbued with Bolshevik ideas finds herself in frightening . There she finds love and falls into a whirlwind of pleasure. , it turns out, is not so bad." Lengyel, tasked by (MGM) in 1938 to create a vehicle for , pitched the idea through screenwriter , who selected it for Garbo's first comedic role during a poolside conversation. Early script development involved multiple drafts to refine the premise. An 1938 version was prepared by Deval, followed by contributions from Lengyel himself, S. N. Behrman, and Viertel, with the setting initially placed in before shifting to as noted in 1939 press reports. These iterations addressed narrative structure and thematic balance, including softening direct critiques of and to comply with Hays Office guidelines on political content. , assuming his first producing role at , took over direction in early 1939 and unofficially shaped the screenplay alongside credited writers , , and Walter Reisch, incorporating symbolic elements like a representing capitalist allure and anti-Stalinist drawn from his 1936 Soviet visit, such as the line about producing "fewer but better Russians." The collaborative rewriting process, evidenced by extensive revisions in MGM's script collection at the Margaret Herrick Library, emphasized Lubitsch's "touch"—subtle and visual —transforming Lengyel's outline into a polished . Brackett and Wilder's contributions focused on sharp, dialogue-driven humor, while Reisch handled structural refinements, culminating in a shooting draft completed before began on May 31, 1939. This iterative approach ensured the film's ideological contrast between Soviet austerity and Parisian luxury served the framework without overt , though Lubitsch later acknowledged tonal adjustments amid the 1939 Stalin-Hitler pact.

Casting Decisions

![ActGarboNinotchka.jpg][float-right] The casting of in the titular role marked a deliberate shift for the actress, who had built her career on dramatic portrayals but whose popularity had begun to decline by the late 1930s, prompting to position her in a comedy for the first time. Director and producer personally persuaded Garbo to accept the part, overcoming her reservations about performing a comedic drunken scene that required her to deviate from her typically somber screen persona. For the male lead of Count Léon d'Algout, Lubitsch selected , an actor he had previously directed in (1937) and who had co-starred with Garbo in As You Desire Me (1932), ensuring chemistry built on prior familiarity. Douglas's sophisticated charm complemented Garbo's stern envoy, aligning with Lubitsch's vision for romantic interplay amid . Ina Claire was chosen as Grand Duchess Swana, Garbo's aristocratic rival, providing a seasoned stage actress's poise to contrast the Soviet protagonist's rigidity in a role that demanded elegance and subtle antagonism. Bela Lugosi portrayed Razinin in a straight-faced supporting capacity, diverging from his horror associations to embody bureaucratic authority without comedic exaggeration, a decision that underscored the film's balanced tone amid sensitive anti-communist themes. The three Soviet envoys—played by , , and Joseph Allen—were cast from actors experienced in portraying comic foreigners, enhancing the film's satirical edge on Bolshevik inefficiency.

Filming Process and Direction

Principal photography for Ninotchka commenced on May 31, 1939, and concluded on August 11, 1939, primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in Culver City, California. Background footage of Paris was gathered by location scout Dr. Eric Lock, while second-unit work captured Russian street scenes and Red Square in Moscow to represent Soviet settings. Greta Garbo insisted on a closed set during her scenes, barring non-essential personnel and extras, which necessitated separate shoots for crowd elements and heightened production complexity. Ernst Lubitsch, serving as both director and producer in his first such dual role at , navigated challenges including Garbo's reluctance to perform comedic elements, particularly a tipsy sequence, which he persuaded her to include despite her initial resistance. Lubitsch rejected early screenplay drafts and contributed uncredited revisions alongside writers , , and Walter Reisch, shifting the story from to to evade Hays Office concerns over depicting Soviet living conditions negatively. Garbo appeared without makeup in her initial stern envoy portrayal, enhancing the character's austerity, and collaborated with costumier on her iconic hat design. Lubitsch's direction emphasized his signature "Lubitsch Touch," characterized by subtle visual wit, innuendo, and economical compression of satirical ideas to contrast rigid with Parisian allure. He dictated precise performances to Garbo, who favored greater autonomy, leading to on-set tensions, yet her genuine laugh—verified by Wilder—integrated seamlessly without . The approach prioritized restrained pacing, complicated character dynamics, and understated gags over overt , allowing Garbo's subtle gestures and eye work to convey emotional transformation. Production wrapped after approximately 56 days of principal filming, concluding on July 28, 1939, before refinements.

Release and Financial Performance

Premiere and Distribution

had its New York premiere at on November 9, 1939, following an earlier Hollywood premiere on October 6, 1939. The event highlighted Greta Garbo's rare venture into , marketed with the "Garbo Laughs!" to emphasize her departure from dramatic roles. The film was produced and distributed by (MGM), which handled its nationwide rollout in the United States starting November 23, 1939. Distribution extended internationally, with releases such as in on November 16, 1939, and subsequent openings in Europe and other markets. MGM's promotional efforts focused on the film's satirical take on Soviet and its romantic elements, capitalizing on the pre-World War II interest in anti-authoritarian themes.

Box Office and Commercial Success

Ninotchka, released on November 3, 1939, by , achieved domestic rentals of approximately $1.187 million in the United States. This figure represented the revenue returned to the studio from theaters, a standard metric for assessing commercial viability in the era. Internationally, the film earned $1.092 million, primarily from markets outside Europe amid the onset of , contributing to a worldwide total exceeding $2.2 million. Produced at an estimated cost of $1.365 million, the film's earnings exceeded its budget, marking it as profitable for MGM despite Garbo's prior box-office struggles. Alternative estimates place domestic grosses at $1.2 million, aligning closely with archival data and underscoring its solid performance relative to contemporaries like The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, which earned $1.1 million domestically. The success revitalized Garbo's commercial standing, countering perceptions of her as "box office poison" from earlier underperformers and affirming Lubitsch's touch in transitioning her to comedy. Bans in the and allied territories limited potential Eastern European revenue but did not hinder overall profitability, with strong uptake in non-restricted global markets. This outcome positioned Ninotchka as one of MGM's key earners in 1939, alongside hits like Gone with the Wind, bolstering the studio's financial resilience during pre-war uncertainties.

Reception and Contemporary Views

Critical Responses

Upon its release on November 3, 1939, Ninotchka received widespread critical acclaim for its sophisticated blend of romantic comedy and political satire, with reviewers highlighting Ernst Lubitsch's direction and Greta Garbo's unprecedented comedic turn. Frank S. Nugent of The New York Times described it as "one of the sprightliest comedies of the year, a gay and impertinent and malicious show which never pulls its punch lines," praising the script by Walter Reisch, Charles Brackett, and Billy Wilder for its cleverness and Lubitsch for creating "an amusing panel of caricatures" that underscored a humanist philosophy of universal decency. Nugent lauded Garbo's portrayal of the rigid Soviet envoy softening into romance, noting her delivery with "the assurance of a Buster Keaton," while commending supporting performances by Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire, and the trio of Russian commissars for their precise comedic timing. Critics appreciated the film's pointed mockery of Soviet and , viewing it as a timely antidote to Stalinist rigidity amid pre-World War II tensions, though some noted minor excesses in execution. Nugent critiqued Garbo's inebriated scene as overextended by the writers and director, and quibbled with specific lines like the quip on mass trials producing "fewer but better Russians," yet these did not detract from the overall endorsement, with The New York Times ranking it ninth among 's best films. Garbo's shift from dramatic roles to earned her the National Board of Review's award and a second-place finish from the , signaling critical validation of her versatility. In retrospective assessments, Ninotchka maintains high regard, with aggregated critic scores reflecting enduring appreciation for its and thematic depth. reports a 95% approval rating from 40 reviews, emphasizing Garbo's comedic prowess and the seamless integration of flirtation with anti-totalitarian critique. Brian Eggert of Deep Focus Review awarded it four stars in 2013, calling it a "charming, sexy" exemplar of Lubitsch's touch, where Garbo's infectious laugh symbolizes ideological thaw, though noting production challenges like her reticence on set. The New Yorker in 2014 highlighted the film's "bubbly erotic " alongside "chillingly serious" on East-West divides, underscoring its prescience. Some modern analyses, however, question the satire's superficiality in contrasting capitalist allure with communist austerity, yet affirm its technical execution and performative strengths as timeless.

Awards Recognition

Ninotchka earned four nominations at the 12th Academy Awards on February 23, 1940, including Best Picture (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), Best Actress (Greta Garbo), Best Original Story (Melchior Lengyel), and Best Screenplay (Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch, Billy Wilder), though it secured no victories amid Gone with the Wind's sweep of eight awards that evening. The film also appeared on the 's list of the ten best English-language films of 1939, reflecting contemporary critical esteem for its satirical edge and performances.
AwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
Best PictureNominated
Best ActressNominated
Best Original StoryMelchior LengyelNominated
Best Screenplay, Walter Reisch, Nominated
Top Ten Films—Selected

Public and Ideological Reactions

The film's public reception was marked by delight in Greta Garbo's rare comedic performance, with audiences erupting in laughter at the pivotal scene where her rigidly ideological character, Ninotchka, finally cracks a smile and guffaws uncontrollably during a mishap. Promotional campaigns capitalized on this shift from Garbo's typical dramatic roles, using the "Garbo Laughs!" to draw crowds eager to see the star in a lighthearted, humanizing context that contrasted her established image of aloof tragedy. Ideologically, Ninotchka provoked opposition from Soviet officials, who viewed its portrayal of communist envoys succumbing to capitalist luxuries as a direct affront; diplomats pressured theater owners in to cancel screenings and countered with advertisements for Soviet-approved films like Circus (1936). In the United States, following its November 1939 premiere, communist sympathizers lodged mild protests against the satire's depiction of Bolshevik principles as incompatible with personal joy and romance, though these did not significantly hinder distribution. Anti-communist intellectuals, including former communist , praised the film for illustrating the "moral, political and sartorial bankruptcy" that afflicted Soviet agents upon exposure to Western and abundance.

Thematic Analysis and Controversies

Anti-Communist Satire and Political Critique

satirizes Soviet by depicting Bolshevik envoys as rigid ideologues whose principles crumble upon exposure to capitalist luxuries in , illustrating the tension between communist dogma and human desires for comfort and joy. The three commissars—Buljanoff, Iranoff, and Kopalski—arrive to sell confiscated White Russian jewelry but swiftly indulge in , nightclubs, and tailored suits, rationalizing their lapses with twisted Leninist justifications like upholding "the prestige of the workers." This portrayal critiques the inherent in Soviet officials who publicly espouse equality while privately coveting Western abundance, a phenomenon observed in historical accounts of Bolshevik elites accessing special stores denied to ordinary citizens. The titular character, Lieutenant Nina Ivanovna Yakushova (Ninotchka), embodies the film's sharpest political barbs as an envoy dispatched to rein in her errant comrades; her initial pronouncements, such as condemning laughter as a "symptom of bourgeois decadence" and prioritizing the revolution over individual happiness, underscore communism's suppression of personal fulfillment in favor of collective austerity. Scriptwriters , , and Walter Reisch infuse dialogue with jabs at Soviet inefficiencies, including a quip about the Five Year Plan—"I've been in love with that Five Year Plan for the last 15 years"—mocking the repeated extensions and failures of economic targets since the first plan's launch in , which promised rapid industrialization but delivered and purges. Uniformity in Soviet life is lampooned through gags like identical portraits dominating parades, symbolizing the regime's regimentation and . Released on November 9, 1939, following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed on August 23, 1939—which stunned the West by allying and the —the film reflected heightened anti-communist sentiment in Hollywood, portraying the USSR not as a noble experiment but as a joyless, inept system incompatible with . Contemporary reviewers noted its "shrewd cracks" at phony economic plans, collective farms, and pseudo-scientific jargon, positioning it as a literate to Stalinist propaganda. Postwar, Ninotchka served as effective anti-communist tool, notably in Italy's 1948 elections where screenings aided Christian Democrat victories against communist opponents, demonstrating the satire's persuasive impact beyond entertainment.

Achievements in Comedy and Romance

![ActGarboNinotchka.jpg][float-right] Ninotchka marked Greta Garbo's inaugural foray into comedy following a career built on dramatic portrayals, with her depiction of the initially impassive Soviet envoy Nina Ivanovna Yakushova earning recognition for revealing untapped humorous depths. Garbo's performance showcased precise comedic timing as her character progressively yields to Parisian allure, culminating in moments of genuine laughter that humanized her typically austere screen persona. The film was promoted with the tagline "Garbo Laughs!", highlighting this novel aspect of her acting range. For this role, Garbo received her third Award nomination for on February 23, 1940, underscoring the critical appreciation for her comedic achievement. Directed by , Ninotchka exemplified the "Lubitsch Touch"—a hallmark of sophisticated wit, elegant visual humor, and subtle —applied to satirical jabs at Soviet rigidity contrasted with capitalist extravagance. Lubitsch employed recurring motifs, such as a Parisian hat symbolizing Ninotchka's ideological thaw, to convey transformation through understated comedy rather than overt exposition, blending elements with refined European sensibility. Contemporary reviewers lauded the film as "one of the sprightliest comedies of the year," praising its impertinent dialogue and unsparing punchlines that maintained levity amid political mockery. The screenplay, nominated for an Academy Award on February 23, 1940, further highlighted these comedic innovations by writers , , Walter Reisch, and Melchior Lengyel. In terms of romance, the narrative's core attraction between Ninotchka and the debonair Count Leon d'Algout () succeeded through mutual character evolution, where ideological clashes yield to personal connection, rendered via oblique techniques that invited audience inference of . Douglas's charismatic portrayal complemented Garbo's, fostering authentic chemistry that elevated the romance beyond mere , as noted in analyses of their flirtatious banter and evolving compromise. This romantic framework, interwoven with comedy, demonstrated Lubitsch's skill in harmonizing with heartfelt tenderness, contributing to the film's enduring appeal as a benchmark .

Criticisms from Ideological Perspectives

The film's portrayal of Soviet communism as rigid, joyless, and susceptible to capitalist temptations drew sharp rebukes from communist authorities and sympathizers, who regarded it as bourgeois propaganda designed to undermine the USSR. Upon its release on November 3, 1939, Ninotchka was immediately banned in the Soviet Union and its satellite states, as well as Nazi Germany, reflecting official ideological opposition to its satirical depiction of commissars enjoying Parisian luxuries and references to purges, executions, and the Gulag. Soviet pressure also led to bans in Estonia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria. In the post-war period, Italian communists actively suppressed screenings during the elections, with party functionaries threatening theater owners, stealing film prints, and petitioning authorities for removal; the Soviet embassy in similarly demanded its withdrawal from cinemas. One communist official attributed their electoral defeat to the Christian Democrats' use of the film as , lamenting, “What licked us was Ninotchka.” Contemporary left-wing reviewers echoed these concerns, critiquing the film for perpetuating unflattering stereotypes of communists as corruptible and materialistic while misrepresenting Soviet realities, such as the well-funded operations of Stalin's trade envoys. A review in on January 3, 1940, faulted the for lacking "sharpness and truthfulness," arguing it substituted bureaucratic vices for revolutionary virtues and opportunistically ridiculed higher ideals in favor of wine, love, and luxury. From an anti-communist standpoint, some analysts have criticized Ninotchka for insufficiently challenging Soviet ideology, noting that capitalist principles are never explicitly defended and the retains her communist convictions despite personal softening; her initial support for the regime, including acceptance of mass trials to produce "fewer but better Russians," goes unrebutted in principle. This ambiguity led to perceptions that the film prioritizes romance over ideological conversion, potentially diluting its critique amid the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact's temporary U.S.-Soviet .

Legacy and Enduring Influence

Revivals, Restorations, and Re-releases

In 1990, Ninotchka was selected for inclusion in the United States by the , acknowledging its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance and prompting preservation efforts to protect original elements. Restoration work on the film advanced in subsequent decades, leading to a newly restored 35-millimeter print that premiered at the 2013 Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival, where it was screened in a theatrical setting to highlight improved visual and subtitle quality. This version facilitated further revival screenings at independent theaters following the festival. Theatrical re-releases occurred in 1947 and 1962, with promotional materials such as lobby cards and posters produced for the later effort to attract renewed audiences. editions expanded access, including a Blu-ray release by Warner Archive on June 9, 2015, featuring high-definition transfer from preserved materials. A restored digital version also became available online via public archives in 2021. Revivals have sustained the film's visibility through festival circuits, television broadcasts on networks like , and inclusion in retrospective collections, such as a four-film Blu-ray set released in September 2025.

Cultural and Cinematic Impact

(1939) represented a pivotal shift for , transitioning her from dramatic roles to comedy and earning acclaim for her portrayal of a rigid Soviet envoy softened by romance, with the film's marketing famously proclaiming "Garbo Laughs" to highlight her iconic laughter scene. This performance challenged Garbo's somber image established in films like Queen Christina (1933), influencing perceptions of her versatility and contributing to the genre's emphasis on character transformation through humor. Directed by , the film epitomized the "Lubitsch Touch"—a style of sophisticated wit, indirect sexual innuendo, and graceful visual storytelling that elevated while subtly critiquing . Its blend of and romance set a template for Hollywood comedies addressing , demonstrating how laughter could undermine dogmatic systems without overt preachiness, as seen in the contrast between Ninotchka's initial austerity and her eventual embrace of Parisian . Culturally, Ninotchka's portrayal of as joyless and inefficient resonated in pre-World War II America, offering empirical ridicule of Soviet collectivism through depictions of bureaucratic inefficiency and suppressed individuality, released on November 9, 1939, amid escalating European tensions. The satire's effectiveness extended into the , where the film was repurposed as anti-communist propaganda in , reinforcing causal links between ideological rigidity and personal repression via accessible narrative rather than abstract theory. Cinematically, it influenced subsequent works by prioritizing ideological critique within romantic frameworks, as evidenced by its enduring status in efforts and scholarly analyses praising its balance of entertainment and subtle realism in exposing regime flaws. The film's legacy persists in its role as a benchmark for comedies that humanize political adversaries, with Garbo's evolution mirroring broader cinematic explorations of from .

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