Ninotchka (1939)
Iranoff (played by Sig Rumann), Buljanoff (Felix Bressart), and Kopalski (Alexander Granach) are sent by the Soviet government to Paris to sell jewels in order to purchase farm machinery. However, the sale is delayed as the Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire) - the previous owner of the jewels - has obtained a court injunction to prevent the sale. Her boyfriend, Leon (Melvyn Douglas), is the one who manages to obtain the injunction, and he also introduces the three Russians to the Parisian lifestyle.
Hearing of the delay, the Soviet government sends Ninotchka (Greta Garbo) to sort out the issue. When she arrives, she finds her comrades living a lavish lifestyle in Paris. The three men ask Leon for help. Leon had met Ninotchka earlier without knowing her identity, but he was drawn to her nonetheless. Leon begins to see her regularly, and as they spend more time together, Ninotchka starts to soften her attitude and eventually falls in love with Leon, who reciprocates her feelings. However, things take a turn when a waiter working for Swana steals the jewels. Swana agrees to relinquish her rights to the jewels, but only if Ninotchka returns to Russia. Leon finds out about this, but is unable to obtain a passport to follow her to Russia. Iranoff, Buljanoff, and Kopalski have also returned to Russia and have been sent to sell furs in Constantinople. Commissar Razinin (Bela Lugosi) sends Ninotchka to assist them in their new task. Upon arriving there, she learns that the three men plan to stay in Constantinople and open a restaurant, and they had informed Leon that she would be coming. Leon convinces Ninotchka to stay with him and become his wife.
Film programs
Books with substantial mentioning of Ninotchka
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David Thomson Have you seen?, A personal introduction to 1,000 films New York, 2008 |
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Nora Henry Ethics and Social Criticism in the Hollywood Films of Erich von Stroheim, Ernst Lubitsch, and Billy Wilder Wetport, Connecticut - London, 2001 |
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| Tom Pendergast, Sara Pendergast (eds.) International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, 1. Films Detroit/New York/San Francisco/London/Boston/Woodbridge, CT, 2000 |
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Peter W. Engelmeier (ed.) Icons of film, The 20th century Munich; New York, 2000 |
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Stanley Hochman (editor) From Quasimodo to Scarlett O'Hara, A National Board of Review Anthology 1920 - 1940 New York, 1982 |
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Richard Bojarski The Films of Bela Lugosi Secaucus, NJ, 1980 |
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Michael Conway, Dion McGregor and Mark Ricci The Films of Greta Garbo Secaucus, New Jersey, 1973 |
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| David Zinman 50 Classic Motion Pictures, The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of New York, 1970 |
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Articles on Ninotchka
| Ninotchka, in: Empire, nr. 278 (August), 2012 pp. 170 |
| Vinzenz Hediger, Ninotchka, Comrade X und das Gesetz der verkappten Serie: zweimal Walter Reisch in Hollywood, in: Günter Krenn (Hg.), Walter Reisch, Wien, 2004 |
