IMDb user comments for
Ninotchka (1939) More at IMDbPro »

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Hide Spoilers:

Page 1 of 6:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Index

60 comments in total

---

41 out of 52 people found the following comment useful :-
NINOTCHKA Still Defies Her Critics, 10 July 2001
Author: fowler1 from nyc

An expertly-played and presented comedy that continues to be dogged by detractors for the oddest reasons. Some feel NINOTCHKA suffers compared to Lubitsch's earlier work, finding it formulaic alongside 1933's TROUBLE IN PARADISE. (I hadn't known Lubitsch had been given 'do-what-thou-wilt' privileges from the Hays Office - I'd labored under the delusion he faced the same restrictions in content and tone every other moviemaker did in 1939.) Other nay-sayers decry the film's jabs at Soviet collectivism as 'dated' if not 'unenlightened'. (Huh? You mean show trials and forced starvation of kulaks were GOOD things that a truly witty screenplay would celebrate?) Still other kibitzers squawk over the casting, of all things! (While it IS fun to picture William Powell or Robert Montgomery in the role of Leon, the boulevardier, Melvyn Douglas was never better than he is here. If he has his spotty moments, it's in those scenes where he must swoon with ardor, reciting dialogue that rings a tad purple to the ear; it's quite possible Powell or Montgomery would have fared even worse reading those lines.) Okay, enough defense - now let's go to NINOTCHKA's numerous strengths. Garbo is magnificent; she has a real knack for comedy (her deadpan entrance is hilarious) yet, as always, is able to break your heart with a look, a word, a gesture. Her three 'stooges' (Sig Rumann, Alexander Granach & Felix Bressart) are broadly funny and genuinely endearing. Ina Claire is everything her legend always claimed she was - though her character is icily calculating, you can't hate any woman who can make dialogue bristle like this. Lubitsch is in complete command throughout; his staging and pacing of the proceedings, masterful in its seeming effortlessness. Even the storied Metro glitz shines in NINOTCHKA, right down to the brilliant artifice of Cedric Gibbons' art direction (the Eiffel Tower sets especially). Last but not least is the superb screenplay by (among other hands) the team of Charles Brackett & Billy Wilder. Wisely, their satiric darts are dipped in a curare leavened by wit and sentiment, and while they are thrown with accuracy, their sting is never such that the satire sinks into the mire of political ideology. NINOTCHKA, after all, is about the triumph of love over politics, and to those who feel trapped in the prevailing toilet-ethic of the Farrelly Brothers' blood-poisoning of modern comedy, represents a much-needed antidote. Inoculate yourself at your earliest opportunity.

---

29 out of 35 people found the following comment useful :-
Garbo laughs... and for very good reason!, 26 September 2002

Author: gaityr from United Kingdom

NINOTCHKA tells the story of a female special envoy from Russia (Greta Garbo), sent to Paris to investigate the rather unorthodox and generally inefficient way in which three Russian ambassadors (Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski--the trio serve as an excuse for much slapstick hilarity in the film) are carrying out their job. They're supposed to be selling jewels belonging to the former Grand Duchess, Swana (Ina Claire), but instead get distracted by the luxuries of capitalist society as gleefully pressed onto them by the Count d'Algout, Leon (Melvyn Douglas). It doesn't take long for the dour, humourless Ninotchka to fall hard for the charming Leon, and their love story begins atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris. We gather, however, that Leon and the ex-Duchess share a casual on-off relationship and Swana handily uses Nina's deep love for her mother Russia to blackmail the latter into returning to Russia without a word to Leon. So what happens when the Russian customs official refuses to give Leon a visa into Russia? You'll have to watch for yourself to discover the whimsical, delightful ending.

All in all, NINOTCHKA is a fine, funny film, with romance spilling out of its seams. From the first dry, crisp conversation between Leon and his Ninotchka while they wait for a whistle-break in Parisian traffic, you become involved with the characters and their love as he tries to break down her icy defenses, as he keeps trying in the face of her many rebuffs. One standout scene would be that of the drunken interlude in Nina's Royal Suite, as the couple look quizzically at the necklace that would bring them together and separate them, and Leon crowns his girlfriend before laying her gently on the bed, kissing her goodnight and taking his gentlemanly leave. It's also hard to beat the scene in which, as the tagline proudly declares, 'Garbo Laughs!', as Leon tries to coax a laugh out of Nina, and only succeeds by falling over backwards in his chair. The romantic comedy is certainly strong and sweet, but there's plenty of other comedy available as well, largely thanks to the three Russian sidekick ambassadors charmed by the benefits of capitalism. It's great fun watching them flounder helplessly when they first meet their stern, unforgiving Comrade Yakushova, but warm up to her when they return to Russia and have an omelette dinner together.

There is no doubt that Greta Garbo turns in a great performance as the title character. She plays the ice queen very convincingly, with the appropriate suggestion that her lips haven't seen a smile in a decade or so. (If you're worried, her Russian accent is also perfectly credible, though at times she lapses into something somewhat less than Russian.) When she finally breaks into laughter, the transition is believable, as is the sunny change that thereafter infuses Nina as she becomes Leon's Ninotchka. It's an especially nice touch to have her unable to suppress a wave of laughter in the first official meeting--it's also hilarious when she suddenly generously gives her three colleagues fifty francs because they're out of money... only to qualify that by asking them to bring her back 45 francs! I think it is to Garbo's credit that she can pull off both the dour, passionless Comrade Yakushova and the almost shy, giggling Ninotchka with equal aplomb. (Her frequent question, "Can I make a speech?", when drunk on champagne is--I think the only word for it is--adorable.) That face of hers, so famous around the world, really *is* made for the cameras, and I think Lubitsch captured it beautifully. (Lubitsch also directs with the lightest of touches, allowing his cast full rein.) Melvyn Douglas looks absolutely no different from his role a decade later in MR BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE, but there is no doubting that this is Garbo's film.

This is a sweet, happy film about love overcoming ideology, nationality, and geography, and one that doesn't feel the need to beat us over the head with it. The relationship is well-developed, the characters interesting, and the execution top-notch. For me personally, the film lacks something that would render it a 10/10 classic, but that certainly isn't indicative of its quality as a romantic comedy. A great way to spend an evening. 8/10.

---

30 out of 39 people found the following comment useful :-
Greta Garbo as Secret "Cold War" Weapon, 8 February 2005

Author: Bruce Pantages (brucepantages@worldnet.att.net) from Western Washington State, U.S.A.

Ninotchka has been making a hit with audiences since she hit the screen in 1939. A fascinating, yet little known, "second life" of the film was played out during the Italian Elections of 1947-48. The U.S. was most anxious that the Communists not be elected and pulled out all the stops to prevent it. One was to approach MGM and request prints of Ninotchka - to be shown widely to working class audiences in Italy. Since no 16mm prints of the film yet existed, MGM Labs did "print downs" from the original nitrate negative. The resulting prints are astonishingly beautiful (I have one) and they estimate five million Italians viewed it and other propaganda films each week before the elections - in spite of the efforts of the Communists to prevent its showing. One pro-Communist worker said afterward "What licked us was Ninotchka!" (See "Killing Hope" by William Blum). To paraphrase Carl Denham in King Kong, once again "Beauty Killed The Beast!"

---

23 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Why Didn't Garbo Make More Comedies?, 28 September 2004

Author: Arel

I see that Billy Wilder collaborated on this. Was it a studio decision that Garbo wasn't cast as a comedienne? From the evidence in this film, she should have been. Her timing is excellent, her delivery very special. This is a gem I'd never seen that deserves its National Registry status. In 1939 the Soviet Union had sympathizers in the US, and during the coming World War it was an ally. This gentle spoof of Soviet seriousness and self-conscious worker ethics foreshadows the arguments that were later trotted out after the War to begin the Cold War, but here the humor and satire are soft, more Noel Coward than propaganda.

My lament is not seeing more comedy from Garbo. She made such serious and tragic films, when she could have been making us laugh. The film is dated, yes, but Garbo herself shines through along with her three Russian accomplices. I think that Billy Wilder and Garbo would have been a great team

---

18 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Highly enjoyable comedy with Garbo at her best., 20 August 2001

Author: Arne Andersen (aandersen@landmarkcollege.org) from Putney, VT

Garbo essayed the first of her two comedy roles here and proved herself as adept at comic timing as she was in drama. Her performance earned her fourth and final Oscar nom (the film received additional noms for Best Picture, Story and Screenplay). Here she plays a dour and serious Russian Soviet sent to Paris to bring back three comrades who seem to be succumbing to the Western World's delights. She is pursued by leading man, Melvyn Douglas, who appeared opposite her in three talkies, making him her only repeated co-star in talkies (John Gilbert was to achieve the same distinction in silents and with his one talkie excursion with the Divine One, brought their co-starring occasions up to four). His attempts at love making eventually wear her down, but the efforts are hilarious. Her monotone voice and completly expression-less affect in the first half are marvelous as she reduces every piece of sensuality to uselessness in its impracticality. Finally a pratfall reduces Garbo to helpless laughter and the ice is broken. The Lubitsch touch is marvelous here - surprising he did not receive an Oscar nom for that. This is one of Garbo's best performances and one of her best films - one to see at all costs. Recently selected by AFI as one of their top 100 comedies of all time.

---

15 out of 19 people found the following comment useful :-
A great movie -- timeless, 27 December 2004

Author: rcohen-7 from United States

This is a fantastic movie. I can't understand why some people have problems with it. Makes me wonder if we don't have some people recoiling at some innocent cracks made at the Soviet Union's expense. As a romantic comedy it has very few peers and is a great introduction to black and white films for those used only to color. There are a plethora of interesting secondary characters. Garbo is wonderful, of course, and Dougless is as good as I've seen him any film. Lubitsch's direction is masterly, but not 'ground-breaking', a fault for which some are willing to run him under the harrow -- a case of holding someone to impossible standards. Nobody can break new ground in every film -- sometimes we have to settle for mere masterly competence. See this film! Unless you happen to romanticize the former Soviet Union, you will enjoy it.

---

14 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Perfection!, 9 December 2001
Author: Michael Stephens from Point Richmond, California

My all-time favorite comedy! All right, I am a Garbo fan regardless of the role, and I happen to think that Melvyn Douglas was perfectly cast here. In fact, the entire cast excels, without exception, in one of Lubitsch's finest and most elegant films. Those who think that lines like "The show trials were a great success...there are now fewer, but better, Russians" are dated, or that making fun of totalitarianism is tasteless and politically incorrect need to lighten up. Garbo is not only very funny in this classic, she is inexpressibly lovely (as always). A must-see for any lover of beautifully crafted and entertaining film comedies.

---

11 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Delightful Romantic Comedy and Funny Satire to the Fight of Classes, 16 January 2005

Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Three Russian traders come to Paris to negotiate the jewels of a former Grand Duchess of the Russian empire. The former owner of the jewels, Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire), is exiled in Paris, and try to retrieve the possession through the French justice. Her lawyer and lover, Count Leon d'Algout (Melvyn Douglas), advises the Russians to wait for the sentence of the justice. Meanwhile, the Russian supervisor Nina Ivanovna Yakushova "Ninotchka" (Greta Garbo)" is sent to Paris to survey and evaluate the performance of the negotiators, and incidentally meets Count Leon d'Algout. They feel initially attracted for each other, and later they fall in love for each other. However, the Grand Suchess becomes jealous and their love become impossible due to the Russian closed political system. "Ninotchka" is a delightful romantic comedy and funny satire to the fight of classes. The chemistry between Melvyn Douglas, who has a magnificent performance, and Greta Garbo, gorgeous as usual, is amazing. The confrontation between the capitalism and socialism systems is exaggerated, labeled and caricatured, but very funny, provoking many laughs. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Ninotchka"

---

13 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Works Much Better Than You Might Expect, 13 December 2004
Author: Snow Leopard from Ohio

For having a rather odd combination of elements, "Ninotchka" works better than you would expect. It would be well worth seeing solely for the chance to see Greta Garbo in a comedy, and she herself comes off very well. The story is light but entertaining, and it is mostly enjoyable in itself, while also providing an interesting look at contemporary attitudes towards the USSR.

Garbo shows that she can handle the light comedy well, and although her character's transformation is somewhat stylized, this seems to be deliberate, rendering moot the otherwise obvious questions of believability. Melvyn Douglas makes an unusual pairing for Garbo, and he only partially works. His style can often become overly ingratiating, and while there are movies where that style fits in well, it is less than ideal here. A different choice for the role might have changed the feel of the movie for the better.

Garbo's three Soviet comrades are possibly the best part of the picture. Felix Bressart and Sig Rumann, in particular, are impossible to forget. The roles are well-written and are used well in the story. Bela Lugosi is also in the supporting cast, but unfortunately he does not get a lot to do. The implied commentary on the nature of the (then) fairly young USSR is of some interest in itself, in comparison with the later attitudes of the post-war era.

Overall, while "Ninotchka" has some uneven stretches, it is quite an enjoyable and interesting film that generally succeeds with its offbeat mix of cast and material.

---

14 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
A GREAT FILM CLASSIC!, 30 January 2003

Author: whpratt1 from United States

Ninotchka is a great film classic with great acting by Melvyn Douglas, who really supports Greta Garbo. Garbo is an actress with class and great abilities not found in movie stars today, she was ahead of her times, deep and spiritual. Her supporting actors, Sig Ruman used every expression he could to portray a fumbling Russian and Bela Lugosi showed the movie industry that he had great acting abilities he was never given a chance show to his many fans.

This film shows aspiring actors just how to perform to the highest level of their art.

---

---

Page 1 of 6:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Add another comment

---

Related Links

Plot summary	Amazon.com summary	Ratings
Awards	Newsgroup reviews	External reviews
Plot keywords	Main details	Your user comments
Your vote history