Hitchcoc
For some reason, Greta Garbo is elevated beyond her peers. While her mysterious ethos is certainly the stuff of legend (sort of like James Dean and his much too early death), part of her attraction is that she was so inaccessible. I think she was a wonderful actress and in this part she plays it to the hilt, but all this hue and cry over the sullen beauty laughing begs the creation of a godhead. This is a comedy about Russian collectivists becoming enamored with the capitalist world they are supposed to disdain. At the center are some priceless jewels. When Ninotchka comes in to set things straight, it isn't long before she falls for a guy and begins to doubt herself. She had a wonderfully expressive face, and, of course, that sultry voice. This is a fun film, but it is granted its status in many cases because of her unapproachability in real life.
grantss
The movie starts very well, but ends badly. From the outset the movie is funny - full of great one-liners and social observations. Also a great political satire - mocking the evil of Soviet Russia and the naivety and stupidity of communism with some great satire. Capitalism doesn't get off scot-free either: the superficiality of some elements of it are also exposed.The opening few scenes also give a great insight into the European zeitgeist of the mid/late-1930s, especially the competing forces of capitalism, communism and fascism/nazism.From this auspicious start, a monumentally great movie was in the offing. However, from a point the movie takes itself far too seriously as a romantic drama. Instead of a political satire, or just plain comedy, it becomes a schmaltzy romantic drama, and a fairly predictable and conventional one at that.Even the humour becomes tired, predictable, more-of-the-same, rather than the fresh, sharp comedy from the first few scenes. The final few scenes are quite dull.It's as if the writer, the legendary Billy Wilder, ran out of ideas about half way through.Good performance by Greta Garbo as Ninotchka. Her cool, humourless impression of a Russian bureaucrat was something to behold. Melvyn Douglas is the clown to her straight guy, and does it very well. The three bumbling Russian officials are also played well.
SimonJack
"Ninotchka" is one of the funniest movies ever made. But it's not a slapstick or screwball comedy. It is in the class of "It Happened One Night," "My Man Godfry," and "Holiday." The humor is in snappy dialog. The one-liners, subtle zingers, and satire poke fun mostly at Soviet Russia and communism. But it has occasional jabs at capitalism and western lifestyles – notably the idle rich. The movie is superb in all aspects, especially in the script, direction, settings and acting. All of the cast give top performances. Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas are the perfect match for some of the funniest repartee ever put on film. But, how Garbo (Ninotchka) could keep a straight face in those exchanges, one after another, is beyond me. I'll bet MGM had to do many retakes of some of her scenes. If not for her breaking down, then for the cracking up of Douglas (Leon) or others on the set and behind the camera. "Ninotchka" is one of the great comedy-romances for the ages. Young and old alike can enjoy it. But, from some of the comments I've read, it seems much of the humor is lost without a little knowledge of the time. So, I offer these tidbits to help set the stage and prepare viewers for a most enjoyable film. The time is the late 1930s. The story takes place mostly in Paris, moves to Moscow later, and ends in Istanbul. In 1939, all the world knows about Soviet Russia and many of its problems. It has been in the news since the communist takeover after the revolutions 20 years earlier. Joseph Stalin's five-year plan for recovery since 1922 was past its 15th year. So far, it had been an abysmal failure. His social programs had disrupted total populations. His collectivist farm program had failed miserably. Combined with drought and famine, the Russian people faced starvation.But that's not all. The Great Purge of 1936-38 had been in the news the past couple of years. It was Stalin's way to get rid of anyone who didn't agree with him or who might challenge his oppressive rule of Russia. The purge eradicated half a million Russian leaders. The press had covered the carefully staged mock trials in Moscow in that time. Many Russian communist and social leaders confessed to being traitors before they were sentenced to death or the gulags in Siberia. As all of that was going on and being reported from Russia, a number of former Czarist Russian royalty were living in exile around Europe, especially in Paris. Many stories and jokes circulated at that time about crown jewels and lost titles. Thus, the stage is set for "Ninotchka." With the large number of reviews posted up to this time, I wouldn't normally add my own. But, I think far too many people have missed the true depth of the satire and comedy in this great film. The IMDb Web site has a long list of witty dialog and exchanges from the film. But there are many more – and some real subtle zingers that I think many people miss. Here are a few to whet your appetite. In an early scene, Ninotchka explains why Soviet Russia is "peddling our precious possessions to the world at this time." She says, "Our next year's crop is in danger, and you know it. Unless we can get foreign currency to buy tractors, there'll not be enough bread for our people and you comrades." What a great example of skewered Soviet thinking. As if tractors could overcome a drought and famine. It's a great jab at the Soviets.Here's another one. Garbo looks over her hotel suite and says, "I'm ashamed to put a picture of Lenin in a room like this." And another, when her cohorts take her to the suite they reserved for her. "Which part of the room is mine?" Garbo asks. And a cohort replies, "You see, comrade, it's a little different here. They don't rent rooms in pieces. We had to take the whole suite." One more side-splitter was when her agents asked, "How are things in Moscow?" Garbo replied, "Very good. The last mass trial was a great success. There are going to be fewer but better Russians." A direct jab at Stalin's Great Purge. Douglas, meeting with the three agents early in the film, says that the jewels owned by the exiled duchess were confiscated by the Soviets. One of the agents quips, "I give you my word, they were confiscated legally." In a café later, a waiter seats Ninotchka and asks, "Now what shall it be?" She says, "Raw beets and carrots." He replies, "Madame, this is a restaurant, not a meadow." She next says, "Bring me something simple – I never think about food." The waiter asks, "If you don't think about food, what do you think about?" Ninotchka answers, "The future of the common people." And the waiter replies, "That's also a question of food." What a great running dialog!"Ninotchka" was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Garbo for best actress and the film as best picture. That year may have been the best year in motion picture history for the number of great films produced. But for that, "Ninotchka" likely would have won two or more Oscars. More than 40 full length movies competed for 1939 Oscar honors. Among the best of the year were "Gone With the Wind," "Stagecoach," Goodbye, Mr. Chips," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "The Wizard of Oz," "Ninotchka," "Wuthering Heights," "Dark Victory," "Beau Geste," "Of Mice and Men," "Young Mr. Lincoln," "Gunga Din," "The Four Feathers," "Only Angels Have Wings," and "Bachelor Mother." Those top 15 films have a combined average viewer rating (on September 20, 2012) of 7.8. Has there been another year of more great movies than that?
