Ninotchka (1939) Garbo Laughs!

 

 

Ninotchka (1939) MGM Studios

Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch / Nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Actress & Picture
Starring: Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas & Bela Lugosi

This comedy was billed by MGM as the first film that Garbo laughed!!!

This classic is on my "Top 10 of '39"

Plot:
This was bills itself as a movie goer would for the first time ever see Greta Garbo laugh loudly and not be her typical dramatic role. For Garbo this was a new medium which was going into the comedy/romance area of motion pictures but she excelled.  

At the beginning of the film we meet Ninotchka (Garbo) who is not the friendly, has a more severe style in her fashion, hair and attitude. Ninotchka heads to Paris for the reason that it was asked by her Russian envoy to go to this city and see how the Russian Ambassadors were or were not doing properly. Ninotchka is

sent since she is a no nonsense lady who gets assigned to a task and never looses site of it until the completion. Now time for small talk, getting acquainted, etc is Ninotchka's way. The Ambassadors rather than selling jewels from the Grand Dut-chess Swana they are being lured by all luxuries afforded by the hotel and the way of life by Count d'Algout, Leon (Douglas).

The hilarious part on top of this is that Ninotchka is there to find out any issues and sees them being done all the time by the Ambassadors due to the Count Leon's vary suave and charismatic ways. Before we know it Ninotchka starts to fall for the Count's spell which starts to have her loosen up, enjoying life, wearing more lovely clothing, and even laughing...to think! This is one excellent film from MGM in 1939 which is touted at the height of best movie making being that year and this is right on that list as well!