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!

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
Directed By: H.C. Potter / MGM Studios
Starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas & Reginald Denny

Plot: Jim (Grant) & Muriel (Loy) Blandings reside in an apartment in NYC. They have children and decide to move into the country for more room since t...hey are cramped in the NY apartment so enters the dream house of an old home. Jim buys his dream house and thinks it needs a bit of tlc to only find out that there is a lot more than meets the eye. This is a lovely film that is worth seeing!

The Toy Wife (1938)

The Toy Wife (1938) MGM Studios
Directed by Richard Thorpe
Starring: Melvyn Douglas, Louise Rainer and Robert Young

Plot:
The story centers on a great young beauty Gilberte 'Frou Frou' Brigard (Rainer) whom lives in Louisiana. Gilberte meets her sister's fiance George (Douglas) and ends up stealing and marrying him. During this time she meets a young dashing man Andre (Young) whom potentially is the true love of her life. Will 'Frou Frou' the great beauty of the south take the heart of two men and which one will she ultimately be with....watch this beautifully done MGM costume period piece. If you enjoy classic films with lavish film sets along with costumes this is one up your alley.

Third Finger, Left Hand (1940)

Third Finger, Left Hand (1940)
Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard MGM Studios

Starring: Melvyn Douglas, Myrna Loy & Bonita Granville


Plot:

Margot Sherwood Merrick (Loy) is a very successful single woman whom has a leading Management role at a magazine company. In order to be taken seriously Margot pretends to have met someone abroad on a vacation and married. The problem is that this man no one has met. Enters Jeff Thompson (Douglas) whom she meets in the city and the both become attracted to one another. Jeff finds out that Margot is married supposedly and then shows-up as her elusice husband at her family's country home. This lends itself to many funny moments between the couple.

Tonight or Never: (1931)

"Tonight or Never" (1931) Swanson Sings Tosca!!
Directed By: Mervyn LeRoy
Starring: Gloria Swanson, Melvyn Douglas and Boris Karloff

Noteworthy Inforamtion:

~ Preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive - In cooperation with The Mary Pickford Company
~ Chanel of Paris designed the gowns worn by Gloria Swanson

Plot:

The movie is set in the early 1930's Venice at the famous Teatro Felice where the opera star Nella Vago (Swanson) is performing lead in "Tosca" to a full theatre. Jim Fletcher was in attendance (Douglas) whom was in awe of the diva, Nella's performance. Nella we learn after being very drained from her live perforamnce does a radio telecast message back to her people in Budapest along with her fiance Count Albert von Gronac (Warburton Gamble). The count lets known to the radio listeners that he discovered Nella four years prior whom was a no body and had the name Nella Margot which makes her leave the room due to this sharing of her personal information. Hotel Venezia where Nella is staying she finds that her instructor is giving her a hard time about landing herself at the Metropolitan Opera and not until then will she be the big opera diva she thinks she is.

They catch Jim outside Nella's hotel window which he has been doing apparently quite often by the cigarettes he is leaving on the street. Nella notices that Jim is a dashing man and likes the idea he is going there for her. Marchesa Bianca San Giovanni (Alison Skipworth) is an older woman whom was similar to Nella in her day and is keeping Jim by her side. This information is discovered by Nella's vocal instructor and also states that this Jim is nothing than a giggalo being paid to keep the Marchesa company to the opera and elsewhere. They all leave to go home since Nella is restless while sleeping and does not encounter Jim again. In all places Nella finda out that the Matchesa along with Jim are on the train as well.this makes the young opera singer happy and sad. Nella knows that it is great to have Jim near her again though he is keeping company with another. Nella overhears the Marchesa telling Jim that the young opera singer is missing the emotions of a true opera star which stuns her. Nella thinks, "does all artists have loves?" While at home in Budapest, Nora learns that many other fellow up and coming opera singers are getting signed to go to America where she wants. Her career she feels a bit frustrated.

    At the same time Nella hears that Jim is suppose to be staying at a local hotel with the Marchesa whom people say is his aunt, which Nella and her staff do not believe a second! At the Hotel Regent where the Marchesa and Jim are staying they are dining over a fine meal and Nella decided to put on her brand new white gown and italian lingere. Nella then visits Jim in his suite pretending that she was attending a ball of a freind's in s uite above to only find that they are not present. During this time Nella tries to find a way to linger in the hotel suite of Jim's and the flirations between both can not be denied! While talking Jim devolges his love for Nella and says if she stays for another three minutes in his suite in his words, "tonight or never..." he will take her in his arms and she will be all his not the Count's. Nella later gets great news of a contract to America!! Nella stayed out all night and gave her emerald necklace to him while he was sleeping and then went to do her performance at the theatre. At the end Nella decides to ignore and decline the invitation to America only to find out that Jim is the man that is looking to make the engagement with her there. Jim simply did not want Nella to know whom he was and for people to give him preferential treatment since he is the person that helps land and make careers in the opera world!