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Ninotchka

Play trailer Poster for Ninotchka 1939 1h 50m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A no-nonsense diplomat of the Soviet Union, Nina Ivanovna Ninotchka Yakushova (Greta Garbo) arrives in Paris to ensure the sale of jewels seized during the Russian Revolution. Meanwhile, carefree bachelor Count Leon d'Algout (Melvyn Douglas) attempts to intercept the valuables on behalf of their former owner, the Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire). Despite their conflicting allegiances, the icy Ninotchka soon warms to Leon's charms, reluctantly going against her better judgment.
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Ninotchka

Ninotchka

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Critics Consensus

With Greta Garbo proving her comedy chops in the twilight of her career, Ninotchka is a can't-miss classic.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker The romantic roundelay, linking fine emotions with fine lingerie, is shadowed by the brutality of Soviet tyranny. May 9, 2016 Full Review Whittaker Chambers TIME Magazine This one is neither crude clowning nor crude prejudice, but a literate and knowingly directed satire which lands many a shrewd crack about phony Five Year Plans, collective farms, Communist jargon and pseudo-scientific gab. Jan 15, 2013 Full Review Joshua Rothkopf Time Out Ninotchka is delicate flirtation and political satire made into a perfect whole, and a reminder of skills that studio writers have largely lost. Rated: 5/5 Dec 27, 2012 Full Review Tony Sloman Radio Times This is without doubt one of the funniest, most original screen comedies ever made, and from the greatest year in Hollywood's history. Rated: 5/5 Aug 22, 2024 Full Review Pare Lorentz McCall's The picture itself might have been a very amusing satire at the expense of the Russians if it had been made with any thing lighter than a loaded baseball bat. Oct 30, 2023 Full Review Zita Short InSession Film Ninotchka continues to enchant viewers all over the world and it hasn’t lost any of its charm in the past 82 years. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steven Fantastic, amazing, the more you think about it the better it gets Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/08/25 Full Review alan g Greta Garbo at her best. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/25 Full Review Russ G "There will be fewer but better Russians!" Nothing better encapsulates the Soviet attempt to "perfect" man as that line, delivered in absolute deadpan by Miss Garbo! Fun Fact: While Melvyn Douglas played the witty, urbane, and lecherous lead in this film, about two decades later he'd give a completely different performance as a God-fearing Texas cattle rancher opposite Paul Newman in the drama "Hud." Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/25 Full Review Tamara K The chemistry between all the actors is great and Garbo is fabulous. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/07/24 Full Review Alec B Its not false advertising to claim that "Garbo laughs" in this film (it happens on more than one occasion) but she's also endlessly charming and surprisingly funny. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/10/23 Full Review Red T All Time Classic. Douglas & Garbo steal the show and have incredible chemistry and charm in every scene they are in. The film starts out solid enough the whole way but once Garbo arrives the film takes a big jump and never lets up with the incredibly smart, witty, and politically charged humor that hits pretty much every time. Even whne Garbo is playing it straight she is really funny somehow. The camera knows also Douglas & Garbo are the best asset in this and doesn't need to get super fancy. Most of the time it just is long takes focused on the two and its amazing to watch the chemistry and witty lines exchanged. The only real issue is the music is good but isn't that memorable on its own and isn' used that much throughout, but this somehow never feels dry either. This blends a Rom-Com with a politically charged backstory/humor beautifully. As much as this makes fun of Communism for 60% of the time, it also suprisingly makes fun of Capitalism also and is just as funny. This is super witty, clever, and even though the plot is ridiculous it never really matters because its very clear this isn't meant to be taken as a serious political thriller and succeeds big time at it. Anyone should give this a try once. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ninotchka

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Cast & Crew

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Ernst Lubitsch

Director

Greta Garbo

Ninotchka (Nina Ivanovna Yakushova)

Melvyn Douglas

Count Leon d'Algout

Ina Claire

Swana

Sig Ruman

Michael Simonavich Iranoff

Felix Bressart

Buljanoff

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Ninotchka

Ninotchka (1939) Ninotchka (1939) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A no-nonsense diplomat of the Soviet Union, Nina Ivanovna Ninotchka Yakushova (Greta Garbo) arrives in Paris to ensure the sale of jewels seized during the Russian Revolution. Meanwhile, carefree bachelor Count Leon d'Algout (Melvyn Douglas) attempts to intercept the valuables on behalf of their former owner, the Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire). Despite their conflicting allegiances, the icy Ninotchka soon warms to Leon's charms, reluctantly going against her better judgment.
Director
Ernst Lubitsch
Producer
Ernst Lubitsch
Screenwriter
Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, Walter Reisch
Distributor
Loew's Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co
Loew's Inc., Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 9, 1939, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2009
Runtime
1h 50m
Sound Mix
Mono
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