Ninotchka (1939)

Garbo laughs, and so does the audience. Ninotchka was nominated for Best Picture of 1939, one of the greatest years in Hollywood history. This is a fun romantic comedy set against the backdrop of Paris during the years of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Not exactly what most people would consider fodder for a comedy, but Ninotchka uses the differences between the stereotypical Russian types and the more laidback Parisians to good effect here.

The title character, played by Greta Garbo in one of her best performances, is a special envoy sent to Paris to figure out why three earlier Russian agents have not yet managed to sell off the royal jewelry confiscated by the revolutionaries. The three men--Buljanoff, Iranoff, and Kopalski--have, it seems, become very enamored of the French way of life, which is so much more luxurious and, well, fun than the life they had to live back in Russia. As soon as Ninotchka arrives, she demonstrates that she will remain steadfast in achieving the goal of helping her fellow Russians. Unfortunately, she too soon falls victim to the charms of Paris and of one Parisian in particular, Count Leon, played with great charm by Melvyn Douglas.

One of the things that is striking about this movie is how Ninotchka and Leon begin to switch ideologies. She slowly becomes more cosmopolitan, even buying a new hat that she had earlier denounced as frivolous. He, on the other hand, becomes more inclined to goad his butler into starting a revolution among the workers. It's quite funny, really, to see them exchange roles in this way, and you don't need a deep knowledge of the inner workings of communism or capitalism to get the joke quickly.

There's a love triangle, naturally, that includes Ninotchka, Leon, and the Grand Duchess Swana, the original owner of the jewels who wants to see them returned to her. There's also some interesting moments set in Russia after all four of the envoys return home. Their night of sharing a four-egg omelet is quite funny, even if it does devolve into some of the most stereotypical Western views of what life under Communist rule must have been like. The ending is perhaps pure romantic fantasy, but that's always been one of the great contributions of film: allowing us to live in a world where fantasies like this can take place.