Ninotchka, 1939

Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Awards: Nominated for many but don't know how many it actually won. And it is on a number or 'Top 100' Lists
Stars: Greta Garbo; Melvyn Douglas, Ina Clare, Bela Lugosi

sez says: it is not that often that you laugh out loud with movies of this era. Sure many make you smile and are pleasant enough--but the humor of 70+ years ago does not often translate with great impact to today. This movie is the exception. Ms Garbo playing a sour puss Soviet Comrade provides lots of fun.  Not so much because she is funny--but the whole idea is funny. And the script is full of satire and wit. I believe that Billy Wilder gets credit for that.  The story is silly-simple and predictable..but that matters little as the White Russians and Red Russians spar and the neer-do-well gigolo-ish Douglas is chastised by his butler for having a copy of Karl Marx's Das Capital on his bed side table --Douglas asks his butler "Don't you want things to be even between us" --and the Butler says "no, you haven't paid me in two months and you can't have half of my savings."  GRADE B+