Heralded as the film in which Garbo laughs, Ninotchka is a supremely delightful comedy centered on an unlikely romance between a ne’er-do-well French playboy (Melvyn Douglas) and a deadly serious Bolshevik (Greta Garbo). Although sent to Paris on government business, the icy beauty melts as she finds herself attracted to a man who represents everything she is supposed to detest. Likewise, the roguish aristocrat who was merely playing around for sport finds that he has truly fallen in love for the first time in his life.

The plot may be characteristic of a typical screwball comedy from the era, but this is an Ernst Lubitsch film, and thereby possessed that rarest of all elements in the film industry of the day; “the Lubitsch touch”. The director’s unique flare for romantic comedies with sophisticated wit and style (The Shop Around the Corner, To Be or Not To Be) garnered him the phrase by envious peers. In fact, the legendary Billy Wilder idolized the German born director so much that he kept a plaque in his office meant to inspire him during those moments of writer’s block. It read, “What would Lubitsch do?”

It was only Lubitsch who was capable of drawing the comedienne out of the notoriously dramatic Garbo. Stern in manner yet exquisite in form, Garbo plays the unemotional Russian official as a pitch perfect “straight man” for the better part of the film. Known for a terribly serious persona on and off the screen, it is an absolute revelation when the Swedish beauty finally bursts out in uncontrollable laughter. It is one of the most contagious moments in screen history, helped along by the amusing charm of Douglas.

Although the role of the carefree Count was originally set for Cary Grant, Douglas makes it impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. He is often overlooked as a leading man. After all, he received two Oscars for supporting roles (Hud, Being There). But he is undoubtedly one of the best examples of the self-deprecating yet vain sophisticate that typified the screwball comedies of the thirties.

Interestingly enough, Lubitsch was slated to direct The Women at the time of this production, but he and George Cukor were switched and both films undoubtedly were the better for it (I can’t imagine Lubitsch dealing with Joan Crawford). Ninotchka just wouldn’t have been the same under any other director, regardless of the great talents involved. To prove this point, one only has to look ahead two years when, after the huge success of the original pairing, MGM decided to reunite Garbo and Douglas with Cukor as director in Two-Faced Woman. The result was a disastrous flop that sent Garbo into early retirement and Douglas into playing supporting roles (which he excelled at). Makes you wonder what a little of that old Lubitsch touch would have done for it.

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