After three bumbling Soviet agents fail in their mission to retrieve a straying Soviet composer from Paris, the beautiful, ultra-serious Ninotchka is sent to complete their mission and to retrieve them. She starts out condemning the decadent West, but gradually falls under its spell—with the help of an American movie producer. A remake of Ninotchka (1939).
Writing
Billy Wilder's source material sharpened; every communist barb lands.
Costume
Helen Rose's transformation wardrobe: gray wool to dripping mink.
Director
Rouben Mamoulian
Fred Astaire
Steve Canfield
Cyd Charisse
Ninotchka Yoschenko
Janis Paige
Peggy Dayton
Wim Sonneveld
Peter Ilyitch Boroff
Peter Lorre
Brankov, Commisar
George Tobias
Vassili Markovitch, Commisar of Art
Jules Munshin
Bibinski, Commisar
Joseph Buloff
Ivanov, Commisar
Barrie Chase
Dancer Gabrielle (uncredited)
Lilyan Chauvin
Dancer Sonia (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mamoulian shot Charisse's 'Silk Stockings' number in one continuous take to prove she could do it, making the physical metaphor of her thawing literal.
Released months after Sputnik, the film's playful Soviet mockery hit differently; American audiences needed this reassurance that communists were still laughable.
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