Ninotchka is director Greta Garbo's comedic film debut. It is one of many American films that attempt to depict the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It is the story of three Russians who travel to Paris in an attempt to sell royal jewelery that had previously been confiscated by the Russian revolutionaries. The group is made up of Iranoff (Sig Ruman), Buljanoff (Felix Bressart) and Kopalski (Alexander Granach). They are sought out by Count Leon d'Algout (Melvyn Douglas), who was sent by the Grand Duchess Swana (Ina Claire). His mission is to reclaim Swana's jewelery before it is sold off and lost forever. He offers the Russians a great deal of money and manages to seduce them into becoming capitalists. Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalski sell off the gold and begin a wealthy life in Paris. The Soviet government gets wind of this and sends one of their agents, Nina Yakushova (Greta Garbo), to reclaim the jewelery and bring back the three traitors.moreless