Plot

A stern Soviet woman sent to Paris to supervise the sale of jewels seized from Russian nobles finds herself attracted to a man who represents everything she is supposed to detest.

Only the royal suite at the grandest hotel in Paris has a safe large enough for the jewels of the Grand Duchess Swana. So the three Russians who have come to sell the jewels settle into the suite until a higher ranking official is dispatched to find out what is delaying the sale. She is Ninotchka, a no-nonsense woman who fascinates Count Leon who had been the faithful retainer of the Grand Duchess. The Grand Duchess will give up all claim to the jewels if Ninotchka will fly away from the count.—Dale O'Connor <daleoc@interaccess.com>

Three Russian officials arrive in 1930s Paris to sell the jewels that were once the property of the Grand Duchess Swana. The Duchess wants to reclaim her property and her friend, Leon, manages to stop the sale at least temporarily. With the time dragging on, a new no-nonsense Russian envoy, Ninotchka, arrives to take over the negotiations. She chastises her three colleagues for their obvious enjoyment of capitalistic society but soon finds herself charmed by Leon, at first not realizing he is involved with the jewels. They fall in love but it's unclear if there is any chance of their relationship ever becoming permanent. Leon sets out to ensure they do.—garykmcd

Soviet emissaries Buljanoff, Iranoff, and Kopalski no sooner arrive in Paris to sell some jewelry for the government than soft capitalist ways begin to corrupt them. Grand Duchess Swana, former owner of the jewels but now exiled in Paris, sends her very good friend, playboy Leon d'Algout, to interfere with the sale. When sly Leon meets stern Comrade Nina Ivanovna, sent to take over from the hapless emissaries, east-west romance results; but major complications intervene.—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>