Ninotchka (1939)

Sig Ruman: Iranoff

Photos 

Quotes 

• Iranoff : What a charming idea for Moscow to surprise us with a Lady Comrade.

  Comrade Kopalski : If we had known, we would have greeted you with flowers!

  Ninotchka : Don't make an issue of my womanhood. We're here to work, all of us.

• Iranoff : Do you want to be alone, comrade?

  Ninotchka : No.

• Mercier : Frankly gentlemen, we're expected to take a loss.

  Iranoff : Capitalistic methods...

  Buljanoff : [nodding in agreement]  They accumulate millions while taking loss after loss!

• Iranoff : We can say whatever we want. We can shout! We can complain! Look: THE SERVICE IN THIS HOTEL IS TERRIBLE! See? Nobody comes, nobody pays any attention! That's freedom.

  Buljanoff : That's bad management.

• Iranoff : He is cutting our throat.

  Buljanoff : What can we do? We have to accept.

  Comrade Kopalski : Comrades, comrades. Don't let's give in so quickly. After all, we have to uphold the prestige of Russia!

  Buljanoff : All right, let's uphold it for another ten minutes.

• Leon : I warn you gentlemen, if this case comes to trial, it'll be before a French court. And when the Grand Duchess takes the stand...

  Iranoff : All right, go ahead. Get her on the witness stand. What can she say?

  Leon : Well, how will she look? The fashions this Spring are very becoming to her. Oh, Gentlemen, the judge will be French. The jury will be French. Everybody in the courtroom will be French. Have you ever seen a French court, when a beautiful woman sits in the witness stand and then raises her skirt a little? You sit down and pull up your pants and where would it get you?

• Iranoff : That must be the one.

  Buljanoff : Yes. He looks like a Comrade.

  Man at Railroad Station : [with a Nazi Salute]  Heil Hitler.

  German Woman at Railroad Station : [with a Nazi Salute]  Heil Hitler.

  Iranoff : No, that's not him.

  Buljanoff : Positively not.

• Ninotchka : How much does this cost?

  Iranoff : 2,000 Francs.

  Ninotchka : A week?

  Iranoff : A day!

  Ninotchka : Do you know how much a cow cost, Comrade Iranoff?

  Iranoff : A cow?

  Ninotchka : 2,000 Francs. If I stay here a week, It will cost the Russian people seven cows. Who am I to cost the Russian people seven cows?

• Comrade Kopalski : Even the swallows are back.

  Iranoff : Really? Yes, that's right. Maybe it's the same swallow we saw in Paris.

  Buljanoff : Yes, it is, Ninotchka, it is. He must have been in Paris. You can see it in his whole attitude. He just picked up a crumb of our black bread, shook his head, and dropped it.

• Iranoff : Can you imagine what the beds would be in a hotel like that?

  Comrade Kopalski : They tell me when you ring once, the valet comes in; when you ring twice you get a waiter; and do you know what happens when you ring three times? A maid comes in - a French maid.

  Iranoff : Comrades, if we ring nine times - let's go in!

• Iranoff : I suppose you expect us just to hand over the jewels, huh?

  Leon : Oh, no! No, I'm not a highwayman, just a nuisance.

• Buljanoff , Comrade Kopalski , Iranoff : [repeated line - drunkenly]  Why are you so good to us?

• Ninotchka : You must be reasonable, comrades.

  Iranoff : She is right. Anyhow, let's talk ourselves into it

  Buljanoff : It's great!. It's marvelous! It's wonderful!

• Buljanoff : You know what they say, there is nothing like home.

  Iranoff : Yes, and we might as well face it.

• Iranoff : Oh, please, Ninotchka. Don't start figuring it out in cows.