1939 is celebrated as one of the greatest single years of cinematic achievement in the history of the art. In honor of that Golden Era, I wanted to spotlight perhaps the least known Best Picture nominee of that year – Ninotchka.

Throughout history men have been persuaded by seductive women. Important and powerful men have met their fate by the hands of a dangerous beauty; a succubus; a femme fatale. From Delilah and Sampson, to Judith and Holofernes, to Yoko and John, men have been weakened by the beauty of a dangerous woman.