Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Crappy film

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This movie by Kenji Mizoguchi treats one of his favorite themes: the living conditions of the geishas, here in modern Japan.The main character in this movie is a maiko (a young apprentice geisha), sponsored by an older 'sister'. After becoming herself a geisha, the maiko doesn't accept the former rules of the game anymore. She doesn't want to sell her body to anyone or everywhere. On the other hand, the madam of the geisha house doesn't like to lose important customers. At the same time, her 'older sister' becomes an important pawn in a corruption case. A customer of a company refuses to sign a major contract, a matter of life or death for the company, if he doesn't get the geisha's favors and become her 'protector'. She has to choose between her material and her emotional (sexual) interests.This intimate film is a critical analysis of the status of women in a Japanese society dominated by males, who believe that everything is permitted, especially with women who are bound by debts to their houses and their bosses. Kenji Mizoguchi directed this movie impeccably. Highly recommended.

Kenji Mizoguchi, an important figure in the history of Japanese cinema, is very well known for his collaboration on the portrayal of Japanese women on screen; one of the first reasons for this being his sister, who was sold to a geisha house by his father's decision. This highly contributed to his attachment to highlighting women on his films.This is another film where geishas and their lives are involved. The story concerns one geisha and her apprentice, who is supposed to have the will to take the training into full practice and seriousness. Everything seemed fine when the training was in process, but when it came to conclusion, Eiko (the apprentice) had to debut as a geisha, but could not bring herself to accept her chosen client. Likewise, Miyoharu (Eiko's trainer), finds trouble when rejecting a client in love with her. Both rejected clients happened to be wealthy businessmen important to the geisha house where they worked, thus finding problems from there on.While the film may not be Mizoguchi's best, I can assure it is a wonderful joy to behold its cinematography. The camera positions and movements are just something to appreciate, accompanied by a totally honest and credible acting by pretty much every actor/actress involved.If you have liked everything you have seen from this wonderful director, there is absolutely not any reason why you should not get your hands on this film.My score: 7.5/10

Another fine contemporary movie from Mizoguchi, as so often with his films, focusing on womens lives. This is a partial remake of his earlier 'Sisters of Gion', although the commentary in my Masters of Cinema DVD version suggests that the studio made him tone down the original script as they did not want their new star, Ayako Wakao, to play a 'bad girl' as was originally intended.The film is set in the mid 1950's, as the traditional Gion Geisha quarter in Kyoto is under pressure from the massive changes in Japan at the time. Old traditions are dying, there is greater pressure for the girls to indulge in what is essentially prostitution. Both customers and young geisha are less interested in the old formalities. A young girl, the daughter of a geisha and a failing businessman begs an older geisha to take her on and train her. The girl has a funny mixture of ambition and dignity, proud of her status (she insists on wearing her full geisha outfit even to a regular bar), while refusing to 'do what is necessary' with a rich patron. The older woman is caught between her desire to protect the girl and the economic necessities of the time. The 'sisterhood' of Gion - the older, dominant Geisha, use their influence and power to put huge pressure on her to call the young girl to heel.There are some indications that Mizoguchi's heart wasn't entirely in this film. It is shot quite conventionally by his standards and lacks his trademark visual skills and experimentation. But it is beautifully acted by the whole cast and the insight into the lives of the geisha at the time appears very convincing and real (who can say for sure if it is or not?). It isn't quite as good as his later 'Street of Shame', but its still a fine film and well worth watching.The Masters of Cinema version (region 2) version that I saw sell it as a 'double DVD' with the brilliant Sansho the Bailiff. The whole package is superb, well worth buying.

This is the story of a woman who becomes a Geisha. She is never given any choice and she becomes a virtual slave to the system. In essence, its as if the was sold to the owner of the stable of Geishas. Then, after all her training and money spent making her the perfect host and performer, her "owner" expects the girl to pay her back by sleeping with her clients--whether or not she finds them repellent or not. The girl objects and is abused and threatened until she complies. A TOUGH movie to watch, indeed.This movie is diametrically opposed to the documentaries I have seen about the lives of Geishas. They portray the women as entertainers and say they do NOT sleep with the clients--unless, of course, one agrees to do this on her own. This may be true now, but I know that this was not always the case--particularly with women the Japanese kidnapped from Korea and other parts to be "comfort women"--less "Geishas" with all their training but more glorified prostitutes.A very unusual and interesting film that will also tug at your heartstrings for this poor girl.