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FILM DETAILS

Certificate 12A

Cast Karl Yune Ken Watanabe Ziyi Zhang Michelle Yeoh Yonki Kudoh Gong Li Koji Yakusho.

Directors Rob Marshall.

Screenwriters Robin Swicord.

Running Time 145 minutes

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Memoirs Of A Geisha
The bestselling novel makes it to the screen.

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Plot
Sayuri (Zhang) remembers how she was sold into servitude and misery as a child, trained and moulded by her mentor Mameha (Yeoh) into a celebrated geisha, and sustained against both her rival Hatsumomo’s (Gong) treachery and the vicissitudes of war by her love for a man (Watanabe) she could not have.

Review

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Among the 1,001 things we learn in Rob Marshall’s vividly instructive movie is that ‘geisha’ actually means artist, these select women having been schooled in music, dance and witty conversation. Not to mention negotiating cobblestone streets in eight-inch platform shoes without tripping over their exquisite kimonos. But they still emerge from this fastidious picture as elegant sex slaves, personalities and desires ruthlessly suppressed.

Arthur Golden’s phenomenal bestseller of life and longing in a geisha house at the end of a golden era (the 1930s) was inevitably destined for a high-toned screen adaptation, and Steven Spielberg was long set to direct before competing projects took him off. So the assignment went to Marshall, hot off Chicago and benefitting from a big-time production (from a picture-perfect geisha district constructed in California to Yo-Yo Ma cello solos). Meanwhile, chick-lit screenwriter Swicord negotiates the contemplative text by providing Sayuri with a sorrowful narration to chronicle women behaving badly to one other.

If geishas used to be the supermodels of Japan, Zhang’s head-turning Sayuri is Giselle, Yeoh’s cool, ultra-professional Mameha is Tyra and Gong’s fragile, volatile diva Hatsumomo is Naomi. There’s a definite catwalk-cum-Chicago sequence when Sayuri performs a strangely avant-garde dance number at the auction for her virginity — white-faced, spotlit, hair-tossing. All the actresses are wonderful, including mercenary house “Mother” Kaori Momoi and young Suzuka Ohgo as Chiyo, turned into Sayuri after a Little Orphan Annie childhood with just one happy memory (being treated to an ice by Watanabe’s kindly bon vivant) to inspire lifelong devotion and keep hope alive.

But is it just us, or is anyone else bothered by casting Chinese actresses — extremely gorgeous and accomplished though they most certainly are — as iconic Japanese women? Like there’s no difference. (Rumour has it Lost’s Yunjin Kim turned down a role because she is, hello, Korean.) It’s sooo Hollywood, as if no-one will notice or care. Gorgeous and accomplished Japanese actresses must be spitting nails.

As for the life-changing intrusion of the Second World War, blink and you’ll miss it. It’s a carefully apolitical inclusion there solely to explain the arrival of gum-chewing Yanks who have trouble grasping Japanese culture. Ironically.

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Memoirs Of A Geisha

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Your Reviews

Average user rating for Memoirs Of A Geisha

RE: Excellent

Was a bigger fan of Chicago myself. ... More

Posted by ElephantBoy at 02:57, 30 June 2010 | Report This Post

Excellent

A really beautiful film, I totally agree with every word of Empire's review but my fourth star is for the sheer beauty of the costumes, locations, and the actresses. ... More

Posted by Kurtis93 at 12:28, 26 June 2010 | Report This Post

Re: Mason Verger's comment

You're a racist. ... More

Posted by korming at 23:12, 19 May 2010 | Report This Post

Casting Chinese

I don't think Japanese actresses are spitting nails because they know they are at a distinct disadvantage: their English is generally very poor! They just cast the most famous Asian actresses who could speak decent English. ... More

Posted by korming at 23:11, 19 May 2010 | Report This Post

The resulting opulent, beautiful interpretation ticks most of Oscar's "Gorgeous Epic" boxes, but with one notable and unavoidable exception: the tangible lack of an emotional core. ... More

Posted by moviemaniac2 at 13:25, 05 January 2007 | Report This Post

beautiful

I thought this film was beautifully done. The costumes were incredible and the soundtrack was very moving, was a very interesting story of someone who has nothing then works hard ultimately gets everything they want, including the man she loves. Was not surprised when this film won 3 oscars as its an artistic triumph and wonderfully excuted. ... More

Posted by alexisreaver2132 at 09:53, 18 June 2006 | Report This Post

Memoirs of A Geisha

I bought the book about a year ago and its still my favourite read, I pick it up every time I'm in the mood for getting lost in this whirlwind of culture and sorrow and everything japanese...my summer was totally influenced by that book...so I was delighted when I heard they were making it into a film...I went to see it and to be honest I was totally enraptured from the start. It wasn't completly as I had imagined it but the cinematograhy was so dynamic...I really enjoyed this one. I am getting ... More

Posted by fascist_baby at 17:44, 13 May 2006 | Report This Post

This movie was really good, even though it wasn't completely as the book was, but I think it worked well as a movie. All the actors were really good, especially young Chiyo. It would have been a nicer touch if the movie had been made in Japanese, with english subtitles. Pssion of the Christ worked well enough, and it wasnt in English. The soundtrack was really good too. Rob Marshall did a great job, quite different to Chicago, but Chicago was definitely a better job from him. ... More

Posted by maahinkeelhaulisaiah at 12:01, 15 March 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Heard the soundtrack for the first time yesterday and totally loved it!!! ... More

Posted by TheGodfather at 22:04, 07 March 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Beautiful cover but it's so empty inside. And the love story really freaked me out. Yak! ... More

Posted by jeanne at 19:50, 07 March 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs of a Geisha

THIS MOVIE ROCKS!!!!!!d waited for ages to hear Ziyi Zhang in her first english speaking role and it was well worth the wait. She is fantastic (as usual) and Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh (I hope i spelt that right) are fantastic . Everyone must see this film it is amazing. Beautifully acted and visually stunning and just as good as the book. ... More

Posted by chocchunk at 14:59, 25 February 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Ok, I know i'm prob being really pathetic and picky about stuff, but some things really irritated me about this film. While I admit I really did enjoy it, I don't think that the end product was as brilliant as it could have been. My main grumble was the lack of attention to some of the details in the book. I know that adaptaions are never exactly the same but I firmly beleive that some things are sooooooo easy to get right. One my main issues was the hair comb. You know when Nobu gives Sayuri t... More

Posted by Hotlips at 12:51, 08 February 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Geisha

Agree with most peoples thoughts so far. A solid film if a bit uninspired - i hadn't read the book either so i didn't know what to expect. Beautifully shot and excellent performances lend it real weight, but this is undermined by the lack of emotion and the weak romance angle. And most of all, as pointed out by directorscut above, there was no real insight into the geisha way of life. There was no sense of mystique about these women which i would have thought would... More

Posted by MOTH at 11:29, 07 February 2006 | Report This Post

Geisha

This film was so very nearly brilliant: the photography was lovely and the actresses totally believable (and beautiful). But it was soooo slow and never really quite drew me in. Probably deserves two and a half stars, if that were possible. As for the Chinese actress dilemma. Pretentious, moi? ... More

Posted by dorothyfeggs at 17:39, 06 February 2006 | Report This Post

Chinese Geisha?

Disaponting hollywood fare....all looks and no sunbstance, or a really respectfull look into a culture so rich, it needs more than this off handed treatment. The fact the directors chose a chinese heroine, is offensive, as it confirms the saying...all far easten women look the same? ignorant and bigotted ... More

Posted by omarx at 13:53, 03 February 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha

L: shifty_powers Saw this last night. Really wasn't impressed to be honest. Whilst, as has been mentioned before, it was beautifully shot and there were some fine performances in there, Yeoh, Zhang andWatanabe, it really didn't grab me! The Set really didn't convince me, although the location shots were amazing. I thought the last part of the movie, at the start and after the war, seemed rushed and almost a different film. Some of the jerky camera work really irratat... More

Posted by Manny at 13:09, 31 January 2006 | Report This Post

Fine entertainment

Minor spoilers herein. Flawed and far from greatness Memoirs of a Geisha is still fine Hollywood entertainment that coasts along on its fantastic cast, sublime visuals and wonderfully evocative score. In fact, the only thing to really distract from my enjoyment of the film was the adaptation. Had I gone into this film without having read the book I'm sure I would have been totally absorbed inside the wonderful world created by the film, rather than constantly reminding myself “that was ... More

Posted by directorscut at 23:09, 30 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Extremely disapointing.

L: riversbend I haven't seen this, but have been reading about the casting controversy.  Initially I thought it was similar to Irish playing English or Australian playing Israli, but am interested to hear from Chinese people on the subject.  Perhaps it isn't.  Though perhaps there is a huge contingent of Isralis out there furious at the casting of Munich and I just didn't know.  Would be interested to hear what Japanese people think of this... sp; I haven't seen it ... More

Posted by IMFienne at 22:37, 30 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs of a Geisha

I really enjoyed this film the visuals are breathtaking and the story was beautifully told if a 10 mintues or so too long, there are a things which i think could have been better and that is that there was not enough emotional screen presence as I was about to blub when ZZ (can't spell her name OK) was crying but then the camera cut straight onto something else.     The one thing i can't understand though is that I never noticed that they were Chinese as I spent so much time conce... More

Posted by Sugar Kowalczyk at 21:09, 30 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Saw this last night.   Really wasn't impressed to be honest.   Whilst, as has been mentioned before, it was beautifully shot and there were some fine performances in there, Yeoh, Zhang andWatanabe, it really didn't grab me!   The Set really didn't convince me, although the location shots were amazing. I thought the last part of the movie, at the start and after the war, seemed rushed and almost a different film. Some of the jerky camera work really irratated m... More

Posted by shifty_powers at 15:26, 30 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Memoirs of a Geisha

The film begins at a frantic pace, it feels somewhat rushed really but it kind of becomes clear why - the first 15-20 minutes or so are a bit ropey really. The early scenes in the Geisha house are quite poor really, not least in the acting department. The young Chiyo is really cute though, and its hard to criticise kids of that age for their acting abilities. Must say I didn't really like Gong Li as Hatsumomo throughout, she is an accomplished actress but for me she didn't fit (perhaps it was 3... More

Posted by darkcloud at 19:18, 27 January 2006 | Report This Post

Memoirs of a Girl

I'm a huge fan of Arthur Golden's novel - one of my favourites, in fact - but I was rather disappointed in its adaptation. Although you receive all the majestic nature of the era, you feel there is something fundamentally lacking. I'm not sure why, but I left wanting more. Perhaps the intrinsic detail Golden made flourish in the novel could only just hit the big screen in its smallest form. The book was written in such a way, that it should have been a screenwriters easiest job to create. Instea... More

Posted by Jessica_ca_ca_ca at 11:35, 24 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Thank You

s - nice pic, Se7en. Hitch-Hike is pure class - and my love for the film doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Corinne Clery gets naked ... More

Posted by Companero at 16:27, 20 January 2006 | Report This Post

Thank You

Cheers again Compo! p; I recently saw Franco Nero in HITCH-HIKE.   Pure class... ... More

Posted by se7en45 at 15:56, 20 January 2006 | Report This Post

RE: Extremely disapointing.

L: se7en45 Your iamge of Franco Nero looks alarmingly like Lord Lucan!  ote]   trebuchet ms"]Whatever...font="trebuchet ms"]sp; trebuchet ms"]To add an avatar="trebuchet ms"]Click on"trebuchet ms"]‘My Empire’ in the top, left-hand"trebuchet ms"]corner, then the ‘My Details’ section that’s in the middle of the page, between ‘My Profile’ and ‘My Blogs’ and take it from there – this page allows you to do all manner of things, mate. ... More

Posted by Companero at 15:28, 20 January 2006 | Report This Post

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