{"id":1733,"date":"2006-11-06T11:12:28","date_gmt":"2006-11-06T18:12:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1733"},"modified":"2021-01-07T14:36:37","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T21:36:37","slug":"geisha-a-gion-bayashi-1953","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1733","title":{"rendered":"Geisha, A \/ Gion Bayashi (1953)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Geisha don&#8217;t lie &#8212; they talk business.&#8221; <\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster-220x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"220\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-34400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster-94x128.jpg 94w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster-751x1024.jpg 751w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Poster.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAfter taking on 16-year-old Eiko (Ayako Wakao) as an apprentice, geisha Miyoharu (Michiyo Kogure) and her new protege find their positions compromised by men (Seizaburo Kawazu and Kanji Koshiba) who demand more than geisha traditionally provide.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Feminism and Women&#8217;s Issues<\/li>\n<li>Japanese Films<\/li>\n<li>Kenzi Mizoguchi Films<\/li>\n<li>Mentors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review:<\/strong><br \/>\nThroughout his career, director Kenzi Mizoguchi exhibited an uncanny sympathy for the plight of women in male-dominated Japanese society. While his most famous works (<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=116\"><em>The Life of Oharu<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=110\"><em>Ugetsu Monogatari<\/em><\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=141\"><em>Sansho the Bailiff<\/em><\/a>) were historical dramas set in the distant past, <em>Gion Bayashi<\/em> &#8212; a staunchly realistic depiction of life for geisha in post-WWII Japan &#8212; is a notable exception; yet it fits clearly into his ongoing depiction of noble females who must cope with debasing situations. Most Americans became familiarized with the life of Japanese <em>geisha<\/em> &#8212; a term which translates roughly into &#8220;artisans&#8221; (<em>not <\/em>prostitutes) &#8212; either through Arthur Golden&#8217;s 1997 novel <em>Memoirs of a Geisha<\/em> or its disappointing 2005 cinematic adaptation by Rob Marshall. Marshall&#8217;s film is lush and beautiful yet ultimately empty, replacing Golden&#8217;s detailed evocation of life in a geisha house with an insipidly melodramatic story of unrequited love, and a romanticized view of female subjugation.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, Mizoguchi makes no such mistake in his film. Time and again in <em>Gion Bayashi<\/em>, men (without a single exception) are shown exploiting geisha for any of numerous reasons: their personal sexual gratification (Kawazu nearly rapes the adolescent Eiko, while Koshiba calls Miyoharu &#8220;cold&#8221; for refusing his advances); to advance their business (&#8220;renting&#8221; the right geisha for one&#8217;s clients can help grease transactions); or for cold, hard cash (Eiko&#8217;s deadbeat dad refuses to help sponsor her training as a geisha, but comes begging for handouts once she&#8217;s successful). In addition, unlike in <em>Memoirs<\/em>, the geisha &#8220;sisters&#8221; in this film don&#8217;t develop cut-throat rivalries with one another; instead, they understand that camaraderie and empathy is what will help them survive. In perhaps the most interesting scene of the film, Miyoharu sits with Eiko after she has severely compromised their reputations by fighting back during an attempted rape by Kawazu (she bit his mouth so badly he was hospitalized for a month). Rather than chastising Eiko, however, Miyoharu admits that she would have done the same thing. Eventually, Miyoharu becomes a mother-figure of sorts to Eiko, attempting to protect her at all costs from the debasement geisha face in a modern world which no longer respects their work &#8212; and it <em>is<\/em> hard, difficult work &#8212; as a noble craft. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Michiyo Kogure&#8217;s sensitive performance as the noble Miyoharu<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-1024x774.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"484\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-1024x774.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-300x227.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-128x97.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-768x581.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure-357x270.png 357w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Kogure.png 1385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Ayako Wakao as the willful young Eiko (a.k.a. &#8220;Miyue&#8221;)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-1024x770.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"481\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-1024x770.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-768x577.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao-359x270.png 359w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Wakao.png 1377w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A fascinating, detailed look at life for geisha in post-WWII Japan<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-1024x761.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62102\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-1024x761.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-768x571.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse-363x270.png 363w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Glimpse.png 1393w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-1024x756.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"473\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62099\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-1024x756.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-768x567.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror-366x270.png 366w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/11\/Geisha-Mirror.png 1391w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes. Listed in the back of Peary&#8217;s book as a Personal Recommendation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Historically Relevant<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0045814\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1978\/06\/01\/archives\/film-mizoguchis-a-geishaa-rediscovery.html\">NY Times Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Geisha don&#8217;t lie &#8212; they talk business.&#8221; Synopsis: After taking on 16-year-old Eiko (Ayako Wakao) as an apprentice, geisha Miyoharu (Michiyo Kogure) and her new protege find their positions compromised by men (Seizaburo Kawazu and Kanji Koshiba) who demand more than geisha traditionally provide. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Feminism and Women&#8217;s Issues Japanese Films Kenzi Mizoguchi Films Mentors Review: Throughout his career, director Kenzi Mizoguchi exhibited an uncanny sympathy for the plight of women in male-dominated Japanese society. While&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1733\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1733"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1733\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62104,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1733\/revisions\/62104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}