MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

by Joe Barber on Dec.24, 2005, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

JOE’S REVIEW:”MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA”

Rob Marshall proves his triumph in turing “Chicago” from a popular stage musical into a multiple Oscar-winning movie was no fluke with his superb adaptation of Arther Golden’s international best seller “Memoirs of A Geisha”. This visually arresting and emotionally engaging drama is one of the year’s best films, a rich and stirring tale of one woman’s triumph over circumstance and tradition.

The story begins in Japan, a decade before World War ll. A nine year old girl and her older sister are taken from their costal village after their mother has died and with their father struggling to feed the family. The girls are essentially sold into slavery to a geisha house in a mid-sized city. Desperate to return to their simple life, both girls try to escape and while the older girl does, the younger remains behind. Soon, her inner strength and determination lead the “mother” of the house to begin to groom the young girl for a future as a geisha.

The girl agrres tro study, but secretly dreams of freedom from the life she’s being prepared for. When a former geisha, now wealthy, wise and seeking to begin her own house, meets the girl, she becomes her mentor. As the girl becomes a young woman, she faces a series of obstacles, including professional rivals, deceptive clients and the horrors of war as she struggles to find a sense of identity and fights to win the true desire of her heart.

Working with several talented craftspeople, such as costume designer Colleen Atwood and composer John Williams, who customarily work with the film’s original director, Steven Speilberg, Marshall wisely concentrates on the sensual elements of the life of a geisha. He keeps the sexual elements in the background, reflecting the Eastrern reality, rather than the Western fantasy about these women. This approach provides a compelling balance between the lives geishas are asked to live and what their dreams and hopes desire.

Cinematographer Dion Beebe has give “Geish” an exotic look that, like the make-up the women wear, masks the scars of a painful and difficult past, one examined with skill by screenwriters Robin Swicord and Doug Wright.
Delivering a trio a compelling performances that anchor the movie are Ziyi Zhang as the tirle charcter as a young woman, “Crouching Tiger” ’s Michelle Yeoh as her mentor and Gong Li asthe heroine’s longtime tormentor and rival.

Sweeping and provocative, “Memoirs of A Geisha” delivers romance, drama and even commentary on a woman’s fight for posession of her soul. It is stirring entertainment.

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for profanity and discreet sexual elements JOE’S RATING:FOUR STARS.