Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) at her debut as a geisha

There are few subjects that could be any more intriguing than an inside look at the exotic life of a geisha. I will leave it to others to question this movie's historical accuracy or the faithfulness of its adaptation from the book by Arthur Golden of the same title. What I resent, however, is the critiquing of this movie according to present day (mostly pro-feminist) morality as the concept of marrying for love among the upper classes did not exist at that time. It is unfair to look at this movie with 20/20 hindsight and the attitude of a historical revisionist.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" takes place in an age where marriages were arranged not for love, but for money and family connections. It was done much the same way in the upper class families of France and in the England of Jane Austen's day. The Japanese men of that era who were trapped in loveless marriages could find love when necessary outside of their homes in the company of a geisha.

As I understand it, the geisha were unlike the courtesans of France or the prostitutes, mistresses and "actresses" of England in that sexual dalliances were not normally a part of their function. Instead they served as hostesses, companions and talented "eye candy" who could facilitate a dinner meeting or help the men who ran the country relax after a long day at work.

At least give the Japanese credit for developing a culture of objectifying geisha as "moving works of art" rather than objectifying them as objects of carnal lust. This is the main point that this story tries to make about the women who became geisha in an effort to combat the stereotypical view that they are just better dressed hookers.

As far as love goes, it is never very clearly defined in this movie that a geisha can elect to be "sponsored" by a man of wealth, power, and privilege who, it appears, seems to have exclusive sexual access to her. It is also never made clear whether a geisha could ever leave her lifestyle and settle down in marriage with a lover.

Sayuri later admits that she can never be more than "half a wife" to the man who might love her, although the assumption has to be that the Chairman is still in an arranged marriage rather than being a widower who may be available. Divorce and the possibility of second marriages are subjects that are not addressed in this film.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" is a leisurely movie clocking in at 2 hours and 25 minutes. This movie as a biography shares the same fault as nearly every other biographical movie with its story of a life that ebbs and flows with an arc that sometimes tilts towards the tedious and ponderous.

The long expected consummation of the love affair between Sayuri and the Chairman remains chaste and undeclared much as does that between Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." I thought that I was back in the morality of Eighteenth Century England instead of in the world of the geisha during the early Twentieth Century of Japan. Well, at least there is much to occupy the eyes and the mind while I am waiting to find out if these two are really meant for each other.

This is a fascinating subject matter and I was entranced by this movie,
especially since it stars three of the most beautiful women in the world as geisha. Michelle Yeoh (2000's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), Ziyi Zhang (previously known as Zhang Ziyi, also from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and 2002's "Hero") and Li Gong (previously known as Gong Li, in 1991's "Raise the Red Lantern" and 1999's "The First Emperor") all star in this film.

(NOTE: It is Chinese practice to list the surname first, and this apparent effort to standardize their names for international credit has turned into a confusing mess. I am left to assume, perhaps incorrectly, that "Li" and "Ziyi" are the actual last names of the two actresses.)

In a bizarre practice that still occurs in many countries today, Sakamoto (Mako) and his wife (Elizabeth Sung) are poor country fishermen who can ill afford to raise their two daughters, Chiyo and Satsu (Samantha Futerman). They sell them to a Mr. Bekku (Thomas Ikeda), whose business is scouring the countryside looking for pretty girls who he can buy and then sell to the the numerous geisha houses in Osaka. On a rainy windswept evening the two terrified girls are snatched from their parents' oceanside shack and hauled off in a cart to the city.

Chiyo is selected by Mother (Kaori Momoi), the proprietress of the first house at which Bekku stops. She looks at Chiyo and remarks that she is of the Water Sign which implies strength and power since water can carve earth and rock and move where it will. This is not a good sign, but Mother takes her in anyway since Chiyo has striking blue eyes, which are a rare commodity in Japan and a quality that will put her greatly in demand in the future.

Mother turns down the offer of Satsu and both girls scream as they are torn apart, perhaps never to see each other again. Chiyo enters the house and begins her education as a pupil in the art of dancing, music, personal grooming, dressing, and speaking. Like a schoolgirl, she gets a modest uniform that proclaims to all that she is in training to become a geisha. She also receives two sets of elevated sandals, one for use inside and the other for use outside.

But her main lesson, which is constantly drummed into her head, is that Mother and Auntie are her only family now and that she is to forget all about her former life. Later Chiyo is told, whether true or not is never known, that her parents have passed away.

The chain smoking Mother, who fondles her right-angled cigarette holder in her many moments of contemplation, remains in the background much like a school principal. Also looming silently in the background with a warm maternal smile is Auntie (Tsai Chin), a relation of Mother who serves as a sort of den mother.

Hatsumomo (Li Gong) is the lead, perhaps the only, geisha employed in this house. She is a tall, beautiful, and elegant woman who is one of the reigning stars of the geisha world and is very much in demand at important functions. She is also an ambitious woman with a fiery temper who readily resorts to using other people when necessary.

In her few moments of freedom Chiyo tries to escape, but when on the street she finds herself in a dark lane lined on both sides with a multitude of townhouses. In another moment where she attempts to escape by climbing out on the roof, Chiyo is bewildered at seeing a sea of rooftops extending almost as far as the eye can see.

Hatsumomo offers to tell Chiyo the location of her sister, Satsu, if she will "be her slave forever," and Chiyo quickly accepts her offer. She realizes that it would be futile to leave the house in a search to find her sister, so Hatsumomo's offer has value to her even with its high cost.

Chiyo is later told of the home where Satsu lives, and the two sisters share a short and deeply emotional reunion. They promise to meet the next day under a nearby bridge so that they can run away together, but Chiyo is unavoidably detained. She never sees her sister again or hears anything about what has happened to her.

Her loneliness is ameliorated somewhat by the arrival of "Pumpkin" (Youki Kudoh), another young girl who is hired to serve as Hatsumomo's personal attendant. The two become fast friends in spite of Chiyo's enmity with her geisha mistress.

Later Hatsumomo will use Chiyo to deflect blame from herself, actions which result in severe cane beatings and humiliation of the girl. Eventually justice prevails when Hatsumomo falls in love with a young man and she smuggles him into the house for a tryst. Nearly caught in the act, the young man flees and Hatsumomo tries to blame Chiyo for his presence. Mother is not convinced and a quick check under Hatsumomo's kimono proves to her that she is lying.

One sunny day the teenaged Chiyo is standing on a picturesque bridge over a small creek and a handsome older man calls to her. She modestly bows her head, but he tells her to look up. He notices her riveting blue eyes and offers to buy her an iced candy from a nearby cart. No one has ever been this kind to her before and Chiyo is captivated by this elegantly dressed man with not one, but two, geisha by his side.

She chews her candied ice with pleasure and delight while the geisha tell the man that he is late for a meeting. He hesitates and then slowly walks off with them while Chiyo looks at the three with awe and admiration. She suddenly decides that if this is what the life of a geisha is like, then she wants to grow up to be a geisha so that maybe one day she can be escorted by this man whom she later finds out is an important businessman named Chairman (Ken Watanabe).

A year or two later Chiyo is a young woman almost fifteen years of age and she is soon to be given the name of Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang). Sayuri is still working at the house of Mother although she is not yet a geisha and it is unclear whether she will be allowed to become one. Hatsumomo is still the lead geisha, although her star has diminished somewhat due to her volatile temper and misconduct.

Hatsumomo senses that Sayuri might become her rival and jealously does what she can to impede her progress. Even Pumpkin has started to turn away from her former friend since her future course in life is entirely dependent upon the success of her geisha mistress.

Shortly thereafter a strikingly beautiful geisha named Mameha (Michelle Yeoh) visits Mother with an extraordinarily generous proposal. She offers to take Sayuri under her tutelage for the six months of training that she will need to put on her debut at a dance for any men of importance who may wish to pay for the privilege of deflowering her virginity. Furthermore, if this doesn't happen within six months, then Mameha will reimburse Mother double the cost of her education.

Mother can't believe the generosity of this offer and quickly gives her assent. After all, it's a win-win situation for her with no downside.

It is also a win-win situation for Sayuri since Mameha is a kind, though demanding, mistress. She promises Sayuri that she will have the opportunity to become one of the most famous geisha in all of Osaka. She herself was once auctioned off for 10,000 yen, which remains to that day a record, and she tells Sayuri that she may command even more with her beauty, talent, and those brilliant blue eyes.

Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) with the Baron (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa)