Memorable Memoirs. Review on Memoirs of a Geisha Movie

Memoirs of a Geisha, based upon the book by Arthur Golden, was not well received by the critics for several reasons: The movie was very loosely adapted from the novel and the cast consisted of primarily Chinese and Korean actors. The book itself was even very controversial because the author, was sued by the Geisha, Sayuri because her life was “too fictionalized and not accurate to her true story.”

I am glad that I am not one to listen to adversity too intently because I truly enjoyed both the book and the movie. The movie, like the book, was a great story and although they were not identical from beginning to end, the content was wonderful. I not only learned a great deal about the Japanese culture but also appreciated the story of Sayuri.

The story begins with Chiyo (Sayuri as a young girl before she took her Geisha name) as a poor young girl who lived with her family in a rickety house on the bluffs of a small fishing village. Chiyo has unusually blue eyes, which she inherited from her mother. They reflect that she “has too much water”, while her brown eyed sister “has too much wood”. Her unique features will become one of Chiyo’s greatest assets. While her mother is on her deathbed, Chiyo and her sister are sold and brought to the district of Gion in the city of Kyoto. Chiyo is sold to the Nitta Oikya, a house where the geisha, Hatsumomo lives with her family and servants but her sister is sold as a prostitute in a local whorehouse. Chiyo, now a maid is treated very poorly by her “new family,” but soon realizes that to become a Geisha would be a stepping-stone to another life. As a young girl in Gion, Chiyo meets The Chairman who shows her great kindness. From that moment on, Chiyo knows that her destiny is toward the Chairman and his life. She is soon under the expert tutelage of Mameha, a very popular Geisha, who treats Chiyo well and guides her young apprentice to become the magnificent Sayuri and contemporary of her treasured Chairman.

There are so many great details of the story that I will leave for you to discover. I would like to say that although the movie and book differ with their ending and some of the details of the book to get the movie to end as it did, I enjoyed both. I have to admit that I did constantly compare the two throughout and found many discrepancies but in the end both worked for me.

There were several aspects of the film that were worthy of comment and some would also argue-deficiencies: The movie was actually filmed in Saratoga and Thousand Oaks, both in California. One of the reasons for this was that the modern day Gion District was not suitable for the 1920’s/1930’s look so the façade had to be made, one aspect that did not make the movie as authentic but nonetheless, they were superb with lush gardens, beautiful cherry trees, decrepit houses, wooden bridges, giant bamboo. The Kimono were also specially made for the film in larger and bolder prints than normal to stand out better on camera. Some of the Kimono were, indeed, breathtaking.

The music was unsurpassed by any other movie this year and perhaps for years to come. Of course, the main score is conducted my John Williams, who passed on the task of conducting for the latest Harry Potter score (Goblet of Fire). With him are the great talents of Yo-Yo Ma, the master Cellist and Itzak Perlman for the violin.

My only real complaint is the casting of non-Japanese talent. Although all the cast were very talented, Li Gong as Hatsumomo, Michelle Yeoh as Mameha and Ziyi Zhang as Sayuri. The real authenticity of the story would have come through if Japanese cast were used. Oddly enough, the men in the film were Japanese.

I would like to make honorable mention of my favorite character, although not Japanese, was outstanding as the incorrigible Hatsumomo, a very jealous Geisha who stops at nothing to make life difficult for those around her, particularly Sayuri. She is as exquisite looking as she is menacing. Also worth mentioning is Mameha who is very endearing to Chiyo as a young girl. Although quite beautiful, she was older than the book portrayed her.

I’ll make note that Memoirs of a Geisha was for me one of the greatest books that I have read. One reason is not only the style that it was written but also the way that I was captured and felt as if I also lived in Sayuri’s world. I was so eager to see that world that I had envisioned and lived in for a week and was not disappointed. The big screen was the venue, the story the vehicle. If you can, do see this on the large screen. The cinematography throughout the film is breathtaking!

I welcome comments, both in favor or not…..