Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
Memoirs of a Geisha
”Forced into servitude at a geisha house, Chiyo becomes Sayuri, a geisha of incredible beauty and influence.”
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Why watch this film?
Based on Arthur Golden's homonymous novel, 'Memoirs of a Geisha' is a period film directed by Rob Marshall ('Chicago'), in which a woman (Zhang Ziyi) tells her story from when she was sold into slavery, to becoming one of the most famous geishas in Japan before the eruption of World War II. While its melodramatically sensitive screenplay can be criticized (and, by extension, the original material), there are good performances from the cast led by Ziyi, accompanied by big names such as Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li. Above all, the visual aspect of the movie is impressive, being worthy of several awards for its cinematography, art direction and costume design (including three Oscars in those categories).
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Plot summary
In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo gets sold to a geisha house. There, she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines if she is of high enough quality to service the clientele –men who visit and pay for conversation, dance and song. After rigorous years of training, Chiyo becomes Sayuri, a geisha of incredible beauty and influence. Life is good for Sayuri, but World War II is about to disrupt the peace.
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