A seasoned geisha and her apprentice maiko are forced to give in to their clients' sexual advances to survive.A seasoned geisha and her apprentice maiko are forced to give in to their clients' sexual advances to survive.A seasoned geisha and her apprentice maiko are forced to give in to their clients' sexual advances to survive.A seasoned geisha and her apprentice maiko are forced to give in to their clients' sexual advances to survive.A seasoned geisha and her apprentice maiko are forced to give in to their clients' sexual advances to survive.
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In post-war Japan, sixteen-year-old Eiko seeks out the geisha Miyoharu in the district of Gion, in Kyoto asking her to be a maiko (geisha apprentice). Eiko explains that her mother - who was a geisha and Miyoharu's friend - has just died, her father Sawamoto has failed in business, and her uncle is harassing her. Miyoharu is a warm-hearted woman and accepts to train her. One year later, Eiko's father refuses to be her guarantor and Miyoharu borrows a large amount from the tea-house owner Okimi to buy her kimono and debut in a party. Miyoharu changes Eiko's name to Miyoe and introduces her to clients as her sister. Soon, Miyoharu is charged for the money but neither she nor Miyoe want to have patrons. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Brian McInnis
Top review
a very unsettling film--just as the writers intended
This is the story of a woman who becomes a Geisha. She is never given any choice and she becomes a virtual slave to the system. In essence, its as if the was sold to the owner of the stable of Geishas. Then, after all her training and money spent making her the perfect host and performer, her "owner" expects the girl to pay her back by sleeping with her clients--whether or not she finds them repellent or not. The girl objects and is abused and threatened until she complies. A TOUGH movie to watch, indeed.
This movie is diametrically opposed to the documentaries I have seen about the lives of Geishas. They portray the women as entertainers and say they do NOT sleep with the clients--unless, of course, one agrees to do this on her own. This may be true now, but I know that this was not always the case--particularly with women the Japanese kidnapped from Korea and other parts to be "comfort women"--less "Geishas" with all their training but more glorified prostitutes.
A very unusual and interesting film that will also tug at your heartstrings for this poor girl.
This movie is diametrically opposed to the documentaries I have seen about the lives of Geishas. They portray the women as entertainers and say they do NOT sleep with the clients--unless, of course, one agrees to do this on her own. This may be true now, but I know that this was not always the case--particularly with women the Japanese kidnapped from Korea and other parts to be "comfort women"--less "Geishas" with all their training but more glorified prostitutes.
A very unusual and interesting film that will also tug at your heartstrings for this poor girl.
helpful•514
- MartinHafer
- Jun 13, 2005
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