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The Sisters of the Gion
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by Homevision
Sales Rank: 28272
Price: $29.95
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Widely regarded as Kenji Mizoguchi's (<I>Sansho the Bailiff</I>, <I>Ugetsu</I>) best pre-war film, <I>Sisters of the Gion</I> marks the beginning of the acclaimed director's mature style. Filled with compositions as exquisite as they are realistic, the s
Viewer Reviews
Although "The Sisters of the Gion," is a good film, I would have to say that it is not as great as Mizoguchi's other films such as, "Sansho The Bailiff," "Ugetsu," or "The Crucified Lovers." Nonetheless, it is well worth viewing and owning. [Looking forward to the DVD someday]. The films narrative centers around two sisters who are both Geisha girls in the Gion region of Kyoto: Umekichi (Yoko Umemura) and her sister Omocha (Isuzu Yamada). Umekichi is very traditional in regards to loyalty to her clients; whereas Omocha sees the world through a different prism, which leads her to view men as stepping stones to better her life. Even if this means lying and being deceitful.
However, both of these sisters are trapped in a world where there lot has been determined. This is a common theme in Mizoguchi's films. I don't believe there was a director who took the mantle of a womens plight in Japan, and gave it the spotlight as he was able to do. This common thread of the plight of females is woven into his films. The character Umekichi is involved with a bankrupt businessman, Shimbei Furusawa (Benkei Shigayona) who lives with the sister after leaving his wife. The sister Omocha is very unhappy, as she tells her sister that a man that cannot support them does not belong in their lives.
Meanwhile, Omocha is able to get the help of an antique dealer named Jurakuso (Fumio Okura) to give her money, so that she can pay off Furusawa, which in turn is to allow Jurakuso to become the new client of her sister. However, things don't go too well as Omocha pockets half the money. Moreover, in another one of Omocha's schemes, she persuades a textile clerk by the name of Kimura (Taizo Fukami) to steal merchandise at his store so that her sister can wear a nice kimono while entertaining wealthy clients. The store clerk Kimura is eventually fired, and these events will lead to a climax in the film, which I do not wish to spoil for you.
This is a very decent film, especially for a film which was produced in 1936. And while it is not one of my favorite films of Mizoguchi, for those who are looking for early Japanese cinema, this film is a worthwhile look. Also, for those who wish to add to their cinema collection, you might want to purchase the film [When it is released on DVD]. As I wrote earlier, this is not one of Mizoguchi's better films, however, it is an accessible film. Many of the films he directed are not available. And those that are, are for the most part only available on VHS. Therefore, I recommend this film of a very early, and great Japanese director.
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