The Geisha (1983 film)
| The Geisha | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Hideo Gosha |
| Screenplay by | Kōji Takada[1] |
| Based on | Yōkirō by Tomiko Miyao[2] |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Fujio Morita[1] |
| Edited by | Isamu Ichida[1] |
| Music by | Masaru Sato[1] |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Toei[1] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 144 minutes[1] |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
The Geisha (Japanese: 陽暉楼, Hepburn: Yōkirō) is a 1983 Japanese film directed by Hideo Gosha and written by Kôji Takada.[3] It is based on the novel Yōkirō by Tomiko Miyao.[2] The film was theatrically released on September 10, 1983, by Toei.[1]
Premise
The loves and tragedies of a geisha in 1933 Japan.
Yōkirō was the most successful geisha house in Western Japan during the first half of the 20th century and remains open to this day. At its peak, it was home to over 200 geisha. However, behind the fabulous facade, there were many battles – between family members, men and women, and with the Yakuza. Momowaka was sold to Yōkirō at age 12, and despite being the top geisha, her many complicated relationships provide unending challenges throughout her glamorous but turbulent life.
Plot
It is 1933 Japan. 20 years before, Katsuzo was in love with a geisha who gave him a daughter. They tried to run away together, but they were caught and she was killed right before his eyes. Now he is a zegen, a pimp who sells girls to Yōkirō, the biggest geisha house in Western Japan, run by Osode, who used to be his mistress. His daughter is raised by the geisha house and becomes a Great Geisha under the name Momowaka. Eventually, Katsuzo's current girlfriend Tamako wants to become a geisha as well. Meanwhile, Momowaka falls in love, and one of Osaka's yakuza clans moves to take control of Yōkirō.
Cast
- Ken Ogata as Katsuzo
- Kimiko Ikegami as Momowaka
- Atsuko Asano as Tamako
- Mitsuko Baisho as Osode
- Noriko Hayami
- Asao Koike
- Tetsurō Tamba as Kochi Notable
- Morio Kazama as Hidetsugu of Niō
Awards and nominations
Gosha won the Japanese Best Director Award in 1983 for his efforts. The film also received a number of other awards in Japan.
- Won: Best Supporting Actress - Mitsuko Baisho
Morio Kazama received the Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his role as Hidetsugu of Niō in The Geisha as well as his role as Miyagawa in Theater of Life at the 7th Japan Academy Film Prize.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Yokirou (1983)". www.allcinema.net. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Miyao, Tomiko (1926–)". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "陽暉楼". kotobank. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ 報知映画賞ヒストリー (in Japanese). Cinema Hochi. Archived from the original on 2011-03-25. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
- ^ "7th Japan Academy Prize". Japan Academy Film Prize Association. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
External links
- The Geisha at IMDb