Susan Granger’s review of “Memoirs of a Geisha” (Columbia Pictures)
Rob Marshall transfers his “Chicago” razzle-dazzle to this lush screen adaptation of Arthur Golden’s 1997 best-seller set within the secretive and exotic geisha culture of pre-war Japan.
As children, Chiyo and her sister Satsu are taken from their small fishing village of Yoroido to Kyoto, where they’re sold, separately, as servants. Because she shows extraordinary promise, Chiyo is sent to geisha school but when she runs afoul of the house’s primary geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li), that opportunity vanishes. Then, one day, she catches the eye of the Chairman (Ken Watanabe). Soon she becomes known as Sayuri, the protŽgŽ of Mameha (Michelle Yeoh), a kind geisha from a rival house. Working with Mameha, stunning Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang) entrances the Chairman’s cranky partner/friend Nobu (Koji Yakusho). It’s a kind of Asian Cinderella story.
While Robin Swicord’s screenplay retains the basic plot elements, it emphasizes the women’s jealous melodrama and minimizes their sexual subservience, except for acknowledging that Sayuri’s virginity is sacrificed to the highest bidder. Problem is: the story never really engages emotionally. There’s been much controversy because, instead of casting Japanese actresses, Rob Marshall chose two Chinese superstars (Ziyi Zhang of “House of Flying Daggers” and Gong Li of “Raise the Red Lantern”) and a Malaysian (Michelle Yeoh of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), three delicate actresses who are enhanced by Dione Beebe’s exquisite photography, John Myhre’s elegant production design and John Williams’ score, featuring Itzak Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma along with Eastern and Western instruments. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Memoirs of a Geisha” is a sluggish if sumptuous 7, unveiling an ancient, refined tradition.
