Samurai Geisha (1969)

Samurai Geisha(1969)



AKA: Nihon jokyo-den: kyokaku geisha

Year: 1969

Directed: Kosaku Yamashita

Genre: Crime / Drama

Runtime: 1h 38m

Country: Japan

Language: Japanese

Subtitles: English Hard Subbed



IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064731/



Cast:

Sumiko Fuji

Ken Takakura

Tomisaburo Wakayama

Hiroko Sakuramachi

Yukari Mishima

Nobuo Kaneko



Plot / Synopsis



This film, like the Red Peony Gambler series, is pure entertainment, with some leftist anti-capitalist notes (funny that Yamashita isn't given nearly the hard time Yamamoto and Imai are). Fuji is a delight, and not for one do you believe she's not nearly as attractive and interesting a geisha as the film is making her out to be. There are some interesting directorial flourishes, particularly in one of the last scenes where Fuji does Kabuki, with the red hair of the mythological lion, a being that protects against evil spirits and brings peace. This "dance" is countered with a long battle between Takakura and the rival gang protecting Kaneko's coal baron, lead by Tomisaburu Wakayama, flashing to one then back to the other. It's a powerful and effective use of editing.