A Geisha

1953 1h 25m JA

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 65

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Fleeing a distressing family situation, Eiko, a very young girl, becomes an apprentice to Miyoharu, a veteran geisha. Both, determined to preserve their professional integrity, must face the selfishness and ambition of several petty people.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Michiyo Kogure
Miyoharu
Ayako Wakao
Eiko
Seizaburō Kawazu
Kusuda
Eitarō Shindō
Sawamoto
Ichirō Sugai
Saeki
Kanji Koshiba
Kanzaki
Sumao Ishihara
Kokichi
Chieko Naniwa
Okimi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi
Writers: Yoshikata Yoda, Matsutarô Kawaguchi
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

85 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

73 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ichirō Saitō. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mitsuzō Miyata shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Michiyo Kogure and Ayako Wakao and Seizaburō Kawazu carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0045814 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 65 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kenji Mizoguchi directs. Kazuo Miyagawa behind the camera. Ichirō Saitō scores. Mitsuzō Miyata cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

185 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
273 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, shot by Kazuo Miyagawa. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Ichirō Saitō. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Mitsuzō Miyata shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Michiyo Kogure and Ayako Wakao and Seizaburō Kawazu carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0045814 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 65 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 14 themes, including "geisha", "coming of age", "debt", "teacher student relationship".