Posted on 11/29/2005 5:35:00 PM PST by blam
Anger as film highlights good-time geisha girls
By Colin Joyce in Tokyo and Richard Spencer in Beijing
(Filed: 30/11/2005)
Japan hosted the premiere of a Hollywood film on geishas last night amid anger that the girls are portrayed as prostitutes and the actresses who play them Chinese.
Memoirs of a Geisha not only has Chinese leading ladies, it is a screen version of a book by an American, directed by an American and shot in California, not Kyoto, their traditional home.
Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li in Memoirs of a Geisha
The film, shown in the national sumo stadium, is strongly sexual and likely to reinforce the geishas' reputation as women of the night.
But in Japanese "geisha" means "person of art" and the girls see themselves as guardians of such traditions as the tea ceremony, flower arranging and poetry.
They insist that in their unique "flower and willow world" wealthy patrons pay for these talents, plus their cultured conversation, not sexual favours. Both Arthur Golden's 1997 bestseller and the new film show novices selling their virginity to the highest bidder, which geishas say is a slur on their profession.
As wounding to Japanese pride are the actresses playing the three main geishas: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, a former Bond girl, and Gong Li, all ethnic Chinese.
The casting provoked fury in China, where one website attacked Zhang for playing a "Japanese prostitute" and the lover of a Japanese man, the actor Ken Watanabe.
"How outrageous, to sleep with a Japanese man for money. She has humiliated all Chinese," complained one internet posting.
Many Chinese are sensitive because of bitter memories from the Second World War, when thousands of Chinese women were forced into sexual slavery by Japan.
The film's director, Bob Marshall, first upset Japanese when he suggested there were no Japanese actresses suitable for the geisha roles.
Chen Kaige, the director of the celebrated 1993 film Farewell My Concubine, said: "Geisha cannot be performed by Chinese. It's an age-old traditional Japanese culture.
"How to walk, how to hold a fan, how to smile, how to look at people, all these gestures and facial expressions you need to be reared in Japan to perform.
"But perhaps American producers don't care."
Critics say the film's dancing looks all wrong and the kimono has been "sexed up". The geisha's white make-up, which foreigners might find scary and unattractive, has also been dropped.
Such details will infuriate the geisha, who train intensively to master intricate dances and pay a fortune for elaborate kimonos.
Golden's book depicts a geisha house rife with scheming and bullying. But real geisha take pride in being independent while living together with "sisters" and "mothers".
Mineko Iwasaki, a former geisha interviewed at length by Golden during his research, released her own book to correct what she considered his errors.
Nancy Kwan (Taiwanese) starred in the movie.
But (more Google) Miyoshi Umeki also appeared as a Chinese woman in "Flower Drum Song," and starred as a Japanese in "Sayonara."
Hollywood has always treated Asian actors as interchangeably "Asian," as if Japanese are Chinese are Koreans are Vietnamese are Thai. For the actors, I suppose work is work.
She played the party girl who was in love with Umeki's fiance, Sammy. Sammy's mother contracted to bring Umeki and her father into the country. "Flower Drum Song" was a great movie and musical along with "Sayonara". The latter dealt with prejudices.
Yea, and the women hanging around the bars at the Bellagio at night call themselves social workers. :-)
"Sayonara" dealt with suicide and prejudices and "Flower Drum Song" dealt with prejudices and illegal immigration. Both movies were terrific.
I'll have to put both on my list to watch after the baby is born. I don't think I've seen either one all the way through.
It's interesting to look at the cast of a film like "Midway," that required dozens of Asian actors. They're of all nationalities, all playing Japanese. Or in "MASH," Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese all playing Koreans.
That's H'weird, the world of make believe. What I like about "Flower Drum Song" and "Sayonara" is the successful mix of comedy and drama in each.
But they at least have slightly more credibility in doing so than the unshaven Leftists who hang around homeless shelters and call themselves social workers...hoping to get a city job out of it. At least the Bellagio denizens are providing a genuine community service. ;)
I appreciate the recommendation!
Anybody have any photos of Ken Watanabe they'd like to post?
Zhang Zhi and Michelle Yeoh were great in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Both are beautiful women.
We watched Hero and House of Flying Daggers a couple of weeks ago. Zhi is a stunning athlete!
Pinz
That they are Chinese and not Japanese is in the front of my mind.
For me, it would be like John Wayne roles instead being played by very prominent, non-english speaking Italians, or maybe Russians.
Too young for my taste, but striking, anyway. Excellent dentistry.
I'm willing to make the sacrifice. ;-)
Thanks!
Pinz
You're welcome. It took some looking to find a good-sized, clear picture, and obviously it's not his prettiest look :-).
I think the point is that a real geisha also provides pleasant company, entertainment, and conversation, besides satisfying more physical needs
So a sweet talking hooker is ok with you? Is that what you are saying?
Oh, I don't know.... I think all his looks are pretty. :-)
I'm shallow. lol
Pinz
Heinlein said it well
A whore should be judged by the same criteria as other professionals offering services for pay -- such as dentists, lawyers, hairdressers, physicians, plumbers, etc. Is she professionally competent? Does she give good measure? Is she honest with her clients?It is possible that the percentage of honest and competent whores is higher than that of plumbers and much higher than that of lawyers. And enormously higher than that of professors.
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