Watch Tales of a Golden Geisha For Free

Absolutely brilliant

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

TALES OF A GOLDEN GEISHA (AGEMAN). Viewed on Streaming. Director Juzo Itami's (he is also credited as story writer and co-producer) story about the life and times as well as the positive/negative impacts of Lady Luck in the form of a contemporary gig geisha who professionally encounters rich/powerful/corrupt men (politicians especially, but also bankers, religious leaders, and any male in a position of authority) and develops a reputation for helping those who contract for her services move up to the one-percenter level. Lady Luck, of course, is notoriously known to be fickle, and Itami's version is basically no exception. The film stars Nobuko Miyamoto (the Director's wife) who looks stunning with and without her clothes, and, since she is in practically every scene, is able to fully display her acting talents from light comedy to light drama (and not be lost in the large cast of supporting players including Itami's stock company). Miyamoto's character provides her services gratis to her real love in the pro forma scenario of "girl meets boy, girl (repeatedly) loses boy, girl (finally) re-captures boy." (It's quite a chase!) The film is a bit too long, but never really boring (the Director tosses in a nude shot here and there to keep the viewer's attention). Fight scenes are mainly created by jump-cut editing. Interestingly, players wearing glasses never lose them in action scenes (the magic of the editing suite!). Most/all geisha look well past their prime when in scenes with Miyamoto. Contemporary geisha makeup avoids the traditional white-face ghost-mask look. (You can see the faces of actresses playing geisha roles!) Subtitles appear before dialog is delivered in some conversations. Score is a bit heavy on string-instrument orchestrations, but otherwise okay. It's really more fun to watch Nobuko Miyamoto acting instead of her usual hamming it up and eating the scenery! WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD. Details: streaming/restoration (FilmStruck) = 8 stars; cinematography (semi-wide screen, color) = 8 stars; production values = 8 stars; makeup (face/body) = 8 stars; direction = 7 stars; editing = 6 stars; score = 6 stars; subtitles = 5 stars.

Is there anything more enjoyable than curling up and watching Juzo Itami movies? The clothing and dress are particularly stunning with all of the characters. The bright red lipsticks, the fashion of the city. The over all phasing back and forth between the timeless old fashioned quarters and modern society.Each scene is highlight with delightful transitions book-ended with the catchy score. This is comparable to Juzo Itami's Minbo, although a completely different style of film and musical interludes.Nobuko Miyamoto again completely transforms herself as the titular Geisha. Her story turns the romantic narrative on its head and completely throws out the conventions of the genera. The glorified melodramatic situations are treated in such a flippant way it highlights the absurdity of human situations to begin with. This is a common theme in every Juzo Itami work, which is why I feel it appeals to everybody. It's not so much an idealization of these very Japanese themes, but a loving study of humanity, the ridiculousness of life, and the human spirit through humor.

Mr. Itami's films sometimes send up Japanese culture and this no exception. Nayoko (played by his wife, the always great to watch Nobuko Miyamoto) plays a bank secretary who was abandoned as a baby and raised as a Geisha. She possesses the luck in her that comes to men who are with her (for them, not for her), at first being a mistress for a bishop, a much older official and especially with Mondo (Masahiko Tsugawa), who is a manager at her bank. Mondo is a womanizer, but she agrees to be with him. The film is fun, there are some funny parts. The question is whether she will stay with Mondo or go back to her life as a Geisha. What I've always liked about Mr. Itami's films is his attention to detail, he tells a story vividly and with verve. Ms. Miyamoto embraces every role she is in and she is a joy to watch in this film, as well as others. Perhaps not as good as "A Taxing Woman" (that is an essential film), this film has more than enough to recommend it. Enjoy!

Not quite up to the standard of TAXING WOMAN or SUPERMARKET WOMAN. A-ge-man ("Raise Up Organ") is a deliberately episodic tale, which takes slices of the lead character's life, beginning with her discovery as an abandoned baby, through childhood training as a somewhat gawky geisha, finding her first rich patron, then leaving the profession to work as a bank secretary.Somewhat unexpectedly, most of the film concentrates on her time in the bank, and her gradually developing relationship with frequent co-star Masahiko Tsugawa, who plays a fast-upwardly mobile serial playboy. Even when he wins the lovely Nayoko and she lives with him, he doesn't stop screwing several other women at once.On the plus side, the film has a lovely look, colourful with stunning costumes and sets. And lead actress Nobuko (also Itami's wife) looks radiant, though she is far from a young woman even here. Perhaps affirming this, there is a brief scene where she appears topless whilst looking in a mirror.I felt the episodic structure wasn't done as well at it could have been, and that Tsugawa's character, while quite charming at times, grates because of his obviously unfaithful and inconsiderate nature.Worth watching, but see a few other of Itami's great films first.