Mizoguchi Kenji always had a soft spot for the women of Japan, being known as a "feminist" director in his home country. Mainly, he sees the pathos of the suffering of Japanese women, buckling under the strict social rules of their society. He is a master of "aware," beautiful suffering, that is such a trademark of Japanese film.
"The Sisters of the Gion" ("Gion no Shimai") is true to Mizoguchi's theme, telling the story of two Geisha "sisters," sharing a home together and scrapping by in the Gion pleasure district of 1930's Kyoto. The elder girl, Umekichi, is a traditionalist, believing in old-fashioned values such as loyalty and trust. The younger girl, O-Mocha ("Toy" in Japanese) is head-strong and modern, believing that the men who are their customers should be fleeced for every penny, showing them the same lack of respect they show the girls.
Ultimately, both girl's ideals lead down the same troubled path, as the oppressive world they live in offers little room for interpretation. They are both right, and they are both wrong. They both suffer.
Mizoguchi's camera paints this depressing portrait with such precise vision that one cannot helped but be moved by the plight of the two sisters. The black and white images are masterfully manipulated, staying in the brain long after the frame has moved on. The film's short running time, only 69 minutes, allows for the story to be told completely, with exactly enough information and no extra fluff or frivol.
Overall, a beautiful, powerful film. It ranks amongst my favorite Japanese films of all time.
This same theme of the suffering geisha sisters was followed up by Mizoguchi in his 1953 post-War film "A Geisha" ("Gion Bayashi") If they were packaged together, they would make a stunning DVD release.
