An artist for sale

If there’s something called alluring visual language of a movie, this one has it in heaps. “Memoirs of a Geisha” is a simple story, but narrated most stunningly. The costumes, locales and cinematography are breathtaking. This is a mysterious world of ironic grace and enticement. What hardships must a girl go through to become a desired Geisha? How different is she from a prostitute? A prostitute sells her body, a Geisha her skill. But don’t both of them share the same burden of being a commodity and the inexistence of love in their lives? Everything is in this women’s is transient; there’s perpetual mistrust and competition. You compete even with your sisters for the hollow affection of a client. The scene with the narrative of the war is the perfect example of a montage. The metaphorical nature of the film reflects in everything.

An excerpt from the movie says it all: "She paints her face to hide her face. Her eyes are deep water. It is not for Geisha to want. It is not for geisha to feel. Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances, she sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows, the rest is secret."

Another great movie on jealousy and betrayal is "Raise the Red Lantern" where Li Gong (Hatsumomo) plays Songlian, the fourth mistress to a wealthy Chinese lord and is caught up in the unremitting competition between the four mistresses to gain the affection of the lord. The color red plays the most vital role in the film, see it to know why!