Flowing

Even though Mikio Naruse's Flowing (1956) tells about the geisha tradition in post-war Japan the audience is never shown scenes of the actual entertainment apart from brief glimpses of young geisha practicing. The film's focus is on the large cast of characters, all the different sort of people who live in the financially unstable geisha house.

Naruse's films usually develop at a relatively fast pace, but even under his standards Flowing's narrative is like a whirlwind. As multiple storylines develop simultaneously and intertwine, Naruse builds a fascinating world which easily gathers the audience's attention throughout the film. Each character is more or less colorful (and unforgettable) and the acting is top-notch. It is funny (yet amazing) how the film features so many of the greatest Japanese actresses of the 50's (only lacking Setsuko Hara).

The films Naruse made in the 50's follow the same sort of formal pattern so it is really hard to say anything new about it, having seen so many of his films in a row. It would be possible to approach each film more individually if I were to write an analytical text of the films, but within the restrictions of the review format it is quite impossible to say anything drastically different about each film. Flowing is formally excellent due to its great compositions (which differ in significant ways depending on whether the scene is set in an interior or exterior location) and crafty editing.

On the first view Flowing is great, but I'm not sure whether it is on the level of Naruse's greatest masterpiece (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) yet. I guess I will have to watch it again at some point for final evaluation.

Score: 9 out of 10

Late Chrysanthemums

Mikio Naruse's Late Chrysanthemums (1954) is a film about 3 former geishas who try to cope with monetary and family issues. Weirdly enough the film offers a great observation on the geisha tradition even though we see none of the activity onscreen. Instead it focuses on the effects of the profession on the three main characters when they are already old.

The characters are clearly and strongly characterized, which makes the film a lot more enjoyable because its focus is on the characters in the end. The narrative is satisfying - even if its methods of exposition (forced bits of dialogue and inner monologues) are a tad awkward, they fit into the context of the film.

Naruse's form functions well although it is not necessarily spectacular. At times it reminded me of Ozu's visual aesthetic due to the low camera positions and actors talking directly at the camera. However the similarities are only superficial - and it's probably better that way. The lighting was a bit hard to judge because the image was quite dark in BFI's DVD release, but it seemed reasonable.

Late Chrysanthemums falls between When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) and Floating Clouds (1955) in terms of quality: it's a thoroughly solid effort, but nothing more.

Score: 8 out of 10

Gion Festival Music

Kenji Mizoguchi's Gion bayashi (1953) - often translated as either Gion Festival Music or A Geisha - is the story of two geishas, a newcomer and an experienced one, struggling to survive when the geisha tradition begins to change after the World War II. In comparison to Sansho the Bailiff and Ugetsu, Mizoguchi's so-called feminism is most obvious in Gion Festival Music. The women are powerless against men and thus they are exploited - although Mizoguchi approaches the story in a refreshingly subtle way. But most of all, the film is about the relationship between the two geishas and how it evolves.

Mizoguchi's camerawork is similar to his other movies: (relatively) long takes, constantly moving and always very poignant. Even though the studio pressured him not to stick to his "one scene, one take" editing, there are a lot of takes that can be considered quite long. Even though his editing and cinematography are powerful, they are played down a little here for the sake of more subtlety - although the film can be considered more melodramatic than any of Yasujiro Ozu's films, for example.

Ultimately, Gion Festival Music is a good film which works well in general, but it is forgettable in the end.

Score: 8 out of 10