Memoirs of a Geisha Movie Analysis Essay Example

For our Movie Night project, our group decided to analyze the movie “Memoirs of a Geisha”, directed by Rob Marshall in 2005. Taking place in 1920’s Japan, we follow the story of our main character; 9 year old Chiyo. She and Satsu (her sister) were sold off by their father to pay for their ill mother’s medication. After getting shipped off across Japan, the girls meet Miss Nitta; the “mother” of the okiya. . The “mothers” of the okiya act as a manager for the geishas; doing things such as handling their engagements, developing their skills, and providing funding for the geishas’ training. A geisha is well known as a professional class of performing artists (mostly women) in Japan whose traditional occupation is to entertain men with skills such as singing, dancing, and playing music (2008). Miss Nitta decides that she will only take in Chiyo because she believes that Satsu wasn’t “pretty enough” to be a geisha, leaving her to be sent off to a prostitution house. 

Once inside, we are introduced to Pumpkin; a fellow geisha in training who shows Chiyo the ropes of the okiya, and Hatsumomo; the head geisha of the okiya who dislikes Chiyo from the beginning. She puts Chiyo in many situations that end in her getting hurt and/or punished. Despite this, Chiyo pushes forward and tries her best to fit in. Eventually Chiyo finds her sister and together they plan to run away the next night. Unfortunately, Chiyo missed her chance after falling off a roof during her escape, and never sees Satsu again. After this incident, Mother Nitta decided that Chiyo would no longer train to become a geisha and instead become her personal servant. One day while out in town Chiyo is approached by the Chairman, a kind individual who shows her a small act of kindness that motivates her to continue to work towards becoming a geisha and meeting him again one day.

Flashforward a couple of years, where Chiyo is now 15 years old. We get news that Mameha; another established gisha, makes a bet with Mother Nitta that if she takes Chiyo under her wing and can pay off all her debts within 6 months of her debut, Chiyo will be able to keep the rest of her earnings throughout the rest of her career as a geisha. We see a montage of Mameha and Chiyo working hard to harness her geisha skills in preparation for her upcoming debut.