Yoshiwara

Yoshiwara (1937) offers a fascinating dive into the complex world of Edo-period Japan, blending romance, social commentary, and an undeniable sense of melancholy. The film takes us to the heart of Yoshiwara, the famous pleasure district in Tokyo, where desire, power, and societal expectations intertwine.

The plot itself is rooted in timeless themes of love and sacrifice, yet it's the lush visuals and atmospheric setting that truly elevate the narrative. The film's portrayal of the Yoshiwara district, with its rich textures and vibrant details, creates a world brimming with life, even amidst the struggles faced by its inhabitants.

What makes Yoshiwara stand out is its exploration of the human condition within the confines of tradition and duty. The performances are nuanced, with the lead characters portraying a range of emotions from passion to despair, all while navigating the rigid societal structures of their time.

This 1937 film is a gem that showcases the elegance and complexity of early Japanese cinema, offering a poignant reflection on love, power, and the intersection of personal freedom and societal norms.

Michiko Tanaka's family sells her to a geisha house in Yoshiwara, Tokyo's red-light district. She is carried to her place of business by rickshaw man Sessue Hayakawa, who falls in love with her and tries to buy her freedom, to no avail; she doesn't begin to have enough money. Noble, virtuous Russian naval officer Pierre Richard-Willm finds her while rebuking a fellow officer who went thither for a good time. They fall in love, and he pays the owner of the house money for all her time while he's been assigned to Tokyo for the purposes of the plot. Meanwhile, Hayakawa is let out of prison if he spies constantly on Willm.

It should come as no surprise to begin by noting that Max Ophüls' movie is an exercise in formalism, a stage play with fine camerawork by Eugen Schüfftan. The story it is based on is derivative junk, written by someone who apparently had seen MADAME BUTTERFLY, and perhaps Miss Tanaka in her stage premiere in DIE GEISHA. Willm is a good actor and performs his role with conviction, even though what is important to him varies from minute to minute. Hayakawa acts superbly in a largely physical role -- the producers thought he spoke French and cut his dialogue on discovering he did not.

Miss Tanaka performs her role well. She was actually an opera singer, and had performed in Puccini's opera. She was the niece of the Japanese Ambassador to Vienna, and had moved thither to study violin and singing. There she married the wealthy owner of a chain store, and began a career that lasted many years. She died in 1988, aged 74.

Although Max Ophuls' works of that era are not highly praised ("Werther" "Sans Lendemain" "De Mayerling A Sarajevo") ,they nevertheless bear the stamp of the director.These are all romantic stories with doomed lovers,be they fictitious (the two first movies) or historic (the latter)."Yoshiwara " was made in the studio and reportedly in the Japanese Garden of the Porte de Saint-Cloud in Paris(it was first intended to be filmed in Japan),and the lack of means is obvious.

Rather listless in its first part ,this story of love between a geisha and a Russian lieutenant features at least a great scene in the second one: "the night at the opera" .There is a similar scene in "letters from an unknown woman" when the lovers pretend they are traveling on a magic train.Another equivalent is Edwige Feuillère's pilgrimage at the ski resort in "Sans Lendemain".

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