Tales of a Golden Geisha

Mr. Itami's films sometimes send up Japanese culture and this no exception. Nayoko (played by his wife, the always great to watch Nobuko Miyamoto) plays a bank secretary who was abandoned as a baby and raised as a Geisha. She possesses the luck in her that comes to men who are with her (for them, not for her), at first being a mistress for a bishop, a much older official and especially with Mondo (Masahiko Tsugawa), who is a manager at her bank. Mondo is a womanizer, but she agrees to be with him. The film is fun, there are some funny parts. The question is whether she will stay with Mondo or go back to her life as a Geisha. What I've always liked about Mr. Itami's films is his attention to detail, he tells a story vividly and with verve. Ms. Miyamoto embraces every role she is in and she is a joy to watch in this film, as well as others. Perhaps not as good as "A Taxing Woman" (that is an essential film), this film has more than enough to recommend it. Enjoy!