jjnxn-1 Satisfactory comedy is put over by a cute Shirley MacLaine performance and that old pro Edward G. Robinson. Bob Cummings has his moments as an egotistical star although the thought of him as a major romantic idol is a bit of a stretch. The major flaw as it always is in any film in which he appeared is that cinematic black hole Yves Montand. At least in his English language films he is so devoid of personality and charisma that he stops the picture dead in it's tracks whenever he is on screen. Also the fact that his character doesn't recognize his wife in geisha makeup when she looks exactly like Shirley MacLaine in a black wig and heavy makeup make him seem like a nitwit.

nomoons11 Now this one was a real Technicolor treat. The scenery in this one is just gorgeous. Unfortunately the story and 1 casting mistake can't make me like this film.A famous comedy star is always directed by her husband. He wants to go out on his own and do a film without her so he can prove himself as a Director. The studios want none of it and barely give him a budget to work with so her agent and herself conspire to try and fool him by slipping her in the title role as a Geisha. Will he find out it's her and what will he do?This one had a lot I liked but the casting of Bob Cummings was a dreadful mistake. His day and time was in the 40's comedies and by this time....he was far past his prime. His annoying portrayal of a leading comedy star who can't stop marrying women or keep his hands off of them just doesn't work. One scene he comes close to just about forcing himself on the Geisha character and let me tell you...it's a very uncomfortable watch for a "suppose-to-be-comedy". He just can't pull off the handsome leading man in this. It's a laugh in itself. The coup of this film was Yves Montand. A great French film star but for the life of me, how blind could he be not to see or figure out the Geisha was his wife? It's just not plausible that your married to someone and around them all that time and you don't get a hint that it's her. Shirley McClain is her usual stellar self. She had a nice run in the late 50's and mid 60's. She never fails to entertain but even she can't save this thing. The master himself, Edward G. Robinson, does a fine job playing her agent. Once again though, he can't save this from a negative review. The ending is pretty obvious but again, believable?... Hardly.I think my main gripe is those Hollywood Endings we got stuck with. Within a few years we got films with some plausible consequences to bad behavior in films but this absolutely needed a different ending.Watch this one for the fantastic scenery shots of Japan in the mountains. I doubt you'll ever see any better. Other than that, move along little doggy.

Vornoff-3 Very Mild SpoilersThe basic plot of `My Geisha' is so cliché as to be ridiculous. A husband slights his wife by implying that she could not handle the lead in his new production of `Madame Butterfly', she dresses up as a Geisha to prove he couldn't tell her from a real Japanese girl, and he hires the lovely (fake) Japanese. The rest of the story toys with infidelity and the question of whether the couple `really' loves each other and all's well that ends well. You've seen it all (and with far better comic timing) on `I Love Lucy' dozens of times.However, Shirley MacLaine is both young and exciting as the spurned actress, Yves Montand is excellent as the long-suffering `Ricki' equivalent, and Edward G Robinson manages to pull off both Fred and Ethel while making it look almost fun to be an overstressed film producer. The Japanese actors all hold their own very well - in spite of a plot that may disturb the racial sensitivities of modern audiences. In spite of its datedness, this film manages to approach the intricacies of Japanese culture with genuine respect, and does not treat the `Geisha' as a by-definition dishonored woman. This is not to say that it depicts its subject with any degree of accurate detail, but at least it avoids the most heinous cliches.The other redeeming aspect of the movie is a reasonable amount of strong outdoor location work in 1960's Japan. The cinematographer is Japanese, suggesting that Jack Cardiff (who was himself a cameraman at one time) was looking for an Asian eye to depict the Japan he wanted American audiences to see. `My Geisha' does not capture an `authentic' Japanese flavor - certainly it looks nothing like a contemporary Japanese film - but it does, perhaps, give a refined tour guide's perspective.

dlgart What on the surface appears to be an improbable plot line becomes increasingly plausible due to the combination of great make up work, spectacular costuming, (Edith Head) and a truly amazing performance by Shirley Maclaine. Crisp, sharp focus, color cinematography, interesting locations and set design, combine with a genuine fondness for Japanese culture resulting in an admirable early 60's comedy/drama.