My Geisha is a film that I'm not sure why it is overlooked. Essentially Shirley MacLaine plays two roles in this film. One she's Lucy Dell, a Hollywood Actress not unlike Shirley MacLaine. But with a lot of heavy makeup she's also playing a geisha girl who husband/director Yves Montand picks to star in a film version of Madame Butterfly.

Shirley at that time was married to Steve Parker who lived and worked in Japan and they had one of the weirdest marriages on record. They stayed together almost thirty years, basically because they only saw each other once or twice a year with her living in Hollywood. But this film with Steve Parker producing it for his wife brought them together for a much longer sojourn.

Montand directs his wife's films and she's known as a good comic actress in the profession. He and her perennial leading man Bob Cummings want to do a serious drama, Madame Butterfly, film the Puccini opera with dubbed in singers.

MacLaine and producer Edward G. Robinson go to Japan, Shirley in secret and for a lark she puts on geisha makeup and outfit. Montand and Cummings are so taken with her that Montand hires the geisha that Shirley is pretending to be as the lead in Madame Butterfly.

The masquerade is kept going, but the joke runs into some unforeseen complications for all concerned.

My Geisha glides effortlessly from comedy to drama when the careers and egos of both MacLaine and Montand are on the line. It works out in a highly unusual way. Both Montand and MacLaine do very well by their lead parts with Bob Cummings portraying a wolfish leading man and Edward G. Robinson to dispense wise counsel for all.

It's a very good part for Shirley MacLaine. She summons some hidden depths for the film in portraying the tragic geisha of Madame Butterfly. It's one of her best films.

Beleaguered, contrived story has Shirley MacLaine playing an over-eager actress determined to star in her director-husband's new picture, the musical "Madame Butterfly". But hubby Yves Montand is indifferent, so Shirl travels to the Orient to audition for him disguised as a geisha girl... it's like an episode of "I Love Lucy" where Ricky doesn't recognize his own wife incognito. MacLaine proves to be so convincing in fact that she gets mixed up in romantic misunderstandings and harried make-up switcheroos (the low-point comes when slimy co-star Robert Cummings puts the moves on the sexy geisha--nearly raping her in the process). Terrible movie has a talented star and top-drawer production values, yet it wastes both on ridiculous material. * from ****

I am not sure how this film would be received by the Japanese. The idea of an American actress posing as a geisha would seem utterly silly to them, I would assume. However, despite seeming insane to me, this really worked...and was a lovely film.

Shirley MacLaine played a famous actress married to a director (Yves Montand). He is about to make a movie version of "Madame Butterfly" and resists her request for him to cast her in the movie. So, to prove to him she could do it, she secretly follows him to Japan to find the perfect actress. Posing as a geisha, MacLaine is able to convince him to cast her in the role--and he has no idea she is his wife. This is all very clever and cute--and MacLaine makes the best of this role. Perhaps she isn't perfect but I can't think of another American actress of the time doing better. She is, oddly, quite credible.

The film, however, takes a big jump later in the movie. Instead of a light film, a darker side of all this comes to light. I could easily say more but think you really need to see it for yourself. I loved how the story eventually became a parallel to "Madame Butterfly"--and ended marvelously (nearly making me cry). I think some feminists today might blanch at this ending, but I really understood MacLaine's sacrifice and thought this was a perfect way to wrap up the film.

Exceptionally complex and enjoyable. The writing was amazing and acting quite good. This seemingly slight movie really took me by surprise and has an amazing depth to it. Well worth seeing and, at times, fun and at others quite touching. See this film.

By the way, if you do see this film, pay attention to the attempted seduction scene involving Bob Cummings. When seen today, this certainly appears like an attempted rape and is quite creepy.