My Geisha

2h 1962

Brief Synopsis

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Paul Robaix (Yves Montand) is a well known director, married to Lucy Dell (Shirley MacLaine), a famous movie star. Robaix wants to make a movie of the classic play Madame Butterfly, but he doesn't want his wife to play the leading part, as in his previous pictures. Producer Sam Lewis (Edward G. Robinson) and Lucy Dell think up a scheme to get her in the picture after all. Lucy disguises as a Geisha, and gets the leading part in the picture. When Robaix finds out he gets so mad, he wants to divorce Lucy...

Cast & Crew

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Jack Cardiff

Director

Shirley Maclaine

Lucy Dell/Yoko Mori

Yves Montand

Paul Robaix

Edward G. Robinson

Sam Lewis

Bob Cummings

Bob Moore

Yoko Tani

Kazumi Ito

Film Details

Genre
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
Jan 1962
Premiere Information
New York showing: 13 Jun 1962
Production Company
Sachiko Productions
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Country
United States
Location
Japan

Technical Specs

Duration
2h
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Synopsis

Irritated because he is known merely as the director of his wife Lucy's pictures, Paul Robaix decides to go to Japan and make an art film starring an unknown geisha in the title role of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The outraged Lucy, accompanied by producer Sam Lewis, follows Paul to Japan and disguises herself as a geisha. When Paul sees her in a tea house and fails to recognize her, she assumes the name of Yoko Mori, takes lessons from Kazumi, a real geisha, passes a screen test and becomes Paul's new discovery. Complications arise when her wolfish leading man, Bob Moore, falls in love with her and asks Paul to help him win Yoko's hand. Shortly before filming is completed, Paul accidentally discovers the deception. Deeply hurt, he feels Lucy has deprived him of his one chance to win recognition without her support. But when Madama Butterfly premieres in Tokyo, Lucy, now wise in the ways of a geisha, appears as herself and tells the applauding audience that Yoko Mori has entered a convent and retired from the screen. She then proudly introduces her husband and gives him the entire credit for the picture.

Director

Jack Cardiff

Director

Cast

Shirley Maclaine

Lucy Dell/Yoko Mori

Yves Montand

Paul Robaix

Edward G. Robinson

Sam Lewis

Bob Cummings

Bob Moore

Yoko Tani

Kazumi Ito

Tatsuo Saito

Kenichi Takata

Alex Gerry

Leonard Lewis

Nobuo Chiba

Shig

Ichiro Hayakawa

Hisako Amatsu

George Furness

George

Tamae Kiyokawa

Tsugundo Maki

Crew

Harry Caplan

Production Manager

Hal David

Composer

Charles Grenzbach

Sound

Edith Head

Costumes

Makoto Kikuchi

Art Director

Norman Krasna

Screenwriter

Harry Kratz

Assistant Director

Harold Lewis

Sound

Arthur Lonergan

Art Director

Archie Marshek

Film Editor

Shunichiro Nakao

Cinematographer

Steve Parker

Producer

Hal Pereira

Art Director

Giacomo Puccini

Composer

Stanley Sayer

2nd unit Photographer

George Tyne

Dial Director

Franz Waxman

Music

Franz Waxman

Composer

Frank Westmore

Makeup

Film Details

Genre
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
Jan 1962
Premiere Information
New York showing: 13 Jun 1962
Production Company
Sachiko Productions
Distribution Company
Paramount Pictures
Country
United States
Location
Japan

Technical Specs

Duration
2h
Sound
Mono
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1

Award Nominations

Best Costume Design

1962
Edith Head

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

Filmed on location in Japan.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States 1962

Released in United States on Video August 12, 1991

Technirama

Released in United States 1962

Released in United States on Video August 12, 1991

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