This film is about geishas on Kyoto, Japan, in how they live and ply their trade. Since it was made by Mr. Mizoguchi, who seemed to have a fascination with prostitutes, it is right up his alley. While good, the story did not completely grab me like some of his others, especially "Street Of Shame" and "Ugetsu". The film's success is in the message it portrays as to these ladies, that they are somewhat trapped in their existence with no way out, broke and looking for a patron to take them out of that life. However, I did not find the characters to be as developed as I would have liked, so the film loses steam, even though it is a fairly short film, much less than ninety minutes. Still worth watching, it just doesn't have the depth of some of his other films.