“Sisters of Gion” is the superior follow up to 1936’s “Osaka Elegy”. Its a story of two sisters who live in the Gion section of Kyoto. Fine acting from all, and in this film we get to see Mizoguchi begin to move the camera as he is known for in his late masterpieces(I haven’t seen any of his films from before 1936, so I don’t know if this was a first, of if he was just trying for something different stylistically for “Osaka Elegy”.

The film moves along at a nice pace, and while it is the same length as “Osaka Elegy” it doesn’t feel like it is 700 minutes long rather than 70. The story itself is one that Mizoguchi will become quite at home with in his later films, the story of women working in the geisha district, and while there are no significant flaws in the film; it lacks the scope and poetry that make films like “Sansho the Bailiff” and “Life of Oharo” such masterpieces.

At only 69 minutes, it seems like a dry-run for ideas that would be more fully pursued later, but as it is, it is a film that I would recommend, and if 1948’s “Women of the Night” is as good as this one, I would still feel comfortable recommending the “Fallen Women” box set. even though “Street of Shame” and “Osaka Elegy” are not nearly as good.

3 stars out of 5.