'GEISHA' A FANTASY TALE OF BEAUTY AND ELEGANCE.

Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic

'MEMOIRS OF A Geisha'' has taken flak in some circles for its casting of three Chinese actresses in the roles of Japanese geishas, but given that the material is essentially a Cinderella story writ large, the last thing required here is dutiful realism. Unless, of course, the filmmakers think they're telling - to quote the press notes - ``an intoxicating and riveting story of a hidden world.'' Then you might want to mix in something that feels remotely authentic.

As directed by ``Chicago'' helmer Rob Marshall, ``Memoirs'' brandishes old-school razzle dazzle at the expense of subtlety and contemplation, coating his sound stage sets in delicately applied layers of cherry blossoms and snowflakes. For good and bad, the film has the feel of an old-fashioned studio epic, full of sumptuous eye candy, window dressing and Western ideas about Eastern elegance. It's a fantasy through and through, about as exotic as a boat trip through ``It's a Small World'' at Disneyland.

When Marshall really has his magic wand working, the movie works. The presence of Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li and Ziyi Zhang certainly keeps the film watchable even through the lifeless patches that dot its 144-minute running time. But even the casting is problematic since the charismatic Zhang has problems with her dialogue (this is essentially her first English-language movie) and is miscast in the passive Cinderella role.

``Memoirs'' follows the story of Sayuri (Zhang), one of two sisters from a poverty-stricken family sent to Kyoto to work as a servant in a geisha house. The film's first 40 minutes follows the young girl (Suzaka Ohgo) as she continually runs afoul of haughty geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li, playing the evil stepsister) and the house's gruff proprietor Mother (Kaori Momoi, the evil stepmother).

The film then jumps to its 1930s middle section where the 15-year-old Sayuri meets her Prince Charming (Ken Watanabe) and finds her fairy godmother in the person of Mameha (Yeoh), the most celebrated geisha in Japan. Mameha takes Sayuri under her wing, sparking major cat-fight theatrics between Sayuri and Hatsumomo. For Marshall, it's Roxie vs. Velma, all over again, but this time with fans and silk gowns. Not surprisingly, it's the one part of the movie that feels most alive.

But there's still the onset of World War II, the erosion of the geisha world (the movie never quite explains why it's a loss to be mourned) and the movie's Glass Slipper Moment. Marshall and screenwriter Robin Swicord (one of many charged with whittling Arthur Golden's novel down to a bearable length) dutifully deliver the fantasy, perfectly pitched, though dubiously palatable, given that our princess met and began fantasizing about her middle-age Charming at the tender age of 15.

Glenn Whipp, [phone]

glenn.whipp(at)dailynews.com

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - Two and one half stars

(PG-13: mature subject matter, some sexual content)

Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li.

Director: Rob Marshall.

Running time: 2 hr. 24 min.

Playing: Pacific's The Grove Stadium 14 in Los Angeles; ArcLight in Hollywood; Mann Criterion 6 in Santa Monica.

In a nutshell: A Cinderella story writ large, an old-fashioned studio epic with all the eye candy and baggage that comes with that tag.

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The Chairman (Ken Watanabe) is charmed by the lovely Sayuri in ``Memoirs of a Geisha.''