I've only seen 5 Mizoguchi films:  Sansho Dayu, Ugetsu Monogatari, 47 Ronin, Story of the Last Chrysanthemum, and Life of Oharu--and he definitely has my attention.  I'd put him on par with Ozu (around #3), just slightly below Tarkovsky and maybe Bergman.  If Geisha is anything like Life of Oharu, I'll be depressed for weeks.