Rhapsody in August is about a Japanese grand master Akira Kurosawa's eloquent examination of the nuclear Holocaust in Nagasaki, as seen through the eyes of a survivor and her four grandchildren, 44 years later. The grandmother, prompted by her grandchildren and a visit from her Japanese-American nephew (Gere), recalls the history of her family and Japanese society. As she searches for an understanding of the past, she falls into despair over the loss of her husband in the blast as its anniversary draws near. The grandmother's 80 years of insight make a strange story for her grandchildren--sad, but funny; bringing tears, but also smiles.