Kane (Sachiko Murase), who lost her husband when the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, is visited by her four grandchildren who begin to learn about what happened on that August day in 1945… One of Akira Kurosawa’s last films is a quiet rumination on the relationship between Japan and the U.S. after the end of WWII. Pointing to the lessons we should learn, and marveling at how close the nations have become, the director also contributes symbolism and a visual poetry that touch on the trauma. Perhaps not a great drama, but moving and undeniably interesting.
1991-Japan. 98 min. Color. Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Novel: Kiyoko Murata. Cast: Sachiko Murase (Kane), Richard Gere (Clark), Hisashi Igawa (Tadao), Narumi Kayashima.
Trivia: Original title: Hachi-gatsu no kyôshikyoku.
