After many childless years, King Stefan and Queen Leah, his lovely and beautiful wife, happily welcome the birth of their daughter, Princess Aurora. They proclaim a holiday for their subjects to pay homage to the princess and celebrate her birth. At the gathering for her christening she is betrothed to Prince Phillip, a small boy who is the only son of King Hubert, King Stefan's friend, so that their kingdoms will always be united.
Un village de haute montagne, au Japon : selon une coutume ancestrale, et, à cause du manque de nourriture, les hommes et les femmes de plus de 70 ans doivent être transportés sur le dos, par un des leurs, et abandonnés au mont Narayama. La vieille Orin, en âge d'y être conduite, encourage son fils, Tatsuhei, à accomplir cette tâche. La mère est déterminée mais le fils agit contre sa propre volonté.
Police disperse an organized street demonstration of elderly men demanding a raise in their meager pensions. One of the marchers is Umberto D. Ferrari, a retired government worker.
Mildred lives with her grandfather, Civil War veteran Jabez Burr,who she loves deeply. One day she receives a letter from her father saying that he has remarried. Mildred's stepmother finds out that Jabez is a heavy drinker and starts to get worry about he's closeness with Mildred and soon takes a dislike to him. To avoid more frictions Jabez decided to leave. He tells he's granddaughter that is happy and working in a farm, but the truth is that he is staying at the County's Poor House.