Trong, a self-proclaimed king of a garbage dump, falls in love with the poor flower seller Thuy.

A theater troupe reunites in excitement for a new production after having been out of work for a long time, with the performers and their mentor having gone their separate ways to make ends meet. But the bitter fallout from the failed romance between the lead actor and the lead actress—a romance as long ago as her famously beautiful hair—threatens the play's success.

The Vietnam War from the North's viewpoint. Air raids on Hanoi stiffen the resolve of the population to strike back against a far more powerful enemy.