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Fantasy drama

Dreams That Money Can Buy (1947): Cast & Plot

Dreams That Money Can Buy (1947) movie poster

Dreams That Money Can Buy is a 1947 fantasy drama directed by Hans Richter and Man Ray, starring Jack Bittner as Joe / Narcissus, Samuel Cohen and Ethel Beseda. It runs 1 hour 20 minutes.

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Dreams That Money Can Buy (1947) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 20m (80 min)
Directors
Hans Richter and Man Ray
Genres
Drama , Fantasy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Dreams That Money Can Buy About?

The premise of Dreams That Money Can Buy without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

The film seeks to introduce surrealist art to a broader audience. It follows an ordinary man who can summon dream‑like visions that improve his clients’ lives. This narrative framework stitches together a series of avant‑garde vignettes created by leading visual artists of the era, many of whom had fled to the United States as refugees during World II.

Dreams That Money Can Buy Themes & Keywords

· 12 tags
  • dada
  • experimental film
  • episodic structure
  • dream sequence
  • dream analysis
  • art
  • surrealism
  • avant garde
  • nihilism
  • mannequin
  • spiral
  • ladder
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Cast & crew

Dreams That Money Can Buy Cast & Characters

Jack Bittner leads the cast as Joe / Narcissus, with Samuel Cohen as Mr. A. and Ethel Beseda as Mrs. A.. Directed by Hans Richter and Man Ray; 23 actors are credited in all.

From the directors

More from Hans Richter and Man Ray

More films directed by Hans Richter and Man Ray: Return to Reason: Four Films by Man Ray, From the Circus to the Moon, Dadascope and 8 x 8: A Chess-Sonata in 8 Movements.

Plot

Dreams That Money Can Buy Plot Summary

What happens in Dreams That Money Can Buy from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 6-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Joe Jack Bittner is an ordinary man who has just signed a complicated lease on a room. As he ponders how to pay the rent, he discovers a strange gift: when he looks into his own eyes in a mirror, he can see the contents of his mind unfolding. This realization leads him to a bold idea—to use his talent to help others by selling tailor-made dreams. He sets up shop in his room and begins a surreal enterprise, promising to deliver personalized dreams to a growing and restless clientele. The premise rests on a provocative conceit: a single real-world impulse—a desire for escape or fulfillment—can be translated into a dreamscape that feels almost like a private film, crafted with images that feel both intimate and alien.

Full summary

The whole story of Dreams That Money Can Buy, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Dreams That Money Can Buy?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What unique ability does the protagonist discover when he looks into his own eyes in a mirror?

Details

Dreams That Money Can Buy Also Known As

5 alternative titles, including “꿈은 돈으로 살 수 있다” and “Sueños que el dinero puede comprar”.

Also known as
  • 꿈은 돈으로 살 수 있다
  • Sueños que el dinero puede comprar
  • 钱能买到的梦
  • Сны, которые можно купить за деньги
  • 錢能買到的夢

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FAQ

Dreams That Money Can Buy FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Dreams That Money Can Buy, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Dreams That Money Can Buy?

Dreams That Money Can Buy runs 1 hour 20 minutes (80 minutes).

When was Dreams That Money Can Buy released?

Dreams That Money Can Buy was released on September 1, 1947.

Who directed Dreams That Money Can Buy?

Dreams That Money Can Buy was directed by Hans Richter and Man Ray.

More films by Hans Richter

Who is in the cast of Dreams That Money Can Buy?

Dreams That Money Can Buy stars Jack Bittner as Joe / Narcissus, Samuel Cohen as Mr. A. and Ethel Beseda as Mrs. A., among 23 credited actors.

Does Dreams That Money Can Buy have a post-credit scene?

No. Dreams That Money Can Buy has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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