The Sleeping Dictionary (2003): Cast, Box Office & Where to Watch
The Sleeping Dictionary is a 2003 romantic drama directed by Guy Jenkin, starring Jessica Alba as Selima, Hugh Dancy and Bob Hoskins. It runs 1 hour 49 minutes and earned $57,524 worldwide. Rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 49m (109 min)
- Director
- Guy Jenkin
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Fine Line Features
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Sleeping Dictionary About?
The premise of The Sleeping Dictionary without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
He travels to Sarawak to serve the British colonial administration, where he must learn the local language and customs. Immersed in unfamiliar traditions, he becomes entangled with the striking Selima, whose affection he pursues while confronting cultural conflicts and difficult choices of the heart.
The Sleeping Dictionary Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- body double in sex scene
- sex scene
- female frontal nudity
- borneo
- colony
- three word title
- indigenous people
- first time sex
- sex lesson
- oral sex
- heavy rain
- car pulled by ox
+38 more Show fewer
- interracial romance
- woman
- love
- young
- female nudity
- vomiting
- urination
- tug of war
- tribe
- trial
- toy boat
- target practice
- subtitled scene
- storytelling
- singing
- singer
- silver
- ship
- seduction
- secret
- rain
- prologue
- poison
- pith helmet
- murder
- movie projector
- mother son relationship
- mining
- mine
- malaysia
- lizard
- male female relationship
- knife
- insect
- illness
- husband wife relationship
- holding breath
- gun
Where to Watch The Sleeping Dictionary
Rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
The Sleeping Dictionary Cast & Characters
Jessica Alba leads the cast as Selima, with Hugh Dancy as John Truscott and Bob Hoskins as Henry. Directed by Guy Jenkin; 8 actors are credited in all.
- Director Guy Jenkin
-
Jessica Alba as Selima -
Hugh Dancy as John Truscott -
Bob Hoskins as Henry -
Brenda Blethyn as Aggie
Also Starring in The Sleeping Dictionary
· 4 more- Emily Mortimer Cecil
- Noah Taylor Neville
- K.K. Moggie Tipong
- Christopher Ling Lee Ian Jasmine
The Sleeping Dictionary Plot Summary
What happens in The Sleeping Dictionary from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A young and naive Englishman, John Truscott, Hugh Dancy, travels to the British protectorate of Sarawak in Borneo—a region the film describes as a colony—to apply his father’s humanitarian work to the Iban people. There he meets his boss Henry Bullard, Bob Hoskins, and his wife Aggie Bullard, Brenda Blethyn. John aims to civilize the land by building schools and introducing education, while slowly learning the unfamiliar local customs that shape daily life for the Iban communities. A girl named Selima, Jessica Alba, becomes his sleeping dictionary, sleeping with him and teaching him the language and habits of the locals.
Full summary
The whole story of The Sleeping Dictionary, scene by scene
The Sleeping Dictionary Box Office
The Sleeping Dictionary grossed $57,524 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$57.5K
- International
- $57.5K
The Sleeping Dictionary Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Sleeping Dictionary.
How Well Do You Know The Sleeping Dictionary?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who portrayed the English protagonist John Truscott?
The Sleeping Dictionary Also Known As
22 alternative titles, including “Selma und John” and “Piccolo dizionario amoroso”.
- Also known as
-
- Selma und John
- Piccolo dizionario amoroso
- Amour interdit
- El lenguaje de los sueños
- Selima & John
- Kärlekens lexikon
- Интимный словарь
- Se slovníkem v posteli
- 字典情人
- Dicționarul din Alcov
- המילון הישן
- Dicionário de Cama
+10 more Show fewer
- 슬리핑 딕셔너리
- A Nyelvtanárnő
- Інтимний словник
- Езикът на любовта
- Słownik snów
- Θυελλώδης Έρωτας
- Slovník do postele
- Unelmien aakkoset, ინტიმური ლექსიკონი
- Leçons sur l'oreiller
- หัวใจรักสะท้านโลก
Seen The Sleeping Dictionary?
Movies Like The Sleeping Dictionary
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Sleepless, Wintersleepers and Sleeping Beauty.
The Sleeping Dictionary FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office and post-credit scenes of The Sleeping Dictionary, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Sleeping Dictionary?
The Sleeping Dictionary runs 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).
When was The Sleeping Dictionary released?
The Sleeping Dictionary was released on January 31, 2003.
Who directed The Sleeping Dictionary?
The Sleeping Dictionary was directed by Guy Jenkin.
More films by Guy Jenkin Who is in the cast of The Sleeping Dictionary?
The Sleeping Dictionary stars Jessica Alba as Selima, Hugh Dancy as John Truscott and Bob Hoskins as Henry, among 8 credited actors.
Where can I watch The Sleeping Dictionary?
In the US, The Sleeping Dictionary is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How much did The Sleeping Dictionary make at the box office?
The Sleeping Dictionary grossed $57,524 worldwide.
Does The Sleeping Dictionary have a post-credit scene?
No. The Sleeping Dictionary has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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