Dollar 1938

Comedy

Runtime

78 mins

Language

Swedish

Directed by

Gustaf Molander

Made by

SF Studios

Where to Watch Dollar

See current US streaming, rental, and purchase options for Dollar (1938) via JustWatch.

Criterion Channel

Stream

Streaming availability powered by

Test your knowledge of Dollar with our quiz!

Dollar Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Dollar (1938). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Before a special evening at the Royal Yacht Club, Ludvig von Battwyhl, Håkan Westergren engages in a quiet exchange with Andersson, Axel Högel the club valet. The phone rings with a caller stating that Louis Brenner, Kotti Chave will not arrive. Katja von Battwyhl, Birgit Tengroth and Sussi Brenner, Tutta Rolf share the disappointment of Louis’s absence and join Julia Balzar, Ingrid Bergman, a wealthy Swedish actress married to Kurt Balzar, Georg Rydeberg, a Swedish industrialist. At a nearby casino, Louis is a compulsive gambler who has lost over 50,000 kronor. All three couples plan to vacation at the Åre ski resort. Brenner is later notified that his wife Sussi has taken ill. He writes a cheque to his opponent promising to cover his losses.

When Louis arrives, he is angered that his wife lied. He tells Julia about his gambling debts, but declines her assistance. Before leaving the Balzars’ residence, Louis apologizes to Sussi, and they depart. Alone, Kurt, who is jealous of Julia’s affections toward Louis, angrily tells Julia he will not cover Louis’s gambling debt. The next day, Julia learns from Ludvig that her husband’s company shares are in decline at the stock market. She calls their bank to prevent 200 shares from being sold. Ludvig writes a cheque to cover their losses, which Julia gives Sussi to pay off Louis’s debt.

Nearby the ski resort, Dr. Jonson treats an infant girl, ill with a fever. At the hotel, Sussi asks Ludvig about who wrote the cheque and deduces it was Julia. She catches Louis eavesdropping, insults him, and locks herself in her room. With their marriage in trouble, Ludvig advises Louis to have another child. Louis then asks Ludvig if he wrote the cheque, but Ludvig denies it; Louis suspects Kurt wrote it. Julia arrives at the resort.

During a blizzard, Sussi wanders outside and is picked up by a couple in their vehicle. She is driven back to the resort but is unable to walk on her legs. She is placed under the attentive care of Karin, a nurse, Millan Bolander. Mary Jonston, a wealthy American who fancies herself a psychoanalyst, arrives, and diagnoses Sussi as having severe psychological distress. At a medical clinic, Sussi has not slept for several hours but makes amends with Louis. She further forbids Julia from visiting the clinic. There, Mary flirts with Dr. Jonson, betting with him to successfully cure Sussi’s paralysis in 12 hours, and if he wins, she will donate 10 free stays at his clinic; if she wins, Jonson will have to marry her.

However, Julia arrives at the clinic and meets with Louis in a hallway. Sussi overhears their conversation, and tries to walk but falls down. Julia comforts Sussi, and Sussi tears up as she falls asleep. During dinner, Mary feels she has won since 18 hours have passed and Sussi is not yet cured. She gathers all three couples to psychoanalyze Sussi’s condition. She reveals that Julia wrote the cheque using Ludvig’s money. Ludwig agreed because he was in love with Sussi. Sussi attempted to freeze herself to death, but she tearfully denies it. Sussi rises from her chair and walks again. The three couples settle their differences, and Sussi thanks Dr. Jonson.

Back in his office, Jonson corrects Mary, stating it was actually Katja’s money that was used to cover Louis’s debt. Jonson calls off the wager and prepares to leave the resort, which angers Mary. Back in their hotel room, Julia and Kurt reconcile. Mary knocks on their door, telling Julia about Dr. Jonson’s betrayal toward her. Julia reassures Mary that Jonson loves her. Before Jonson leaves, Mary professes her love to him. The two kiss.

Dollar Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Dollar (1938) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Royal Yacht Club prelude

Ludvig von Battwyhl confers with Andersson, a hotel valet, as an exclusive evening unfolds. The phone rings with news that Louis Brenner will not arrive, hinting at trouble hidden behind the social façade. The moment sets the stage for the entangled relationships among the couples.

Evening Royal Yacht Club

Balzars' villa gathering

Ludvig's social circle tightens as Katja and Sussi Brenner join Julia, the wealthy actress who is married to Kurt Balzar. The gathering underscores the delicate alliances of the couples while they discuss a joint vacation at the Åre ski resort. Julia's presence hints at shifting loyalties to come.

Evening Balzars' residence

Louis's gambling ruin

At a nearby casino, Louis Brenner is revealed as a compulsive gambler who has lost over 50,000 kronor. The mounting debt strains his marriage and friendships, foreshadowing financial entanglements yet to be resolved. The casino scene exposes the personal demons simmering beneath polite appearances.

Night Casino

Åre ski resort plans

The three couples agree to vacation together at the Åre ski resort, seeking a new start away from their day-to-day tensions. The trip will bind them in a shared space where secrets can emerge and old resentments flare. The plan places everyone on a single stage for the drama to unfold.

Next day Åre ski resort

Sussi's illness and the debt gesture

Brenner learns that his wife Sussi has fallen ill, triggering a response to cover Louis's losses. Louis writes a cheque to his gambling opponent, promising to bear the debt himself. The financial move adds urgency to the personal strains pressing the marriage.

Night Brenner's residence / casino vicinity

Louis confronts Julia

Louis returns and, furious that his wife lied, tells Julia about his gambling debts but rejects her help. The confrontation exposes fragile trust within the group and signals how far the debts have reached. The moment intensifies the pressure on all four relationships.

Next day Balzars' residence

Kurt refuses to cover the debt

Before leaving the Balzars' residence, Kurt Balzar tells Julia he will not cover Louis's gambling debt, driven by jealousy over Julia's affections for Louis. The denial compounds the financial risks and the couples' entanglements. The moment cements a rift that must be resolved later.

Next day Balzars' residence

Stocks and the funds to cover losses

The following day, Julia learns from Ludvig that her husband's company shares are slipping in the stock market. She calls the bank to prevent 200 shares from being sold. Ludvig writes a cheque to cover their losses, which Julia then gives to Sussi to pay off Louis's debt.

Next day Stock market / bank

Sussi's blizzard ordeal and clinic

During a blizzard near the ski resort, Sussi wanders outside and is picked up by a couple who drive her back to the resort, where she can no longer walk. Karin the nurse tends to her, and Dr. Jonson treats an ill infant nearby as Mary Jonston arrives and diagnoses Sussi with severe psychological distress. The crisis shifts the story toward psychological stakes.

Blizzard night Ski resort / medical clinic

The 12-hour cure wager

Mary Jonston, a wealthy American psychoanalyst, bets with Dr. Jonson that he can cure Sussi's paralysis within 12 hours, offering 10 free stays if he wins and threatening marriage if she wins. The wager creates mounting tension as Julia arrives at the clinic and Sussi overhears the conversation. The personal dynamics among the couples become a live experiment.

During wager Clinic

Group psychoanalysis and Julia's cheque

In a charged psychoanalytic session, Mary reveals that Julia wrote the cheque using Ludvig's money, driven by his love for Sussi. Ludvig confirms his involvement, though the motives are complex, and the truth unsettles the group. Sussi tearily admits her fragility, then briefly regains her strength and walks again.

Within 18 hours Clinic

Jonson's betrayal revealed and wager dropped

Back in his office, Dr. Jonson corrects Mary, stating that Katja's money funded Louis's debt, not Ludvig's. He calls off the wager and prepares to leave the resort, provoking Mary's anger. The revelation shifts the power dynamics among the four couples.

After psychoanalytic session Jonson's office / resort

Ending: reconciliation and confession

In their hotel room, Julia and Kurt reconcile, while Mary knocks on the door and declares her love for Dr. Jonson, who accepts with a kiss. The mood softens as the complicated relationships settle into a fragile peace, with new romantic tensions left unresolved.

Evening Hotel room

Dollar Characters

Explore all characters from Dollar (1938). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Julia Balzar - Ingrid Bergman

Julia is a wealthy Swedish actress married to Kurt Balzar. She navigates a web of social obligations and private loyalties, showing both resolve and compassion as secrets threaten her marriage and friendships. Her actions reveal a pragmatic, protective nature within a tight-knit, affluent circle.

💎 Wealthy 🎭 Calculating 💖 Compassionate

Louis Brenner - Kotti Chave

Louis is a compulsive gambler whose mounting debts threaten the stability of everyone around him. His mood swings, secrecy, and jealousy propel major conflicts, testing loyalties and trust among the couples.

🎯 Impulsive 💰 Debtor 😡 Jealous

Sussi Brenner - Tutta Rolf

Sussi is Louis's wife, experiencing severe psychological distress and paralysis. Her condition anchors the medical-clinic subplot, and her vulnerability drives the emotional resolution among the couples.

😞 Distressed 🕊️ Fragile 💪 Resilient

Ludvig von Battwyhl - Håkan Westergren

Ludvig is a wealthy industrialist, outwardly composed and protective. He is in love with Sussi, and his actions—whether hiding or sharing his money—reveal the conflict between love and financial responsibility.

💼 Powerful 💘 Passionate 🤐 Reserved

Katja von Battwyhl - Birgit Tengroth

Katja is Ludvig’s wife and a poised socialite within the circle. Her finances become pivotal to the dispute, and she serves as a catalyst in uncovering hidden truths that alter the group’s dynamics.

🎀 Socialite 🧠 Mysterious 💰 Resourceful

Kurt Balzar - Georg Rydeberg

Kurt is Julia’s husband, a protective industrialist whose jealousy about Julia’s closeness to Louis fuels tension. He is quick to defend his marriage, yet reluctant to shoulder Louis’s debt.

🧭 Skeptical 💔 Jealous 🕊️ Loyal

Dr. Jonson - Edvin Adolphson

Dr. Jonson is a physician who treats Sussi at the clinic. He becomes entangled in the psychological wagers with Mary, and his actions complicate the moral landscape of the resort.

🏥 Doctor 🧠 Analytical 🤐 Secretive

Mary Jonston - Elsa Burnett

Mary is a wealthy American psychoanalyst who bets on curing Sussi. She flirts with Dr. Jonson and uses the clinic as a stage for control, driving a wedge between the couples.

💃 Flirtatious 🧪 Manipulative 💸 Wealthy

Karin - Nurse - Millan Bolander

Karin is a nurse who tends to Sussi, offering steadiness and care through the crisis. Her presence underscores the theme of healing and the human touch amid high-society drama.

🌸 Gentle 🩺 Professional 💉 Caring

Dollar Settings

Learn where and when Dollar (1938) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Royal Yacht Club, Åre ski resort, hotel, casino, medical clinic

The Royal Yacht Club is a refined social hub where the wealthy mingle and negotiate. The Åre ski resort provides a snowy backdrop that intensifies the drama as tensions rise during a blizzard. Luxurious hotels, a nearby casino, and a medical clinic frame the narrative, highlighting issues of wealth, status, and care within an exclusive circle.

❄️ Snowy backdrop 🏰 Elite society 🏨 Luxury 💼 High society

Dollar Themes

Discover the main themes in Dollar (1938). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💎

Wealth & Status

Wealth shapes trust and power within the group, driving decisions and masking true motives. The balance of company shares, debts, and social standing creates pressure that pushes characters toward drastic actions. The drama reveals how money can both protect and betray relationships in an elite social circle.

❤️

Love & Jealousy

Romantic entanglements strain marriages and ignite jealousy, particularly around Julia's affections for Louis. Kurt's insecurity and Louis's volatility threaten to derail long-held loyalties. The film explores how affection, loyalty, and possessiveness influence choices under stress.

🎭

Deception

Deceit drives the plot: who paid Louis's debt, who benefits from keeping secrets, and how appearances mask true intentions. Misleading motives come to light through reveals about money and allegiance. The masquerade of propriety sustains the drama until the truth reshapes all bonds.

🧠

Psychoanalysis

The clinic scene reframes personal conflict as psychological struggle, with Mary wagering on a cure for Sussi. Diagnosis and therapy are as much performances as treatments, exposing the power dynamics between healer and patient. The pursuit of insight intersects with manipulation, shaping the course of relationships.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Explore the mobile app

Dollar Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Dollar (1938). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the lofty calm of a snow‑capped mountain resort, a group of affluent strangers gathers under the pretense of a leisurely vacation. Ludvig von Battwyhl, a man of polished elegance who seems to have no pressing occupation, arrives with his poised wife Katja, while the charismatic Louis Brenner and his alluring partner Sussi bring an air of restless charm. Their companions, the sophisticated Julia Balzar—renowned in Swedish cinema—and her pragmatic husband Kurt, complete a circle of wealth that feels both insulated and intriguingly volatile. The resort’s polished interiors and crisp alpine backdrop set a tone of refined indulgence, where conversation drifts as effortlessly as the wind over the peaks.

Beneath the veneer of polite chatter, the couples navigate a tangled web of attraction and unspoken desire. Old friendships mingle with fresh flirtations, and the lines between companionship and romance blur against the glittering night skies of the ski town. The group’s dynamic is a delicate dance of admiration, jealousy, and the subtle power plays that accompany lives lived without the constraints of ordinary labor. As they share meals, lounge by roaring fires, and glide down icy slopes, each interaction hints at deeper currents that could reshape their relationships.

The arrival of a charismatic American socialite, Mary Jonston, adds an unexpected spark to the already charged atmosphere. Her confident presence and keen interest in the guests’ personal stories stir curiosity and a touch of competition, promising to test the fragile equilibrium that the couples have cultivated. In this elegant yet insulated world, where wealth and leisure mask complex emotions, the audience is invited to wonder how far these polished facades will hold as the mountain’s chill deepens and hidden feelings begin to surface.

Can’t find your movie? Request a summary here.

Movies with Similar Twists and Themes

Uncover films that echo the narrative beats, emotional arcs, or dramatic twists of the one you're exploring. These recommendations are handpicked based on story depth, thematic resonance, and spoiler-worthy moments — perfect for fans who crave more of the same intrigue.