Dollar

Dollar

Year: 1938

Runtime: 78 mins

Language: Swedish

Director: Gustaf Molander

Comedy

Ludvig and Sussi Battwyhl, Louis and Katja Brenner, and Julia and Kurt Balzar are affluent millionaires who, despite having no apparent occupations, gather for a mountain vacation. Their stay becomes a tangled web of romantic liaisons among the couples, further complicated when a wealthy American woman arrives to join the group.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Dollar (1938)

Trace every key event in Dollar (1938) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

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
2

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
3

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
4

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
5

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
6

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
7

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
8

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
9

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
10

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
11

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
12

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
13

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

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:15

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Dollar Summary

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Dollar Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Dollar

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