Susanne is the owner of a model agency in Stockholm. Doris, her most popular model, has an argument with her fiancé, Palle, just before she goes with Susanne to Gothenburg to be photographed in a new collection.
In Gothenburg Doris meets an aging Consul, who sees in her a striking resemblance to his wife, now in a mental hospital. The Consul gratifies Doris's desires for fine clothes and jewelry, and the two spend a strenuously exciting day together, until his daughter arrives and ruthlessly exposes her father's egotism.
Susanne has meanwhile telephoned her ex-lover Henrik and arranged a rendezvous with him. Henrik reluctantly visits her. They make love and are planning to resume their relationship when his wife arrives.
She proves conclusively that Henrik is a weakling. Disillusioned, Susanne returns with Doris to Stockholm, where Doris's fiancé waits.
Dreams is one of the few Ingmar Bergman films to have received lukewarm reviews (as opposed to a positive reception). The film ranked 6th on Cahiers du Cinéma's Top 10 Films of the Year List in 1958.[1] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports 40% approval among five critics.[2]