Beautiful Dreamers (1990)

When the superintendent of the Canadian insane asylum, Dr. Maurice Bucke, meets poet Walt Whitman, his life and that of his wife and patients is radically changed. Like Dr. Bucke, Whitman ... See full summary »

Director:

John Kent Harrison

Writer:

John Kent Harrison

Stars:

Colm Feore, Rip Torn, Wendel Meldrum

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colm Feore	...	Dr. Maurice Bucke
Rip Torn	...	Walt Whitman
Wendel Meldrum	...	Jessie Bucke
Sheila McCarthy	...	Molly Jessop
Colin Fox	...	Rev. Haines
David Gardner	...	Dr. Lett
Tom McCamus	...	Leonard Thomas
Barbara Gordon	...	Agatha Haines
Marsha Moreau	...	Birdie Bucke
Albert Schultz	...	Dr. John Burgys
Angelo Rizacos	...	Wallace
Gordon Master	...	John Carver
Gerry Quigley	...	John Freeman
Roland Hewgill	...	Timothy Pardee
Roger Clown	...	Kenneth

Storyline

When the superintendent of the Canadian insane asylum, Dr. Maurice Bucke, meets poet Walt Whitman, his life and that of his wife and patients is radically changed. Like Dr. Bucke, Whitman has avant-garde ideas on the subject of mental illness. "Dreamers" is based on true events. Dr. Bucke became an important biographer of Walt Whitman.

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Plot Keywords:

walt whitman | poet | insane asylum | female nudity | victorian era | 

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Taglines:

The World Changes Some People. Some People Change The World.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

NFB (english) [Canada]

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Belos Sonhadores

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

National Film Board of Canada (NFB),Starway Films Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Caseman is hypercritical

This movie treats the mentally ill as human beings, and presents a fictionalized but more-or-less historical encounter between the director of a mental institution in Canada and the very controversial Walt Whitman. If you dislike movies that ask you to think AND feel, you will not like this movie. But for anyone with any knowledge of how the mentally ill have been treated throughout history and who have actually known people who are mentally ill, this movie touches something that as human beings we all share. You do not have to be religious at all to recognize the fundamental truth of Matthew 36 - 40 (or at least 39 - 40). Have a look before you jump to any conclusion.