Jenny

Summary

The first Dutch full length colour feature film is an adaptation of the German film Acht Mädels im Boot (Eight girls in a boat). It marked Willy van Hemert’s debut as a film director.

Jenny was shot entirely in Amsterdam by Willy van Hemert who until then had only directed for television. The first Dutch feature length colour film was based on Acht Mädels im Boot (1932) by Erich Waschneck. The ‘Mädels’ in question are competitive rowers who are hoping to win the women’s eight. One of the girls falls for an art dealer and becomes pregnant. Her friends at boat club Nereus, her coach and her father all pitch in to help her and everything is sorted out. The girls win the race and the girl and her boyfriend make up.

Jenny was made in German at the same time. Acht Mädels im Boot wasn’t released in Germany until 1959 and didn’t do well at the box office. Both the German and the Dutch version feature Amsterdam’s tourist spots in glorious Agfacolor.