Jenny (1962 film)
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 1, 1929 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Television plays, drama series |
| Website | www |
Jenny is a 1962 Australian television drama created by ABC, recognized as one of the pioneering TV plays centered on adolescent themes.
Plot
The story follows Jenny, a 16-year-old girl caught between her divorced parents: Roger, who works as an actor, and Margaret, a television presenter. Upon learning that Margaret intends to marry Rex Porter, a businessman from Melbourne, Jenny turns to her father and her boyfriend Michael, a student of law. Her journey takes her to a beatnik gathering in Kings Cross and eventually to The Gap, where she contemplates ending her life. A taxi driver intervenes and brings her back to Roger. Subsequently, Roger and Margaret choose to reunite for the well-being of their daughter.
Cast
- Carolyn Keely portrays Jenny
- Joan Winchester as Margaret Playford
- James Condon in the role of Roger Playford
- Grant Taylor plays Rex Porter
- David Yorston as Michael
- Lex Mitchell as the beatnik character
- Tony Carere, Joan Morrow, Kerry Collins as beatniks
Hunger of a Girl
This drama adapts George F. Kerr’s theatrical work Hunger of a Girl, which was staged in 1960 by the North Sydney Independent Theatre under the direction of Peter Summerton. Backed by the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the play depicted a 17-year-old girl grappling with her divorced parents—an author and an actor—and responding violently when her mother engages with a younger partner who has a criminal background. The storyline delves into intense family and societal issues that were rarely explored in Australian theatre at that period, which seldom featured adult-oriented productions outside of children's plays.
Reception
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the initial half of the play "mirrors the characteristics of an English drawing room comedy typical of the mid-1920s" and was "admirably polished." Nevertheless, criticism was directed at the latter half for feeling forced, particularly following the murder scene when the playwright attempts a more empathetic portrayal of characters.
Another critique noted that Kerr and Summerton’s goal was not to provoke social reform but rather to present clear facts and reasons underlying certain youth behaviors.
Production
This drama marked the beginning of six Australian plays produced by ABC in 1962. The remaining five titles were:
Patricia Hooker served as script assistant on this production.
Reception
A Sunday edition critic from the Sydney Morning Herald commended it as "exceptional drama" until its concluding five minutes, where it stumbled by failing to resolve the central issue: "Should spouses in a troubled marriage forgo their own happiness for their children?" The reviewer speculated whether Kerr left the story unfinished at this juncture.
Another appraisal emphasized the play's "intense authenticity and heartfelt emotion," likening it to popular fiction found in women's magazines.