Name: Eight Girls in a Boat
Genre: Drama
Released: 1934
Duration: 1 min 25 s
Cast: Dorothy Wilson, Douglass Montgomery, Kay Johnson, Walter Connelly, Ferike Boros

Brief Synopsis

In an exclusive Swiss school for young girls, Crista Storm (Dorothy Wilson) discovers she is going to have a baby, and keeps the secret from everyone but her lover, David Perrin (Douglass Montgomery), a young medical student. Having been in the private school most of her life, she can't confide in her father (Walter Connolly) whom she hardly knows and, while he wishes to but can't afford to marry her, David can't get the approval of his father.

Cast & Crew

Film Details

Genre

Drama

Release Date

Jan 5, 1934

Premiere Information

not available

Production Company

Charles R. Rogers Productions, Inc.

Distribution Company

Paramount Productions, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 25m

Sound

Mono

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

9 reels

Synopsis

Christa Storm, a student at a girls' school in Switzerland, is in love with biology student David Perrin, and discovers that she is pregnant by him. She does not tell anyone but David, and continues the school's rigorous rowing and swimming program, as well as her studies, but her daydreaming causes her to fail her exams. When her father sees her after a two year absence, he is shocked to find that she is a young woman, but he still treats her like a child and she keeps her secret to herself. David asks Mr. Storm for Christa's hand in marriage, but Storm belittles him because he is poor and committed to scientific studies, and refuses to permit the marriage. Christa's teacher, Hannah, allows her to go into the city one night, but demotes her on the rowing team. That night, Christa decides to commit suicide and steals a bottle of poison from David's friend, Paul Lang. She conceals her intentions from David, and spends her supposed last hours drinking and dancing with his friends at a beer garden. She slips out secretly to swallow the poison, but has a change of heart and throws away the bottle. The next day, Hannah punishes Christa for staying out by forcing her to do repeated laps and dives from a high board into the cold lake. When Christa finally collapses, she confesses her predicament and Hannah and all the girls gather round to comfort her. Although the schoolgirls plan to help Christa with her child, and Hannah shows her much compassion, Christa decides to marry David without her father's permission. After she leaves, the schoolgirls return to their normal routine.