Njai Dasima (1932 film)

Njai Dasima
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Directed by	Bachtiar Effendi
Produced by	Tan Khoen Yauw
Starring	Momo Oesman
Cinematography	G. Krugers
Production company	Tan's Film
Release date	1932 (1932) (Dutch East Indies)
Country	Dutch East Indies
Language	Vernacular Malay

Njai Dasima ([ɲˈai daˈsima]; Perfected Spelling: Nyai Dasima) is a 1932 film from the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) which was directed by Bachtiar Effendi for Tan's Film. It was the second film adapted from G. Francis' 1896 novel Tjerita Njai Dasima, following a silent version in 1929. Starring Momo and Oesman, it followed a young Sundanese njai (concubine) who is tricked into marrying a man who does not love her and ultimately killed for her money. The film, the first talkie produced by its company, was also the first directed by a native Indonesian. The now-lost work received mixed critical reception.

Dasima is a njai (concubine) for the Englishman Edward William. Together with their daughter, Nancy, the couple live in a home near Gambir Square in Batavia (modern day Jakarta). Their happy life is disturbed after the delman driver Samioen falls in love with Dasima, despite already being married to Hajati. He attempts to use magic (goena-goena) to win her heart, and asks an egg merchant, Mak Boejoeng, to frighten Dasima by telling the young woman that she has committed the sin of zina (extramarital sex).

Samioen eventually succeeds, and Dasima goes to live with him and Hajati, taking along her gold and jewels. Hajati has agreed to let Samioen take a second wife as she wants Dasima's money, which she will use for gambling. When Dasima realises that she has been tricked, she begins to keep a close eye on her remaining wealth. So that he can take all of her remaining funds, Samioen calls the thug Poeasa and together they plan to kill Dasima. One night, as Dasima goes to hear a story-telling, the two accost her, kill her, and throw her body off a bridge. Samioen and Poeasa are later caught and sentenced to hang for their crime.