Asmara Moerni

Starring Adnan Kapau Gani, Djoewariah, and S. Joesoef, the black-and-white film was cast and advertised to cater to the growing native intelligentsia.

After four years of doing his residency in Singkawang, Borneo, Dr. Pardi (Adnan Kapau Gani) returns to Java to open a practice.

Upon arrival he is stunned to find that his family's maid Tati (Djoewariah), who had been his childhood playmate, is now a grown and beautiful woman.

Unknown to them, Pardi has cut short his time in Cigading to move to Batavia, both to begin his new job and to find Tati.

Days before the wedding, Amir is playing his flute when he is approached by a singer known as Miss Omi, who asks him to join her troupe on an international tour.

[a] Asmara Moerni was directed by Rd Ariffien, a former journalist who had been active in the nationalist and labour movements before turning to theatre.

[1] He had joined Union Films – the company behind Asmara Moerni – in 1940, making his debut with Harta Berdarah (Bloody Treasure).

[6] It was the feature film debut of Gani and Joesoef,[7] while Djoewariah had been on Union's payroll since Bajar dengan Djiwa (Pay with Your Soul) the preceding year.

[8] At the time there was a growing movement to attract native intelligentsia, educated at schools run by the Dutch colonial government, and convince them to view domestic films, which were generally considered to be of much lower quality than imported Hollywood productions.

[b] As such, Ariffien invited Gani, at the time a medical doctor and a prominent member of the nationalist movement, to join the cast.

[d][15] A review from the Surabaya-based Soerabaijasch Handelsblad found the film full of drama, describing it as "Western motifs, played in the native environment, with a specifically Sundanese situation".

[e][4] After Asmara Moerni, Union produced a further three films;[16] only one, Wanita dan Satria, was by Rd Ariffien, who left the company soon after,[17] as did Saeroen.