| What Happened to Jean | |
| Director: | Herbert Walsh |
| Starring: | Edith Crowe |
| Cinematography: | Harry Krischock |
| Studio: | Trench Comforts Fund Committee |
| Runtime: | 5,000 feet |
| Country: | Australia |
| Gross: | £2,000 |
What Happened to Jean is a 1918 Australian silent film shot in South Australia. It is a lost film.[1]
Country girl Jean sets out to see the world. She arrives in Adelaide, runs into villainous Ashbourne, and wins a car in a competition conducted by the Trench Comfort Fund. She meets a socialite called Mrs de Tafford, who misses her long-lost daughter. Mrs de Tafford adopts Jean and promotes her in society. Jean attends a garden party and government house and is sent to a boarding school to complete her education. She discovers that she is in fact Mrs de Tafford's long-lost daughter.[2] [3]
Many members of Adelaide society also appeared, including South Australia's Premier Peake.[5] [6]
The film was made by the South Australian Trench Comforts Fund to raise money for charity. It was intended for South Australian audiences only and deliberately featured many local landmarks. Most of the cast and crew were amateurs.[1]
The film was hyped through a series of ads in Adelaide papers simply asking "what happened to Jean?"[7] It received a gala premiere, attended by the Premier, Governor General, and leading members of Adelaide society.[8]
The film was well received in Adelaide and raised a reported £2,000.[1]