Broken Strings
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Bernard B. Ray
Clarence Muse
Sybil Lewis
William Washington
Tommiwatta Moore
Stymie Beard
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After playing a concert, violinist Arthur Williams and his business manager, Earl Wells, are injured in an automobile accident. As a result of the accident, Arthur's fingers become paralyzed and he is unable to play the violin, which leads him to become a music instructor. Arthur's favorite student, Dickie Morley, aspires to classical music, while John, Arthur's twelve-year-old son, prefers "wild" swing music. Arthur's daughter Grace, who works as a secretary for James Stilton hair products, is in love with Gus Stevens, a fellow employee at the company. When Grace arranges an appointment for her father with Dr. Charles Matson, a famous nerve specialist visiting the city, Matson agrees to forgo his usual $1,000 fee and allow Johnny to raise the money at a later date. Meanwhile, Stilton's son Sam, who is jealous of Gus's romance with Grace, refuses to give her an advance and then tries to frame Gus and get him fired for mishandling a cash deposit. After the two men fight, both Gus and Grace quit. Meanwhile, Johnny becomes a hit playing at the Miller Café, a nightclub. Arthur, however, is furious when he finds out and, as punishment, forces his son to play until he drops from exhaustion. Arthur soon learns from Grace that Johnny was only trying to raise money for the operation and to supplement the family income during her unemployment. Johnny and Grace enter a radio talent contest, and their act is scheduled to follow banjo player Stringbeans Johnson and the Stevens Sisters, who dance and sing "Kentucky Babe." Johnny takes the stage, but his act is a disaster when first one violin string, then another, snaps. Johnny realizes that with only two strings remaining on the violin, he can only play a swing number and the entire orchestra joins in. Johnny wins the contest, and in his enthusiasm, Arthur is able to applaud his son, regaining the use of his fingers. Dickie then confesses to sabotaging the violin and apologizes, and Arthur resumes his career as a premier violinist.
Director
Bernard B. Ray
Cast
Clarence Muse
Sybil Lewis
William Washington
Tommiwatta Moore
Stymie Beard
Pete Webster
Edward Thompson
Buck Woods
Darby Jones
Jess Lee Brooks
Earl Morris
The Stevens Sisters
Elliott Carpenter
Crew
David Arlen
Fredric Bean
L. C. Borden
Richard Buck
Elliott Carpenter
Adam Geibel
Carl Krusada
Clarence Muse
Fred Preble
Bernard B. Ray
Bobby Ray
Harry Ross
Max Stengler
Hans Weeren
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The opening title card bears a copyright statement, listing L. C. Borden as the claimant in 1940, however no copyright registration has been found. According to modern sources, Goldport productions was organized in 1939 by Bert Goldberg and Mabel Port. The company only produced this picture and Mystery in Swing (see below). Some contemporary sources list Elliott Carpenter as Alec Carpenter and film editor Fred Bean as Freddie Bain. Modern sources also list Curtis Mosby and his Orchestra in the cast.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1940
Released in United States 1940
