The Broken Wing
Cast & Crew
Lloyd Corrigan
Lupe Velez
Leo Carrillo
Melvyn Douglas
George Barbier
Willard Robertson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In a small Mexican town, the beautiful Lolita is ardently courted by Captain Innocencio, who runs the town with an iron hand. Although he calls Lolita his "big love," she is sure another "king of hearts" awaits her, and her fortune teller tells her he will come in a storm. When the airplane of a handsome American pilot is forced to land during a storm in Lolita's garden, she is sure he is her "king of hearts," and he, suffering from amnesia, falls in love with her. Working from the initials on his underwear, Lolita calls him "BVD." Meanwhile, Innocencio, in a jealous rage, arrests the pilot when he sees him kissing Lolita. When the American refuses to leave town, Innocencio threatens to kill him. Lolita's American guardian, Luther Farley, an old friend of Innocencio, then threatens to call in government troops. Moments before the pilot's execution, an American engineer, Sylvester Cross, identifies him as Philip Marvin, a prominent resident of Los Angeles. To save Philip's life, Cross assures him he is married and produces his own wife to pose as Philip's wife, breaking Lolita's heart. Philip, who has been listening to the song of a whippoorwill for days, suddenly recalls the opening bars of "Over There" and remembers his days as a fighter pilot in the war. His memory returns and he assures Lolita he is not married. Innocencio draws his revolver on Philip just as government troops arrive to arrest him. After Lolita and Philip leave in an airplane, promising to return, Innocencio escapes from prison, shouting that danger is more fun than love.
Director
Lloyd Corrigan
Cast
Lupe Velez
Leo Carrillo
Melvyn Douglas
George Barbier
Willard Robertson
Claire Dodd
Arthur Stone
Soledad Jimenez
Julian Rivero
Pietro Sosso
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Parts of the viewed print were tinted blue. According to an July 8, 1932 news item in Film Daily, this film was banned in Mexico City by the Federal District Government. On February 4, 1932, Hollywood Reporter reported that the film's exterior sets at the Paramount ranch were damaged by rain, forcing the production crew to shoot the interiors ahead of schedule. Motion Picture Herald suggested to exhibitors of this film that they use tie-ups with "every B-V-D [men's underwear] dealer in these United States." Paul Dickey's and Charles Goddard's play was also the source of a 1923 B. P. Schulberg production of the same title, directed by Tom Forman and starring Kenneth Harlan, Miriam Cooper and Walter Long (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.0654).
