The Broken Melody

Disappointing to see this film receive so many poor reviews. Don't forget it was made not long after talkies became a reality, so technically its not really going to excite you with innovations or receive any accolades. However the acting and the emotional drama sparkles through. Admittedly, the Devil's Island section is wholly morose and casts a shadow on the movie's brisk pace, but generally it excels in cliff hanging surprises (for that Hollywood period anyway). The songs are nostalgic and typical of the period, so you'll enjoy them if you are familiar with the music of the period. Merle Oberon is a stunning beauty as usual and makes this film well worth watching if for no other reason.

Paul (John Garrick) and Germaine (Merle Oberon) are young friends, working to make ends meet. Germaine works in a cafe while Paul struggles to make it as a composer. Germaine encourages Paul to write popular music instead, assuring him that it will make him more money than serious classical compositions. In her heart she wants him to succeed because she is in love with him, but he's too engrossed in his music to notice.

Germaine's advice proves fruitful when Paul plays his music at the cafe, and is noticed by Simone St. Clair, a famous stage actress (Margot Grahame) who is dining there. Margot takes him under wing and they quickly develop a relationship, much to Germaine's disappointment. After many ups and downs, Paul begins to question whether his life has really unfolded in the way he wanted it. Revisiting his old stomping ground brings Germaine back into his life. The emotional last few scenes bring the story to its bittersweet end.

This is a fine film, with interesting characters and high quality acting. It's not one of Oberon's strongest performances, but enjoyable nonetheless and a must-see for Oberon fans. Neither John Garrick or Margot Grahame went on to very impressive things, but it was just the tip of the iceberg for Merle Oberon, who went on to many fantastic projects such as "Wuthering Heights", " These Three" and "The Divorce of Lady X".

Please indulge me a small diversion before I comment on this film and its stars. Once in a while, a movie made in America will have its title changed for release in England and around the globe. And, some British movies are renamed before they open in America. This is one such movie. It had me scratching my head and wondering why. The logic and need for the change escape me completely. Both titles had been used before, so scratch that as a reason. Apparently, some movie mogul thought very little of our respective cultures and the intelligence of our citizenry. Or, he stood to make a little money on the side by repackaging.

The DVD cover and photo used by IMDb show this title as "The Broken Melody." But the IMDb listing has it under "Vagabond Violinist." The first was the original title when the film opened in the U.S. on Oct. 30, 1934. But, then it opened in England on Dec. 3 as, "Vagabond Violinist." Now, I admit to being somewhat an Anglophile (could it be something in my blood?). But for the life of me, I can't conceive why anyone would think "Vagabond Violinist" was a more fitting title for this film. Was it too obvious for a British audience? Did the Brits need to have the subject cloaked in suspense? Or, are vagabonds and violins more catchy and attractive to Brits than melodies – broken or unbroken?

Nowhere in this film do we notice a violinist playing, let alone a vagabond violinist. On the other hand, the male lead writes a song that he calls "The Broken Melody." He and a female lead sing it together. We hear the melody a couple more times in the film. Then, the cast reprises the song toward the end. The original seems to nail the story and theme quite clearly. Maybe some higher up to do with this film had a fixation with the letter "V" at the time.

It's a good thing he or she wasn't in charge of some classics that come to mind. Just think! Instead of "Murder on the Orient Express," we might have watched "Tricks and Treachery on the Train." Or, instead of "Around the World in 80 Days," we might have had "Air Balloon Travel." Or, "Pride and Prejudice" might have become "A Romp in the English Countryside," even with the Jane Austen title in hand. Or, instead of "Bonnie and Clyde," how about something as off-base as "New Clothes and a Car with Holes?"

So, thanks for indulging my above tirade. The line from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" comes to mind – "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Regardless of its name, "The Broken Melody" is a sweet period drama of human foibles, and weaknesses, infatuation, pride and self-centeredness, arrogance and snobbery, true love and unselfishness, and redemption. That's a lot to pack into a film with this title, but it's all set around music with an aspiring composer, a famous opera star, and two budding singers.

This is not a great film. It was made in England and released first in the U.S. It has an interesting plot. Most of the cast are not first- tier, but the leads were well known and popular at the time. John Garrick is just OK as Paul Verlaine. Margot Grahame gets second billing, and is very good as Simone St. Cloud. Austin Trevor is very good as Pierre Falaise. But Merle Oberon, as Germaine Brissard, is the star of this movie – even in her lesser role.

Oberon is one of several excellent actresses who never won an Oscar. She was nominated for one, and had several Oscar-worthy roles in her life. She was of mixed Welsh-Indian parentage, and was one of the most physically beautiful women of the 20th century. And, she had talent. She retired from film in her early 1950s and died at age 68 of a stroke. Oberon had a number of excellent films in a career in which she starred with the greatest male actors of the time, including two English greats who died young – Robert Donat and Leslie Howard. Among her other leading co-stars were Laurence Olivier, Marlon Brando, Claude Rains, Frederic March, Dana Andrews, Rex Harrison, David Niven, Franchot Tone and Paul Muni.

When I was about twelve years old, I saw "The Broken Melody" on TV and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. It was very romantic and had some really lovely music. From that day onwards I looked forward to seeing it again.

For years I looked in the TV listings but it never came up. And then, the other day, it occurred to me that there might be a DVD available. So I looked on Amazon . . . and there was! I was so thrilled. I sent off for it and it arrived quite quickly. I sat down to watch it . . . and quite quickly realised why it had never been shown again on TV. It must be one of the worst movies ever made!!! It's not so much romantic as melodramatic. The music is nothing special. The acting is criminal - it's set in France so there's one character with an accent so thick you could cut it with a knife, one or two with slight accents and the hero and heroine have 'cut glass' 'fratefully frateful' accents.

The story is ludicrous and the ending so sentimental that I could hardly bring myself to watch. But it's left me wondering how a relatively bright twelve year old (ie me!) could have thought it such a wonderful movie!

Although she's only third billed here Merle Oberon is the main reason to see The Broken Melody. She plays the faithful girl friend of composer John Garrick who gets himself in quite a jackpot.

Garrick lives at the boardinghouse run by Oberon's father and both work singing and serving at a cheap Paris cafe. One night musical star Margot Grahame drops in and sees Garrick as her latest boy toy. Before you know it they're wed and she's given birth to their son.

She tires of him quickly after a musical he wrote flops and shows him the way out. He responds by killing her paramour which wins him a trip to Devil's Island.

The whole melodrama is told in flashback by Austin Trevor who thinks he recognizes Garrick on stage while Trevor is at the theater. What happens is for you to watch the movie for.

Garrick sings well, I assume Oberon and Grahame are dubbed. But he truly is stiff. Tyrone Power would have been great in the role.

The ending? Watch the John Garfield classic They Made Me A Criminal for a hint.