Broken Strings

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Sybil Lewis and Clarence Muse in Broken Strings (1940)

After noted violinist Arthur Williams suffers a hand injury which ends his playing career, his hopes are transferred to his son, who prefers swing music to classical.After noted violinist Arthur Williams suffers a hand injury which ends his playing career, his hopes are transferred to his son, who prefers swing music to classical.After noted violinist Arthur Williams suffers a hand injury which ends his playing career, his hopes are transferred to his son, who prefers swing music to classical.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

175

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

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Top cast22

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Clarence Muse

Arthur Williams

Sybil Lewis

Grace Williams

William Washington

John Williams

Tommie Moore

Mary
(as Tommiwitta Moore)

Matthew 'Stymie' Beard

Dickey Morley
(as Stymie Beard)

Pete Webster

Gus Herbert

Edward Thompson

Sam Stilton

Buck Woods

Fred Stilton

Darby Jones

Stringbeans

Jess Lee Brooks

Dr. Matson

Earle Morris

Earl Wells
(as Earl Morris)

Elliot Carpenter

Elliott Carpenter
(as Elliott Carpenter)

The Stevens Sisters

Singers

Clarence Brooks

First Doctor
(uncredited)

Ruby Dandridge

Dancer
(uncredited)

Louise Franklin

Nightclub Patron Who Gets a Camera Close-Up
(uncredited)

John Lester Johnson

Nightclub Owner
(uncredited)

Rosalie Lincoln

Nurse
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Quotes
Arthur Williams: My heart still belongs to the Masters, but look what swing has done for me!

Connections
Featured in Black Shadows on the Silver Screen (1975)

Soundtracks
Kentucky Babe
(uncredited)
Music by Adam Geibel
Lyrics by Richard Buck
Danced to and sung by The Stevens Sisters

User reviews8

Review

Featured review

Effective Race Film

Broken Strings (1940)

*** (out of 4)

This is without a doubt the best of the early black cinema films I've seen. Clarence Muse plays a classical violinist who loses movement in his hand after suffering an accident. Unable to perform, he picks up teaching students as well as his son but soon he begins to have a mental breakdown. Things aren't getting any better when he realizes his son doesn't want to play classical music but instead the son finds a liking to swing/jazz. Unlike some of of the other black cinema films I've watched this year, this one here features a wonderful group of talented folks so there's none of the bad acting that I've seen in previous films. Some will recognize Muse from films such as White Zombie, The Lost Weekend, Double Indemnity and Car Wash but none of them really gave him the chance to act. He does a very good job in his role here, although there are a few times where he goes a bit too over the top. Our Gang member Matthew "Stymie" Beard also appears as one of the students. The film tacks on an incredibly silly ending but the 60-minutes fly by with some nice laughs and some nice drama.