How many times have you seen this plot? Leading man or woman marries the wrong person, kills either that person or their lover, suffers in prison, and then ends up with the right person at the very end. I can think of a few dozen movies, half of those made in 1934 when "The Broken Melody" was released. John Garrick, who creaked his way through two genuinely awful early musicals ("Just Imagine" and "The Lottery Bride"), doesn't sing much here. He's a composer (who ironically ends up in his own show) who leaves the very lovely Merle Oberon for the very self-centered Margot Grahame. It should be obvious that Oberon is the more suitable partner, even though Grahame has career connections that could get Garrick's music published. When it does (after they are already in the midst of a horrendous marriage), it is a bomb, and Grahame makes it clear she wants nothing more to do with Garrick, preferring instead her old lover Austin Trevor. She's already been dallying with him behind Garrick's back, even though they have a baby together. Oberon, with eyebrows that make her look like Sigrid Gurie in "The Adventures of Marco Polo", has already tried to cover for Garrick's wife by covering for his wife when she sees Garrick coming into a room where Grahame and Trevor are in the middle of a tete-a-tete. Then, when Trevor is murdered, Garrick immediately takes his child to Oberon, who agrees to take care of it for him. And the vengeful Grahame doesn't try to stop this? It's preposterous, but yet somehow it works because Grahame is so wrapped up in her own career that motherhood is something that doesn't interest her. Still, no mention of Grahame agreeing to this occurs, and as the years go by with Garrick in prison, Oberon has become the child's guardian. The prison scenes are very exciting and darkly realistic, making Devil's Island a hell on earth. Charles Carson is very good as the Devil's Island commander who happens to be at the presentation of Garrick's musical drama, and recognizing the music as some he heard in prison, narrates the back story to a colleague.
It is all preposterous, yet somehow, once you get past that, it is really very entertaining. The DVD print is outstanding, crisp and clear and filled with excellent sound. Oberon and Grahame are beautifully dressed and made up, yet Garrick's brooding hero is never quite convincing as a screen lover. The musical drama that wraps around the flashback narrative gets better towards the end as the nonsensical plot really comes together. A nice little twist in the on-stage drama is the key that gives Carson's Devils Island Commander to make a judgement that morally makes much sense and gives a satisfying ending. Oberon, the British Kay Francis, could always make suffering in ermine fun to watch, even in the most unbelievable of plots, while Grahame overacts ridiculously at times. This is a movie that one can groan at a bit, yet come out not feeling cheated.
It is all preposterous, yet somehow, once you get past that, it is really very entertaining. The DVD print is outstanding, crisp and clear and filled with excellent sound. Oberon and Grahame are beautifully dressed and made up, yet Garrick's brooding hero is never quite convincing as a screen lover. The musical drama that wraps around the flashback narrative gets better towards the end as the nonsensical plot really comes together. A nice little twist in the on-stage drama is the key that gives Carson's Devils Island Commander to make a judgement that morally makes much sense and gives a satisfying ending. Oberon, the British Kay Francis, could always make suffering in ermine fun to watch, even in the most unbelievable of plots, while Grahame overacts ridiculously at times. This is a movie that one can groan at a bit, yet come out not feeling cheated.