Broken Lullaby (1932) [w/Commentary]

Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Stars: Lionel Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, Phillips Holmes

Often overlooked amongst director Ernst Lubitsch's comedies and musicals, Broken Lullaby is a riveting and brilliant romantic drama from the pre-Code era, starring Lionel Barrymore (It's a Wonderful Life), Nancy Carroll (The Kiss Before the Mirror), and Phillips Holmes (The Criminal Code).

Musician Paul Renard is haunted by the memory of Walter, a German soldier he killed during the First World War. He travels to Walter's home town, and, passing himself off as a friend of the deceased, is taken in by his grieving family. But when he finds himself falling in love with Elsa, Walter's fiancée, he becomes worried that the truth will emerge…

With a screenplay by regular Lubitsch collaborator Samson Raphaelson (The Shop Around the Corner, Heaven Can Wait), Broken Lullaby was rapturously received by critics at the time, with one describing it as 'the most unusual and dramatic situation the screen has presented'.



Audio commentary with author and film historian Joseph McBride (2021)

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