''Break of Hearts'' is a 1935

RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...

film starring

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

and

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

. The screenplay was written by the team of

Sarah Y. Mason Sarah Y. Mason (March 31, 1896 – November 28, 1980) was an American screenwriter and script supervisor.Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). ''Silent Film Necrology.'' McFarland, Biography Mason was born Sarah Yeiser Mason in Pima, Arizona. She a ...

and Victor Heerman, with

Anthony Veiller Anthony Veiller (23 June 1903 – 27 June 1965) was an American screenwriter and film producer. He wrote for 41 films between 1934 and 1964. Life and career Veiller was born on 23 June 1903 in New York City to playwright and screenwriter Ba ...

, from a story by

Lester Cohen Lester Cohen (August 17, 1901 – July 17, 1963) was an American novelist, screenwriter and author of non-fiction. He is best known as the author of the novels ''Sweepings'' and '' Coming Home'', and the screen play for ''Of Human Bondage''. Early ...

, specifically for Hepburn. Originally ''Break of Hearts'' was intended as a vehicle for Hepburn and

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...

. The film was promoted by RKO's advertising department with the catch phrase: "The star of a million moods ''together'' with the new idol of the screen." ( Francis Lederer actually was first signed-up lead, but the producers replaced him with

Plot summary

Franz Roberti (

) is a passionate and eminent musical conductor; Constance Dane (

) is an aspiring but unknown composer. She wants to see his concert, but it is all sold out. When she sneaks into his rehearsal he is smitten by her devotion and gets his orchestra to get it right as they play just for her. Constance marries Franz: he says she is "a most exciting creature" and she has been in love with him for a long time (i.e., "since late this afternoon"). Not long after they get married Constance finds Franz having dinner with a female friend. So Constance responds by going out with her own friend, Johnny Lawrence ( John Beal). Johnny wants to marry Constance, but she cannot forget her husband. Franz has been hitting the bottle and pretty much throwing away his career, although exactly which of his many sins is driving him to drink is not really clear. Fortunately, Constance has been working on her concerto.

Cast

as Constance Dane Roberti *

as Franz Roberti * John Beal as Johnny Lawrence * Jean Hersholt as Professor Thalma *

Sam Hardy Sam Hardy may refer to: * Sam Hardy (actor) * Sam Hardy (footballer) Sam Hardy (26 August 1882 – 24 October 1966) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Football career In 1902, Chesterfield manager Jack Hoskin beat Derby Co ...

as Marx * Inez Courtney as Miss Wilson *

Helene Millard Helene Millard (September 30, 1905 – September 20, 1974) was an American supporting actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Millard began acting on stage in Los Angeles when she was in the seventh grade. Millard left the Pasadena Players in July 19 ...

as Sylvia DeWitt * Ferdinand Gottschalk as Enrico Pazzini * Susan Fleming as Elise * Lee Kohlmar as Schubert *

Jean Howard Jean Howard (born Ernestine Hill; October 13, 1910 – March 20, 2000) was an American actress and professional photographer. She was born in Longview, Texas and died in Beverly Hills, California. Early years Howard was born Ernestine Hill on Oc ...

as Didi Smith-Lennox * Anne Grey as Lady Phyllis Cameron

Reception

Writing for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'',

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

praised the acting of Boyer and Hepburn which he described as "talented enough to keep some of our interest even in a story of this kind". Concerning Hepburn in particular, Greene observed she "always makes her young women quite horrifyingly lifelike with their girlish intuitions, their intensity, their ideals which destroy the edge of human pleasure". (reprinted in: ) This film made a slim profit of $16,000.

References

External links

* * * * 1935 films American black-and-white films RKO Pictures films American romantic drama films Films about composers 1935 romantic drama films 1930s American films {{1930s-romantic-drama-film-stub