Broken Strings: Museum Object and Cultural History
Broken Strings: Date: 1940. Directed by: Bernard B Ray, Russian, 1895 - 1964. Written by: Bernard B Ray, Russian, 1895 - 1964.
The object in the museum catalogue
A 16mm release print of the feature film Broken Strings. It consists of two reels of positive, black and white, 16mm acetate film with variable area optical sound. The first scene opens with a shot outside a theatre. The footage then quickly jumps to concert violinist Arthur Williams (Clarence Muse) performing onstage as his family watches from the wings. At the end of his performance, the audience applauds, Williams returns to the wings and hands his son John (William Washington) his violin before returning to the stage a third time and addressing the audience. The rest of the film chronicles how Williams’ career abruptly ends when he suffers a hand injury in a motor vehicle accident. His hopes of bequeathing his classical training and success to his son are challenged when he learns his son prefers performing swing music to performing classical music.
Materials, dates and provenance
- Date: 1940
- Directed by: Bernard B Ray, Russian, 1895 - 1964
- Written by: Bernard B Ray, Russian, 1895 - 1964
- Written by: Clarence Muse, American, 1889 - 1979
- Produced by: Lewie C. Borden
- Subject of: Clarence Muse, American, 1889 - 1979
- Subject of: Sybil Lewis, American, 1919 - 1988
- Subject of: William Washington, American, 1924 - 1982
- Subject of: Tommie Moore, American, 1917 - 2004
- Type: sound films
- Type: black-and-white films (visual works)
- Type: release prints (motion pictures)
- Type: feature films
- Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
- Medium: acetate film
- Dimensions: Duration: 60 Minutes
- Dimensions: Length (Film Reel 1): 1300 Feet
- Dimensions: Length (Film Reel 2): 900 Feet
- Place depicted: United States, North and Central America
- Place filmed: United States, North and Central America
- Topic: African American
- Topic: Domestic life
- Topic: Drama (Theatre)
- Topic: Film
- Topic: Jazz (Music)
- Topic: Musicians
- Topic: Race films
- Object number: 2015.167.3.1ab
- Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman
- Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture
Sources and reuse
Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
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