Broken Dreams started off with a bang. Randolph Scott is anxiously awaiting the birth of his first child. The doctor comes out of the delivery room with the news that it's a boy, but his wife has died. Scottie cries and flees the hospital, leaving his aunt and uncle (Beryl Mercer and Joseph Cawthorn) to pick up the pieces. For some reason, Scottie decided to stop giving heavy dramatic performances later in his career, so if you catch him in this movie, you'll see one of the rare times he tried to show off his chops. Cary Grant and John Wayne weren't good actors, Gary Cooper was a lousy one, and Clark Gable was never asked to do much. Why was Randolph Scott left out in the cold?
Anyway, back to Broken Dreams. Scottie abandons his son and pursues his career as a doctor. But after what happened to him, why would he ever specialize in pediatrics? He's engaged to a high society woman (Martha Sleeper), and she has no idea he has a son. The boy, played by the adorably pouty Buster Phelps, is extremely happy living with his great- aunt and uncle, and as they've raised him, he's grown up calling them Mom and Pop. Do you think Scottie's going to want his cake and eat it, too? He's extremely unlikable after the first ten minutes of the movie. So, weigh the pros and cons. If you want to see him act, rent this one. If you want to like him, skip it.