broken files and apt get locked

[uriah heep]

using a fresh instal of Gutsy  (7.10)

When attempting to download VLC through apt get I got a notice of 4
broken files.  I attempted to uninstall and to reinstall with no luck.

I then started getting error   this might break  and no additional
programs would be installed

at one time started from command line to load java and the picture for
java came up but there was no place to say ok I accept and the process
hung there

1.  How can I unlock apt get?
2. How can I delete broken files witch seem to be preventing my
installing anything else?