Lady by Choice

Carole Lombard plays a fan dancer (working under the moniker "Alabam, the Human Heat Wave") who hooks up with a haggardly, dice rolling, beer guzzler named Patsy when she adopts her out of the "old ladies home" as her new mother, a publicity stunt for Mother's Day. Moving in with Alabam into her swanky apartment, the two women soon bond over shots of straight whiskey, Alabam buys the old lady a new wardrobe, then both try to reform the other of their bad ways. And yes indeed, there is a male love interest for Lombard, a character who fits somewhat loosely into this whole plot.

Interesting film, the first half better than the second, I thought, but I do like the interaction between Carole Lombard and May Robson who plays Patsy - they come across as pretty chummy, which works well for this story. Lombard appears in a number of gorgeous outfits here, everything from glamorous, fur-sleeved dress to satin rompers (how 'bout that ragged old hat with the dead bird hanging off it that Patsy wears in the beginning?!). Worth seeing.

She is the basic motif for see this lovely film, nice, sweet, charming. because Carole Lombard has her ordinary job and Walter Connolly has the status of glue of a so familiar story about love, money, succes and values. May Robson does more than an inspired character but she has the gift to translate the spirit of a great way to discover the world . and this is the gift of this film who has the virtue to be a trip in past. sure, a film more as slice from the spirit of a time than a great artistic work. but good opportunity for fair smile and comfortable atmosphere. and this is one of real good points of a movie who propose the flavor of a lost period.

May Robson and Carole Lombard are both excellent as something like mother and daughter in this fast moving and enjoyable comedy.

Robson is the likable but down-and-out hard drinker who winds up before judge Walter Connolly for starting a riot in a bar; it's her seventh or eighth time up on charges, and he finally sends her off to a home for old ladies.

Meanwhile, fan dancer Lombard is brought into the same courtroom for a morals code violation—actually a failed publicity stunt arranged by her agent.

Setting out to find some good publicity, Lombard hits on the idea of "adopting" a mother. Discovering Robson in the old ladies' home, Lombard takes her home, dresses her up, calls up some reporters, and has some pictures taken. The plan is to quickly pay off the old lady and get her to scram; however, the two women begin to get acquainted….

The rest of the plot is hardly surprising; Lombard sums it up nicely at one point: "I did it for a publicity gag. But she got under my skin."

Roger Pryor is fine as the lawyer who has an old family connection with Robson, and takes an interest in Lombard. Walter Connolly is excellent as usual as the judge—though he puts on many faces (stern, concerned, exasperated) he is of course at heart an old softie.

No huge surprises but quite satisfying overall; the plot and script are no great shakes but it's all made more than worthwhile by top efforts from Lombard and Robson.

May Robson plays a boozier and meaner version of Apple Annie from her prior film, LADY FOR A DAY (directed by Frank Capra), though it is essentially the same character with a different name. My assumption is that the studio head (Harry Cohn) just couldn't resist reprising the character since she went over so well the year before in the Capra film.

Robson's character, Patsy, has already been arrested seven times this year for being drunk and disorderly and by now the judge has had enough and forces her to go to an old folks home. However, Patsy isn't the type to retire and when she sees a chance to escape, she does. That's because publicity seeking fan dancer, Carole Lombard, decides to do a publicity stunt and adopt a sweet old lady (complete with the press and photographers on hand to get the story). However, while it originally was done on a lark, Lombard likes the idea of doing this for real and so she keeps Robson on hand to try and reform her and give her life purpose.

However, despite her intentions, it ends up that Patsy is Lombard's benefactress. After winning a lot of dough gambling, she pays to give Lombard singing, acting and dancing lessons. When this doesn't pay off, she sets her sights to helping Lombard get control of her life. But, when Lombard sets out to snag a rich lawyer just because he was rich, Robson and Lombard have a falling out and you'll just have to see the rest of the film to find out what happens next.

The film has some excellent acting and is a nice breezy film. It's neither as deep or satisfying as LADY FOR A DAY, but is still well worth seeing. A nice romantic fantasy film.

Carole Lombard and May Robson star in "Lady By Choice" from 1934, with Robson sort of reprising her Apple Annie character.

Lombard is Alabam, the Human Heat Wave, a fan dancer. Her publicist is attempting to garner some good publicity for Alabam and suggests that for Mother's Day, she go to a nursing home and adopt an old lady to be her mother.

Alabam sees a smiling, gentle Patricia Patterson (Robson) at the home and recognizes her as the screaming, out of control bag lady who came up before a judge (Walter Connolly) at the same time Alabam was there, brought up on a morals charge because of her dancing. Patterson, of course, never had any intention of staying in the nursing home and, there against her will, was obviously making the lives of the people who ran the home a living hell.

In the beginning, it's a match made in heaven, with Patricia living in Alabam's gorgeous apartment and wearing the new clothes Alabam purchased for her. Patricia wins $7000 ($139,185 in today's money) and pretends she inherited it, in order to convince Alabam that she can stop fan dancing and to pursue a stage career.

Problems arise later when Alabam gets together with the wealthy Johnny (Roger Pryor) who is a guardian of Patricia's (and it's hinted that she's his actual mother). Patricia is against the relationship, believing Alabam is a gold digger.

Fun movie with the absolutely stunning Lombard walking around in beautiful clothes with a lot of dead animals hanging from them. She and Robson have excellent chemistry, and their scenes are the best.

Sad to see Lombard, so beautiful and vibrant, and realize she only had eight years left. However, she left a wonderful legacy.