Lady by Choice
Encyclopedia
Lady by Choice is a 1934
romantic drama film starring Carole Lombard
as a fan dancer and May Robson
as a homeless drunk who is asked to pose as the dancer's mother for a publicity stunt, with unexpected consequences.
). To help improve her image, her publicist Front O'Malley (Raymond Walburn
) comes up with the zany idea of "adopting" a mother. Her manager, Charlie Kendall (Arthur Hohl
), thinks it is a great idea, so they head off to the nearest old folk's home with newspaper reporters and photographers in tow.
There, Alabam recognizes "Patsy" Patterson (May Robson) and chooses her. Patsy, who much prefers living on the street and drinking to her heart's content, has been unwillingly placed in the home by Judge Daly and lawyer Johnny Mills (Roger Pryor); the latter was asked by his now-deceased father to look after Patsy.
Patsy is touched by Alabam's kind nature, and starts to reform both herself and her new daughter. She curtails her drinking and finds out that Kendall has been skimming off most of Alabam's nightclub salary; Alabam fires Kendall as a result. Patsy gets in a crap game and wins $7000, which she passes off as an inheritance. The money comes in handy, as Alabam is now out of work.
She also gets Alabam to take acting, dancing, and elocution lessons, while she goes to see theatrical producer David Opper (Henry Kolker
). It turns out that Patsy was once a star whose success made Opper a lot of money many years ago. Opper reluctantly agrees to give Alabam an audition, but she fails to impress him.
When Johnny drops by to see how Patsy is doing in her new surroundings, he meets Alabam and soon falls in love with her. Seeing that he is wealthy, Alabam decides the best way to provide for her now-uncertain future is to extract as much "loan" money as she can from him. When Patsy realizes what her protegee is doing, the two women quarrel, and Patsy walks out of Alabam's life.
Johnny asks Alabam to marry him, then tells her that his mother has promised to disown him and leave him a poor man if they marry. Alabam, who has fallen in love despite herself, is relieved; now nobody will think she is marrying him for his money. Judge Daly calls Alabam into his office and threatens to unsuspend her sentence, but she is unfazed. However, when he tells her that Johnny's career and social standing will be ruined by her past, she gives up. She goes back to Kendall.
Patsy, who was initially also opposed to the marriage, changes her mind when she sees that Alabam is really in love. She reveals to Alabam that she was once in the same situation with Johnny's father. They broke up, but Patsy has regretted it ever since and does not want the younger woman to repeat her mistake.
Alabam's fan dance at the nightclub is interrupted by the police, who take her to Judge Daly's office, where she is confronted by Daly, Patsy, and Johnny. Alabam gives in and embraces Johnny.
1934 in film
-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
romantic drama film starring Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
as a fan dancer and May Robson
May Robson
May Robson was an actress and playwright. A major stage actress of the late 19th and early 20th century, Robson is best known today for the dozens of 1930s motion pictures she appeared in when she was well into her seventies, usually playing cross old ladies with hearts of gold.- Biography :Born...
as a homeless drunk who is asked to pose as the dancer's mother for a publicity stunt, with unexpected consequences.
Plot
Alabam Lee (Carole Lombard) is given a suspended sentence by Judge Daly (Walter ConnollyWalter Connolly
Walter Connolly was an American character actor who appeared in almost fifty films between 1914 and 1939.Connolly was a successful stage actor who appeared in twenty-two Broadway productions between 1916 and 1935, notably revivals of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and Chekhov's...
). To help improve her image, her publicist Front O'Malley (Raymond Walburn
Raymond Walburn
Raymond Walburn was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of Hollywood comedies and an occasional dramatic role during the 1930s and 1940s.-Life and career:...
) comes up with the zany idea of "adopting" a mother. Her manager, Charlie Kendall (Arthur Hohl
Arthur Hohl
Arthur Hohl was a stage and motion-picture character actor. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began appearing in films in the early 1920s...
), thinks it is a great idea, so they head off to the nearest old folk's home with newspaper reporters and photographers in tow.
There, Alabam recognizes "Patsy" Patterson (May Robson) and chooses her. Patsy, who much prefers living on the street and drinking to her heart's content, has been unwillingly placed in the home by Judge Daly and lawyer Johnny Mills (Roger Pryor); the latter was asked by his now-deceased father to look after Patsy.
Patsy is touched by Alabam's kind nature, and starts to reform both herself and her new daughter. She curtails her drinking and finds out that Kendall has been skimming off most of Alabam's nightclub salary; Alabam fires Kendall as a result. Patsy gets in a crap game and wins $7000, which she passes off as an inheritance. The money comes in handy, as Alabam is now out of work.
She also gets Alabam to take acting, dancing, and elocution lessons, while she goes to see theatrical producer David Opper (Henry Kolker
Henry Kolker
Henry Kolker was an American stage and film actor and director...
). It turns out that Patsy was once a star whose success made Opper a lot of money many years ago. Opper reluctantly agrees to give Alabam an audition, but she fails to impress him.
When Johnny drops by to see how Patsy is doing in her new surroundings, he meets Alabam and soon falls in love with her. Seeing that he is wealthy, Alabam decides the best way to provide for her now-uncertain future is to extract as much "loan" money as she can from him. When Patsy realizes what her protegee is doing, the two women quarrel, and Patsy walks out of Alabam's life.
Johnny asks Alabam to marry him, then tells her that his mother has promised to disown him and leave him a poor man if they marry. Alabam, who has fallen in love despite herself, is relieved; now nobody will think she is marrying him for his money. Judge Daly calls Alabam into his office and threatens to unsuspend her sentence, but she is unfazed. However, when he tells her that Johnny's career and social standing will be ruined by her past, she gives up. She goes back to Kendall.
Patsy, who was initially also opposed to the marriage, changes her mind when she sees that Alabam is really in love. She reveals to Alabam that she was once in the same situation with Johnny's father. They broke up, but Patsy has regretted it ever since and does not want the younger woman to repeat her mistake.
Alabam's fan dance at the nightclub is interrupted by the police, who take her to Judge Daly's office, where she is confronted by Daly, Patsy, and Johnny. Alabam gives in and embraces Johnny.
Cast
- Carole Lombard as Alabam Lee
- May Robson as Patricia "Patsy" Patterson
- Roger Pryor as Johnny Mills
- Walter ConnollyWalter ConnollyWalter Connolly was an American character actor who appeared in almost fifty films between 1914 and 1939.Connolly was a successful stage actor who appeared in twenty-two Broadway productions between 1916 and 1935, notably revivals of Pirandello's Six Characters in Search of an Author and Chekhov's...
as Judge Daly - Arthur HohlArthur HohlArthur Hohl was a stage and motion-picture character actor. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and began appearing in films in the early 1920s...
as Charlie Kendall - Raymond WalburnRaymond WalburnRaymond Walburn was an American character actor who appeared in dozens of Hollywood comedies and an occasional dramatic role during the 1930s and 1940s.-Life and career:...
as Front O'Malley - James BurkeJames Burke (actor)James Burke was an American actor born in New York City. He made his stage debut in New York around 1912 and went to Hollywood in 1933. He made over 200 film appearances during his career, which ranged from 1932 to 1964...
as Sergeant Brannigan - Henry KolkerHenry KolkerHenry Kolker was an American stage and film actor and director...
as David Opper - Mariska AldrichMariska AldrichMariska Aldrich was an American dramatic soprano singer and actress. She was born Mariska Horvath in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a pupil of Alfred Giraudet and Georg Henschel. She debuted at the Manhattan Opera House in 1908, as the Page in Les Huguenots. She sang with the Manhattan Opera...
as Lucretia - John T. Doyle as Walsh (as John Doyle)