Fresh and Exciting

Excellent but underrated film

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

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.

Available on an excellent TCM DVD, "Lady By Choice" is a must-have for both May Robson and Carole Lombard fans. Although second in the billing, Robson actually has the lead role and we are introduced to her right from the start when her delightfully gin-soaked character disturbs a rendition of "Mother", and is arrested. In court, we are introduced to Miss Lombard (the "Human Heatwave"), her manager and publicity man. But after a brief squabble with the judge (Walter Connolly), the radiantly photographed – by Ted Tetzlaff – Lombard disappears from view for over twenty minutes. In the meantime, Miss Robson is allowed to ham it up – which she does with pleasing gusto! Then Lombard returns with the bright idea of adopting Robson as her mother! Roger Pryor makes rather a weak fist of the hero, but all the rest of the players offer solid support. David Burton's direction is far superior to his material and I am amazed he did not have the really splendid Hollywood career he obviously deserved. This movie is available on an excellent TCM DVD.

Fan dancer Carole Lombard 'adopts' tippler bag lady May Robson as her mother in order to improve Carole's public image. The old lady winds up becoming a mother figure to Carole and tries to help her become successful in a more respectable career. But when that falls through, Carole starts to date a young lawyer friend of May's for his money. This creates a rift between the two women and May determines to stop Carole from taking advantage of the lawyer.May Robson is great. Carole Lombard is beautiful and has good chemistry with May. Fine support from Walter Connolly, Roger Pryor, and Arthur Hohl. Lady for a Day is one of my favorite Frank Capra films. It has great Damon Runyon characters, fun dialogue, and a lot of heart. This is a cash-grab follow-up to that movie but not a sequel. May Robson plays a similar character but this is not Apple Annie. None of the characters in this movie are quite as colorful or enjoyable as those in the Capra movie. Still, it's entertaining enough thanks to Lombard and Robson.

This movie was a sequel of sorts to Capra's "Lady for a Day" and in it May Robson reprises her Apple Annie character. Indeed May Robson steals the show and gives by far the best performance. This film would be Carole Lombard's last with Columbia pictures. As with her film, "Brief Moment" her director at Columbia was David Burton and the character actor Arthur Hohl is on board again as costar, here playing her crooked manager.Carole Lombard's performance is fair. She is trying hard and keeps herself animated, but seems to come up just short. She seems to suffer from a bad case of "over-acting". However, since she is playing a "bad" actress from the wrong side of town, I can't say this is too troubling. The story is complex and on the whole the acting is fine, so overall the viewing experience is pleasing and worth repeating. The ending does tug at your heart-strings and the resolution is well thought out. The characters examine their own faults and are able to take advantage of opportunities to grow...with a little help along the way.