SHE HAD TO CHOOSE

Isabel Jewell and Regis Toomey

SHE HAD TO CHOOSE (1934). Director: Ralph Ceder.

Sally Bates (Isabel Jewell) makes her way to Hollywood and a hopefully better life, but would have wound up sleeping in her car were it not for the kindness of Bill Cutler (Buster Crabbe), who runs a food stand with his mother (Maidel Turner of State of the Union). Bill develops feelings for Sally, although he already has a girlfriend in wealthy, snooty Clara (Sally Blane). However he has a rival for Sally's affections in Jack Berry (Regis Toomey of Shopworn), who loves to drink and party. In the meantime, Bill's mother turns out not to be quite as nice as she at first seems. Jewell [The Seventh Victim] is an appealing performer, the other cast members are fine, but She Had to Choose becomes increasingly ridiculous and melodramatic. The funniest scene -- intended to be dramatic -- is when Sally rips off a dress she is wearing [unbeknownst to her it belongs to Clara] after an altercation and runs out of a nightclub in her slip. And things get more ridiculous after that! One assumes the title has to do with which man Sally will choose, as she really isn't given any other "choices" in the movie.

Verdict: Don't choose this movie. *1/2.

STATE OF THE UNION

STATE OF THE UNION (1948). Director: Frank Capra.

"We even had a democrat in that bed one night!" -- housekeeper Margaret Hamilton.

"If I've got to listen to speeches, you'd better make me another sazerac right away!" -- Lulubelle Alexander

Newspaper publisher Kay Thorndyke (Angela Lansbury) and long-time politico Jim Conover (Adolph Menjou) work together to get plane manufacturer Grant Matthews( Spencer Tracy) to toss his hat in the Republican ring. Although she has reservations -- particularly regarding the participation of Kay, who is carrying a torch for Grant -- Matthews' wife Mary (Katharine Hepburn) agrees to go along on the campaign trail, hoping her husband will win the party's nomination. But as the weeks go by she watches in horror as Grant succumbs to the manipulations of Kay and Jim, compromising to the point where he's turning his back on what he really believes in just so he has a chance at the white house. Something's gotta give, and boy does it! This wonderful, still topical movie features top-notch performances from the actors named, as well as from Van Johnson as a snappy reporter named Spike. Margaret Hamilton has an amusing supporting part as a housekeeper who has a yen for Spike, and Maidel Turner is a riot as Lulubelle Alexander, a judge's wife who loves her sazerac cocktails; Charles Dingle, Raymond Walburn, Howard Smith and Irving Bacon also score. Hepburn's first name is misspelled in the opening credits, there are a couple of stupid moments, but everything else is just about perfect!

Verdict: Another Capra winner! ***1/2.