Thirties starlet Isabel Jewell was in many ways the quintessential dumb blonde of movies from the era, forever cast as a birdbrain chatterbox over and over. What a pleasure to see the charming and talented Ms. Jewell given a straightforward heroine role here in SHE HAD TO CHOOSE, a pleasant young girl from Texas who incredibly travels across the country to California in her old jalopy with no money (at one point she trades her spare tire for gas!) planning to move in with her sister, only to arrive at the apartment building and discover her sister has moved to parts unknown (apparently Ms. Jewell didn't have money for a stamp either to notify her sister of her plans). Sleeping in her car at the local small drive-in restaurant, she is offered a job by the hunky, young manager of the beanery (Buster Crabbe) who also offers to let her stay with him and his mother til she gets on her feet. Sister dear is promptly forgotten as Isabell begins to fall for her hunky benefactor who alas already has a girlfriend (lovely Sally Blane, a dead ringer for her famous sister Loretta Young). Crabbe's unavailability leads Isabell to consider Sally's scoundrel of a brother which leads to a death and a potential murder charge.
The real world of the dirt poor of the 1930's is effectively brought home in this little production unlike the glamourous world most "A" films of the era inhabited. Isabel is charming and sympathetic but the screenplay doesn't have much of a story beyond the intriguing opening. Sally Blane is given an underdeveloped role as a rich girl who starts out being sweet, suddenly becomes a spoiled cat and then turns back to a nice girl again before the conclusion. Buster Crabbe has the only other major role and does very well with what's there. Don't expect much but a pleasant "poverty row" drama and you won't be too disappointed, certainly the attractive young stars are worth checking out.
