A Lady to Love on AllMovie

The odd combination of Vilma Banky and Broadway import Edward G. Robinson starred in this early sound version of Sidney Howard's 1925 play They Knew What They Wanted. California grape grower Tony (Robinson) advertises for a young wife but passes off a photograph of his handsome foreman Buck (Robert Ames) as himself. San Francisco waitress Lena (Banky) answers the add, and although disillusioned when she learns the truth, accepts Tony's proposal of marriage because of a desire to settle down. When Buck attempts to take her away, Lena realizes that she has fallen in love with her unattractive but kind husband. Howard's play was filmed again in 1940 under its original title and starred Charles Laughton as Tony and Carole Lombard as Lena. A Lady to Love proved to be Hungarian silent star Banky's final American film.