Sally Bates (Isabel Jewell) leaves Texas, headed for Hollywood, in the 1930s. She is tempted to take a job as a mechanic, with Pop (Arthur Stone), on the highway, but presses on in to town.

She's going to sleep in her old "Tin Lizzie". But after she saves Bill's neck (Buster Crabbe) with her old six-shooter during a botched hold-up, Bill takes her home to live with his mom (Maidel Turner), and gives her a job at his drive-in restaurant.

Sally's friendly and easy going manner is very popular with the customers, but Bill gets jealous when Jack (Regis Toomey), the reckless younger brother of his well-to-do girlfriend Clara (Sally Blane), starts paying Sally attention, following her around in his roadster.

Sally is so humiliated when Clara rips off the dress Jack gave her, at a nightclub, she ends up at his hotel room, married to Jack, after an ill-conceived night of drinking.

Bill arrives in the morning to confront the drunken Jack and take Sally home, but Jack trips and smashes his head, killing himself. Bill is under investigation for murder of the wealthy socialite.

• Buster Crabbe as Bill Cutler
• Isabel Jewell as Sally Bates
• Sally Blane as Clara Berry
• Regis Toomey as Jack Berry
• Maidel Turner as Mrs. Cutler
• Fuzzy Knight as Wally
• Arthur Stone as Pop
• Edward Gargan as Higgins
• Huntley Gordon as Attorney
• Wallis Clark as District Attorney
• Kenneth Howell as Announcer
• Eddie Fetherston as Hold-Up Man
• Max Wagner as Hold-Up Man

• She Had to Choose at IMDb  
• She Had to Choose is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive