One Way Passage (1932)

A terminally ill woman and a debonair murderer facing execution meet and fall in love on a trans-Pacific crossing, each without knowing the other's secret.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Wilson Mizner (screenplay), Joseph Jackson (screenplay),

Stars:

William Powell, Kay Francis, Aline MacMahon

Won 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
William Powell	...	Dan
Kay Francis	...	Joan
Aline MacMahon	...	Betty
Frank McHugh	...	Skippy
Warren Hymer	...	Steve
Frederick Burton	...	The Doctor

Storyline

Suave Dan Hardesty, a convicted murderer, is apprehended by Steve Burke, a police detective, in Hong Kong and accompanied on the SS Maloa headed for San Francisco. On board, Dan romances Joan Ames, a terminally ill socialite. She is unaware that his ultimate destination is San Quentin. Both realize that their time together is fleeting so they make a pact to meet at a Mexican night club on New Years Eve. When they part in San Francisco they know that the odds are against them.

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Plot Keywords:

new year's eve | hong kong | lovers rendezvous | engine room | bar | 

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Taglines:

Romance...reaching the Heights of Heaven!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

S.S. Atlantic

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

67 min 67 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on March 6, 1939 with William Powell reprising his film role.

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Goofs

In the scene where Dan and Joan meet at a bar and toast one another, keep an eye on Dan's drink. (It's a rare concoction that appears cloudy when first poured.) There are many shots spliced together to show the ensuing dialogue and toast. In each, the cloudiness and quantity of Dan's drink change quite noticeably after a fateful spill and before he even takes a sip.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hong Kong Bartender: [mixing a very complex drink] I haven't made one of these since the fourth of July. I was making one when the quake hit Frisco. Believe me friend, I wouldn't go to all this trouble for any of these foreigners. Uh, uh, gotta wait a minute to let the oil sink in. There you are partner, you can tell your grandchildren about that one.
Dan: [before Dan can take a sip, the contents of the glass are knocked out of his hand by Joan backing into him] Say what in the name of...
Joan: Why... I'm so sorry.
Dan:
Joan:
Dan:
Joan: [...]

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Connections

Referenced in This Property Is Condemned (1966)

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Soundtracks

"Till We Meet Again"
(1918) (uncredited)
Music by Richard A. Whiting
Lyrics by Ray Egan
Sung in the bar by a vocal trio

User Reviews

Dreamlike perfection

A dying woman and a condemned man fall in love on an ocean liner; how's that for high concept, circa 1932. No, I'm not giving anything away about this tightly plotted, exquisitely produced melodrama. Upper class sophistication, personified by ever-glamorous Kay Francis and gentleman crook William Powell, characterizes the tragic aspect of the story, while ethic warmth and humor, in the classic Warner Bros. style, are perfectly supplied by Aline MacMahon, Warren Hymer, and Frank McHugh. Lots of marvelous small touches, not the least being the way McHugh plays the final scene. If it's on, don't miss it.