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You Only Live Once (1937)

APPROVED 86 min  -  Crime | Drama | Film-Noir  -   29 January 1937 (USA)
7.5
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Ratings: 7.5/10 from 2,080 users  
Reviews: 32 user | 14 critic

The public defender's secretary and an ex-convict get married and try to make a life together, but a series of disasters sends their lives spiraling out of control.

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Gene Towne (screenplay), C. Graham Baker (screenplay)

Stars:

Sylvia Sidney, Henry Fonda and Barton MacLane
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sylvia Sidney ...
Joan Graham
Henry Fonda ...
Eddie Taylor
Barton MacLane Barton MacLane ...
Stephen Whitney
Jean Dixon Jean Dixon ...
Bonnie Graham
William Gargan William Gargan ...
Father Dolan
Jerome Cowan Jerome Cowan ...
Doctor Hill
Charles 'Chic' Sale Charles 'Chic' Sale ...
Ethan (as Chic Sale)
Margaret Hamilton ...
Hester
Warren Hymer Warren Hymer ...
Buggsy
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams ...
Roger (as Guinn Williams)
John Wray John Wray ...
Warden Wheeler
Walter De Palma Walter De Palma ...
Monk Mendall
Full cast and crew »
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Storyline

Joan is the secretary to the public defender in a large city. She is in love with a career criminal named Eddie, and she believes that he is a basically good person who just had some tough breaks. She uses her influence to get him released early, and he tries to go straight after marrying her, but things don't work out, and they both go on the lam. Written by Tim Horrigan <horrigan@eworld.com>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Secretary | Prison | Truck Driver | Electric Chair | Heist  | See more »

Taglines:

He robbed... kidnapped... he murdered... Because of the love of one woman!

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Gehetzt See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$575,000 (estimated)
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Company Credits

Production Co:

Walter Wanger Productions See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on October 29, 1945 with Henry Fonda and Sylvia Sidney reprising their film roles. See more »

Quotes

Joan Graham: Anywhere's our home. On the road. Out there on a cold star. Anywhere's our home.
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Connections

Featured in Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984) See more »

Soundtracks

"A Thousand Dreams of You"
(1936) (uncredited)
Music by Louis Alter See more »