Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

One Way Passage

  • 19321932
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 7m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
One Way Passage (1932)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Tay Garnett
  • Writers
    • Wilson Mizner(screen play)
    • Joseph Jackson(screen play)
    • Robert Lord(based on a story by)
  • Stars
    • William Powell
    • Kay Francis
    • Frank McHugh
Top credits
  • Director
    • Tay Garnett
  • Writers
    • Wilson Mizner(screen play)
    • Joseph Jackson(screen play)
    • Robert Lord(based on a story by)
  • Stars
    • William Powell
    • Kay Francis
    • Frank McHugh
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 61User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win total

    Photos24

    William Powell and Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell, Kay Francis, and Warren Hymer in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell, Kay Francis, and Warren Hymer in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell and Warren Hymer in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    Warren Hymer and Aline MacMahon in One Way Passage (1932)
    Kay Francis in One Way Passage (1932)
    Robert Lord in One Way Passage (1932)
    One Way Passage (1932)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Powell
    William Powell
    • Dan Hardestyas Dan Hardesty
    Kay Francis
    Kay Francis
    • Joan Amesas Joan Ames
    Frank McHugh
    Frank McHugh
    • Skippyas Skippy
    Aline MacMahon
    Aline MacMahon
    • Barrel House Bettyas Barrel House Betty
    Warren Hymer
    Warren Hymer
    • Steve Burkeas Steve Burke
    Frederick Burton
    Frederick Burton
    • The Doctoras The Doctor
    Glen Cavender
    Glen Cavender
    • French Bartenderas French Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    Irma Dane
    • Girlas Girl
    • (uncredited)
    Mike Donlin
    Mike Donlin
    • Hong Kong Bartenderas Hong Kong Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    Stanley Fields
    Stanley Fields
    • Freighter Captainas Freighter Captain
    • (uncredited)
    Willie Fung
    Willie Fung
    • Hong Kong Curio Dealeras Hong Kong Curio Dealer
    • (uncredited)
    Al Ernest Garcia
    Al Ernest Garcia
    • Honolulu Cigar Store Proprietoras Honolulu Cigar Store Proprietor
    • (uncredited)
    Douglas Gerrard
    Douglas Gerrard
    • Sir Haroldas Sir Harold
    • (uncredited)
    Ruth Hall
    Ruth Hall
    • Friend of Joan'sas Friend of Joan's
    • (uncredited)
    William Halligan
    • Agua Caliente Bartenderas Agua Caliente Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    Jane Jones
    • Singer 'If I Had My Way'as Singer 'If I Had My Way'
    • (uncredited)
    Mel Kalish
    • Singer, 'If I Had My Way'as Singer, 'If I Had My Way'
    • (uncredited)
    Roscoe Karns
    Roscoe Karns
    • S.S.Maloa Bartenderas S.S.Maloa Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Tay Garnett
    • Writers
      • Wilson Mizner(screen play)
      • Joseph Jackson(screen play)
      • Robert Lord(based on a story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Jewel Robbery
    7.2
    Jewel Robbery
    Manhattan Melodrama
    7.1
    Manhattan Melodrama
    Mandalay
    6.7
    Mandalay
    'Til We Meet Again
    6.7
    'Til We Meet Again
    Too Hot to Handle
    6.6
    Too Hot to Handle
    After the Thin Man
    7.6
    After the Thin Man
    British Agent
    6.1
    British Agent
    Shipmates Forever
    6.0
    Shipmates Forever
    High Pressure
    6.6
    High Pressure
    Another Thin Man
    7.4
    Another Thin Man
    I Live for Love
    4.8
    I Live for Love
    I Love You Again
    7.4
    I Love You Again

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film won the Best Writing, Original Story Oscar for its only Academy Award nomination.
    • Goofs
      When Steve fires his gun in Dan's room, the noise is very loud, but when they exit into the hallway, the people are walking around as if they had heard nothing. This would be quite unlikely in the close quarters of a ship.
    • 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: I'm so glad.

      Joan: Such a beautiful drink too.

      Dan: Yes, paradise cocktail. Seem to be a few drops left.

      Joan: [prophetically] Always the most precious, the last few drops. That's luck.

      Dan: Yes, my name is Dan.

      Joan: Mine's Joan.

      Dan: Hello, Joan.

      Joan: Hello, Dan.

      Dan: May we, errr, drink to our meeting?

      Joan: We should. Here's... here's hail and farewell.

      Dan: Well that seems a bit ruthless?

      Dan: Let's say

      [hears toast from the German bar]

      Dan: auf wiedersehen

      Joan: Auf wiedersehen

      [Dan smashes his glass on the bar; Joan does likewise]

    • Crazy credits
      The opening title card has a cruise ship in the background.
    • Connections
      Featured in TCM Guest Programmer: Tony Bennett and Gary Sargent (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      If I Had My Way
      (1914) (uncredited)

      Music by James Kendis

      Lyrics by Lou Klein

      Sung in the bar by a vocal trio

    User reviews61

    Review
    Top review
    A great example of William Powell's acting range
    The more I see of William Powell, the more impressed I am with him. Because he did a lot of light parts and is mostly known these days for the Thin Man movies, his reputation has suffered. He is a remarkably subtle actor, more so than many others in the early 30's, a transitional period as talkies wiped out silents and acting styles were in flux. His Thin Man movies, though fun, don't do him justice. I think his best acting is in earlier films like this one and MANHATTAN MELODRAMA.

    William Powell plays a captured crook heading for execution at San Quentin. Kay Francis is a dying woman he meets in a bar in Hong Kong; they wind up together on a ship for San Francisco. The plot centers around their shipboard romance and how they try to keep their respective "terminal" conditions secret from each other. For a 1932 movie, it's quite modern in feel--lots of nice (but not grandiose) stylistic touches, like some sweeping camera movements, especially the ones along a bar that open and close the movie. Considering there is only one plotline, the supporting cast really gets a chance to shine; Aline McMahon plays somewhat against type as a con artist traveling as a duchess, and Frank McHugh is another crook who pulls con jobs while acting perpetually drunk. They team up to help Powell outsmart the cop who has him under lock and key (Warren Hymer). The character of the cop is interesting--he eventually is seen in a fairly favorable light, despite his antagonism toward Powell. I'm not a big Kay Francis fan, but she's adequate here.
    helpful•28
    5
    • mritchie
    • Aug 19, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 22, 1932 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • S.S. Atlantic
    • Filming locations
      • Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 7 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    One Way Passage (1932)
    Top Gap
    By what name was One Way Passage (1932) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    2022 TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.