One Way Passage *** (1932, William Powell, Kay Francis, Aline MacMahon, Frank McHugh) – Classic Movie Review 11,460

Director Tay Garnett’s 1932 Warner Bros pre-Code romantic weepie film One Way Passage stars William Powell and Kay Francis as star-crossed lovers in their most successful film together. Robert Lord won the Academy Award for Best Story.

Dying beauty Joan Ames (Francis) and soon-to-be-jailed, kind-hearted condemned criminal villain Dan Hardesty (Powell) fall in love on board the ship taking them to their respective final destinations, in this stylishly handled, effectively tear-jerking Hollywood romantic weepie.

It is spiced with moments of humour, acted with great élan, and filmed with brisk brio by director Garnett. Above all, Francis and Powell are first rate, and so are Aline MacMahon and Frank McHugh in star support.

It is remade as ‘Til We Meet Again (1940) with Merle Oberon and George Brent.

Frank McHugh played the same role of pickpocket Achilles Peddicord in both versions, although the character’s name is changed in ‘Til We Meet Again. Aline MacMahon plays con artist Barrel House Betty, masquerading as Countess Barilhaus.

One Way Passage is one of seven films Francis starred in with Powell. It is their sixth film together and their biggest money-maker.

The cast are William Powell as Dan Hardesty, Kay Francis as Joan Ames, Aline MacMahon as Betty, Frank McHugh as Achilles Peddicord/ Skippy, Warren Hymer as Steve Burke, Roscoe Karns as Cruise Ship Bartender, Frederick Burton as The Doctor, and Mike Donlin as Hong Kong bartender, Herbert Mundin, Stanley Fields, Douglas Gerrard, Wilson Mizner, Dewey Robinson, Bill Halligan, and Willie Fung.

Wilson Mizner and Joseph Jackson are the credited screenwriters, though Garnett honed the screenplay. James Kendis and Lou Klein are the credited composers, though W Franke Harling wrote the love theme uncredited.

The hit film cost $350,000 and earned $1,108,000.

Kay Francis (née Gibbs; January 13, 1905 – August 26, 1968) first co-starred with William Powell in Street of Chance (1930) but achieved her greatest success between 1930 and 1936 as number one female star and highest-paid actress at Warner Bros.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,460

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