One Way Street *** (1950, James Mason, Märta Torén, Dan Duryea) – Classic Movie Review 11,237

The solid and satisfying 1950 film noir crime drama One Way Street stars James Mason as Dr Frank Matson, who runs off to Mexico with his mob boss patient (Dan Duryea)’s stash of cash and the mobster’s girlfriend (Märta Torén).

‘A stolen fortune, a borrowed woman, and a man too many!’

Universal Pictures’ 1950 American black and white film One Way Street stars James Mason as Dr Frank Matson, who runs off to Mexico with his mob boss patient John Wheeler (Dan Duryea)’s $200,000 stash of cash and the mobster’s girlfriend Laura Thorsen (Märta Torén).

Matson and Thorsen end up hiding out in a village in Mexico, but Wheeler is looking for them.

Director Hugo Fregonese’s solid and convincing film noir crime drama is a reasonably satisfying example of a good B-movie thriller, with the attractive cast giving their usual excellent, classy performances to combat Lawrence Kimble’s cheesy and implausible script with various improbable and far-fetched elements. Mason succeeds in his offbeat casting, taking over from Jeff Chandler! Duryea and the support actors are in their element.

Taut and tense, it runs only 79 minutes.

Rock Hudson (as Roc Hudson) has a tiny early role as a truck driver.

Also in the cast are William Conrad, King Donovan, Jack Elam, Tito Renaldo, Basil Ruysdael, Rodolfo Acosta, George J Lewis, Robert Espinoza, Margarito Luna, Emma Roldán, and James Best.

James Best was born Jewel Guy (July 26, 1926 – April 6, 2015). It was best to change that name.

Swedish stage and film actress Märta Torén appeared in 11 American films, including Casbah, llegal Entry, Rogues’ Regiment, Sword in the Desert, Sirocco (1951) and Assignment – Paris! (1952), but died suddenly from a cerebral haemorrhage aged only 31 on 19 February 1957.

One Way Street is directed by Hugo Fregonese, runs 79 minutes, is made and released by Universal Pictures, is written by Lawrence Kimble (story and screenplay), is shot in black and white by Maury Gertsman, is produced by Leonard Goldstein and Sam Goldwyn Jnr, and is scored by Frank Skinner.

It was released on April 1, 1950.

The cast are James Mason as Dr Frank Matson, Märta Torén as Laura Thorsen, Dan Duryea as John Wheeler, Basil Ruysdael as Father Moreno, William Conrad as Ollie, Rodolfo Acosta as Francisco Morales, King Donovan as Grieder, Robert Espinoza as Santiago, Tito Renaldo as Hank Morales, Margarito Luna as Antania Morales, Emma Roldán as Catalina, George J Lewis as Captain Rodriguez, James Best as Driver, Jack Elam as Arnie, and Rock Hudson as Truck Driver.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,237

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