One Way Passage

Directed by Tay Garnett, One Way Passage follows William Powell’s Dan Hardesty and Kay Francis’ Joan Ames as they find themselves falling for one another aboard an ocean liner – with their coupling complicated by his imminent jailing and her terminal illness. Filmmaker Garnett, working from a script by Wilson Mizner and Joseph Jackson, delivers a perpetually compelling drama that benefits from the magnetic efforts of its two stars, as Powell and Francis turn in charismatic, compelling work that’s heightened by their palpable chemistry together – with the performers’ consistently captivating efforts matched by a strong supporting cast that includes Aline MacMahon and Warren Hymer. (Frank McHugh, playing Dan’s alcoholic associate Skippy, offers up a scene-stealing appearance that remains an ongoing highlight.) And while it’s never terribly difficult to guess where everything’s going, One Way Passage boasts a slimmed-down narrative overflowing with memorable, stand-out sequences that go a long way towards keeping things interesting throughout. (It’s impossible, for example, not to get a kick out of a fun interlude wherein a very drunk Skippy encounters his own reflection.) By the time the tear-jerking final stretch rolls around, One Way Passage has confirmed its place as a consistently solid endeavor that does, on top of everything else, feature impressively stylish visuals.

*** out of ****