One Way Passage (1932)

Beautiful and touching, 'One Way Passage' is filled with dreamy eyes and an intensity of feeling. William Powell plays a man who bumps into Kay Francis in a bar in Hong Kong, and they're instantly drawn to one another. They find each other again on an ocean liner bound for San Francisco, each not knowing a terrible secret about the other, and their love burns all the brighter knowing that it may not last. Powell and Francis are both brilliant and utterly charming, and director Tay Garnett does an excellent job of telling the story and filling his scenes with nice little touches. He also gives us some modern camera work, and while the film has some fantastic slang from years gone by, it also feels ahead of its time, and timeless. Brilliant ending too.

Recently saw this film, thanks to both TCM and my DVR. I am a big William Powell fan and was aware that Kay Francis was one of the big stars in that time period. I was not disappointed. First, the picture and sound were both very watchable, something that some early talkies cannot claim. The casting of the leads was perfect, as expected, while the supporting cast had important roles in the storyline. Unlike some early films this one had layers to the story that gave it more dramatic weight. My only negative comment is that while I like Frank McHugh in his other films, I did not especially like some of the corny comedy scenes that he had in this film. The comedy was a little too broad for a film like this. Not a reason to not watch but it is the only thing that keeps me from giving it an eleven star rating, if I could.

This tale of doomed lovers could have been melodramatic but is done with great delicacy and charm (William Powell is SO tender--he can make "Yes, dear" sound like Shakespeare). Excellent comic support from the reliable Aline MacMahon, whose phony aristocratic air is extremely droll, and who has a distinctly pre-Code moment that shows how far she is willing to go to help a pal. And the clothes! Kay Francis was known as a clothes horse, and her reputation is certainly upheld here by an off- the-shoulder black velvet gown with diamante straps and a white organza number with tiny ruffles. Give me a wardrobe like that, and, boy, would I die happy!

A marvelous little (at a swift 67 minutes) movie about a doomed romance between two people on a voyage that may well be their last. As a pre-Code (when, among other things, criminals didn't necessarily have to be punished for their crimes) picture there's uncertainty about how things will end, as well as a scene that although not in the slightest bit racy, leaves no doubt that sexual intercourse has occurred. William Powell and Kay Francis have wonderful, starry-eyed chemistry together and it's one of those only-in-the-movies affairs that ropes you in. There's also some terrific business involving the supporting players, especially Aline MacMahon and Warren Hymer. A couple of the drunken bits with Frank McHugh are dumb, but they're the only missteps in the film, and he has some other moments that are quite funny. The camera-work is really exceptional for its time, with a number of lyrical movements and expressive shots, including one that would be echoed in Borzage's MOONRISE. I've liked Tay Garnett's noir for the most part, but this swept me off my feet. A very enjoyable, impressive and touchingly sweet film that's packed with charm.