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.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 1 win total
- French Bartender
- (uncredited)
- Hong Kong Bartender
- (uncredited)
- Freighter Captain
- (uncredited)
- Hong Kong Curio Dealer
- (uncredited)
- Honolulu Cigar Store Proprietor
- (uncredited)
- Sir Harold
- (uncredited)
- Friend of Joan's
- (uncredited)
- Agua Caliente Bartender
- (uncredited)
- Singer 'If I Had My Way'
- (uncredited)
- Singer, 'If I Had My Way'
- (uncredited)
- S.S.Maloa Bartender
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film won the Best Writing, Original Story Oscar for its only Academy Award nomination.
- GoofsWhen 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 creditsThe opening title card has a cruise ship in the background.
- ConnectionsFeatured in TCM Guest Programmer: Tony Bennett and Gary Sargent (2015)
- SoundtracksIf I Had My Way
(1914) (uncredited)
Music by James Kendis
Lyrics by Lou Klein
Sung in the bar by a vocal trio
I saw Carol Burnett do a send-up of either this or the remake - just think if Burnett were on TV today, no one would have any idea what she was doing. How times have changed.
This is a beautiful film with wonderful performances, not only from Powell and Francis, but from Frank McHugh, Aline McMahon, and Warren Hymer. McHugh is a petty crook who runs into McMahon, another crook who is posing as a countess. She catches the eye of Sgt. Burke. It's a great subplot with some fun moments.
Powell is gallant, melancholy, and charming, and Francis is glamorous and lovely; both give very touching and sweet performances, each knowing he/she isn't going to live. Each time they drink together, they break their glasses and cross the stems, and this crossing is something the camera focuses on as they sit in a cove in Hawaii and toss away their cigarettes. The ending is one of the best ever and will make the viewer smile and cry at the same time.
It's 1932, so some of the sound seems to have been done in an echo chamber, but that shouldn't bother anyone. "One Way Passage" is a treasure of a film.
- blanche-2
- Aug 5, 2006
- How long is One Way Passage?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 7 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1