“ONE WAY PASSAGE.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 740, 19 April 1933, Page 3

“ONE WAY PASSAGE.”

William Powell and Kay Francis Co-starred.

•• Rasputin and the Empress,” which is notable for the brilliant acting of the three Barrymores—Ethel, Lionel and John—will have its final screening at the Regent Theatre on Friday night. Seldom has a stranger, more dramatic, more fascinating romance been unfolded than the one enacted with rare artistry by Kay Francis and William Powell in “ One Way Passage,” which will be the headline attraction at the Regent Theatre on Saturday. New teennique and a new’ type of story are revealed in “ One Way Passage.” Two

people, strangers to each other until they jog elbows in a | Hong Kong cafe, ' meet by accident on ! the eve of their I steamer’s departure for San Francisco. Both are under sentence of death, though of a widely different sort. Powell is Dan Hardesty, on the way back to the gallows on a murder charge. Kay Francis is Joan Ames, a lovely invalid dancing on the brink of death, with a

heart that threatens to stop after the least shock or excitement. Within the same five minutes that Dan Hardesty has found •• the one woman in the world,” the detective who has dogged his footsteps round the globe comes to take him away —but that is not the end of the story. William Powell and Kay Francis are ideally cast in the roles of Dan and Joan. Against the tragic hopelessness of his situations, Powell’s jaunty, debonair manner stands out in vivid contrast. There is a richness and mellowness to his performance that makes his characterisation one long to be remembered. Kay Francis, with her sparkling beauty, interprets to perfection the finely-bred, sensitive, intelligent woman. Brilliant comedy.relief is given to the story by Warren Hymer, as the detective—Powell's Nemesis—Aline MacMahon. a bogus countess, and Frank M’Hugh, a clever pickpocket and thief, who scheme to free Powell. Box plans at The Bristol.