One Way Passage is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic film starring William Powell and Kay Francis as star-crossed lovers, directed by Tay Garnett and released by Warner Bros.

In a Hong Kong bar, he literally bumps into Joan Ames, a terminally ill woman whose friends are wishing her bon voyage.

In what will become a signature gesture for the couple, they share a Paradise cocktail, then Dan breaks the bowl of his glass, followed by Joan; they leave the stems crossed on the bar.

By chance, two of Dan's friends are also aboard, pickpocket Skippy and con artist "Barrel House Betty", masquerading as "Countess Barilhaus".

(Earlier in the film, Betty told Skippy that she dreamed of giving it all up and buying herself a chicken ranch.)

At the appointed time and place, the dance floor is full, but the long bar is empty except for Skippy, standing solemnly at one end, and two bartenders at the other.

As the ship draws near San Francisco, Dan and Joan talk about the Golden Gates, remembering the words of a hymn.

Critic Ken Hanke gave credit to director Garnett's role in honing the final screenplay: "The comedy content – involving unscrupulous but lovable con artists – has all the earmarks of being the work of noted cynic and part-time con artist Mizner.

[11] Mordaunt Hall wrote in The New York Times, "In its uncouth, brusque and implausible fashion, 'One Way Passage' ... offers quite a satisfactory entertainment.

"[12] Leonard Maltin gives the film 3 1/2 out of 4 stars, high praise for a "tender shipboard romance of fugitive Powell and fatally ill Francis, splendidly acted, with good support by MacMahon and McHugh".

[9] Writing in 2013 for the Mountain Express (Asheville, North Carolina), Ken Hanke described the film as: "The classic doomed lovers/shipboard romance movie... a perfect blend of romantic tragedy and hard-boiled comedy...

"[13] President Ronald Reagan wrote in his diary on January 8, 1982, that he and Nancy watched the film at Camp David, writing of it: "We ran an old movie, One Way Passage – Kay Francis, Wm.

One Way Passage was remade in 1940 as 'Til We Meet Again, featuring Merle Oberon, George Brent, Pat O'Brien, Binnie Barnes and Geraldine Fitzgerald.

Frank McHugh reprises his role as Dan's pickpocket friend; his state of perpetual inebriation is a pose in the later film.