One of the stars of this movie is its casting. The developing relationship between Kay Francis and William Powell is so genuine and deep and affectionate. Kay Francis glows in every scene, yet her acting shines with her delivery. This movie is one of William Powell's best, for it really shows more depth and more feeling than most of his other movies which are somewhat lighter in style. There is a similarity in the Francis/Powell relationship as there is in that of Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr in "An Affair to Remember" (1957) in terms of depth, but Francis/Powell's is deeper. The supporting cast is superbly led by Aline McMahon and Frank McHugh. McMahon is a fine actress in this movie and quite beautiful, too. McHugh's style gets off to the right start in this movie and shows off his acting skill quickly. His later movies, especially in the Busby Berkeley musicals of the 1930s, emphasized more silliness, but "One Way Passage" shows more of what McHugh can really do when given the opportunity. I'm sure the director, Tay Garnett, had a lot to do with that. I don't understand why this superb film is not available for purchase. It is worth more than one viewing.