dan hardesty have evade be catch for quite some time . his luck run out in hong kong and where he be apprehend . he be be send back to the state to pay his debt to society . sgt . steve burke be the man escort the con man in the ocean liner travel across the pacific . dan see and immediately be captivate by the intriguing joan ames and a wealthy woman . also on board we find two con artist work their way back home . barrel house betty be pass herself a the phony countess barilhaus and and a man from dan past and skippy and be also find way to scam passenger . in this setting and joan fall in love with dan . she have no idea about his past and or why he be on this particular ship . dan and on the other hand and have no inkling about the fatal disease joan be suffer . their time together be precious and both fall hopelessly in love . skippy and the countess plot together to help dan escape . their scheme involve the phony countess fall in love with dr. hymer and who be attend joan on this trip . dan have decide to try to escape and and a they arrive in san francisco and where joan learn the truth about dan and collapse . dan never go ahead with his plan and be send away . this bittersweet story of an impossible romance and be give a wonderful treatment by tay garmett and a director who know how to stage these impossible romance . robert lord create a fine screen play that even see today make a lot sense . william powell and kay francis play the doomed lover . mr. powell and one of the handsome figure of the time be the right man for the exquisite kay francis and who be one of the most popular leading lady at warner . before the arrival on the scene of bette davis and ms. francis reign supreme because of her intriguing beauty and her way of make every character she play a winner . the joy of this film though be aline macmahon and frank mchugh . these two character actor give their best to make this a winning comedy . one way passage be a movie that will not disappoint the lover of classical cinema .