L'impasse maudite

Dan Duryea and his gang have just pulled off a big haul. Doctor James Mason scoops the loot and Duryea's girlfriend, Märta Torén. The two fugitives head to Mexico City, but the plane they're in is forced down in a poor coastal village by a busted fuel pump. The canny and kindly local priest. Basil Ruysdael, talks them into staying and giving medical help to his parishioners. However, Duryea is still looking for them, for vengeance.

It's a well produced story of redemption, and Ruysdael steals the show. He was born in 1878 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA as Basil Spaulding Millspaugh. From 1910 through 1918, he was a bass-baritone for the Metropolitan Opera Company, before going on Broadway and then radio. His movie debut was in THE COCOANUTS in 1929. Aside from some voice-over work in shorts, he next was seen on the screen in 1949. He died in 1960.

### Movie Review: "One Way Street"

**By Edward Sterling**

Stepping into the cinema to watch Universal-International's latest production, "One Way Street," directed by Hugo Fregonese, feels like navigating the winding alleys of a noir-soaked labyrinth. This film, rich with the shadowy ambience of crime and retribution, anchors itself in the gritty reality of betrayal and the quest for redemption.

James Mason, delivering a performance both enigmatic and compelling, plays Dr. Frank Matson, a man whose veneer of calm conceals a maelstrom of desperation. Mason's portrayal captures the quintessential anti-hero, a character teetering on the precipice of moral ambiguity, pulling the audience into his tumultuous journey.

Supporting Mason, the luminous Märta Torén as Laura provides a stark contrast to the film's darker themes. Her character, though ensnared in the web of crime, emanates a glimmer of hope and humanity. Torén's portrayal brings an emotional depth that softens the otherwise relentless tension.

Dan Duryea, portraying the menacing mob boss, adds to the film's sinister undercurrent. Duryea's ability to infuse his character with a chilling sense of unpredictability keeps viewers on edge, embodying the palpable threat that looms over Matson's attempt at escape.

Fregonese's direction, paired with Irving Glassberg's evocative cinematography, masterfully captures the essence of noir. The interplay of light and shadow creates a visual symphony that underscores the film's central themes of conflict and resolution. The searing landscapes of Mexico, where much of the film unfolds, provide a stark, almost surreal backdrop to Matson's flight from his past.

"One Way Street" excels in its pacing, maintaining a relentless drive that mirrors Matson's own urgency. Frank Skinner's score punctuates the film's tense moments, heightening the sense of impending danger and the fragile hope of salvation.

However, while the film triumphs in many aspects, it does not escape certain clichés inherent to the genre. The storyline, though gripping, treads familiar paths, and at times, the dialogue slips into predictable tropes. Despite these minor shortcomings, the film's strengths lie in its atmospheric tension and the robust performances of its leads.

In a year where the silver screen has been graced with a multitude of crime dramas, "One Way Street" stands out as a testament to the enduring allure of the noir genre. It is a journey worth taking, a descent into the dark heart of humanity that ultimately suggests that redemption, though elusive, is not entirely out of reach.

In conclusion, "One Way Street" is a cinematic venture that, despite its occasional foray into the well-trodden, captivates and compels with its stark visuals, strong performances, and an unflinching gaze into the shadowy corners of the human psyche. It is, without a doubt, a notable addition to the noir canon of 1950.

I tend to mostly avoid James Mason films in a British setting as he frequently evokes the staid, bloodless, leather driving glove school of acting of England in the 1950s.

Here, however, as a fish out of water character in this U. S / Mexican saga he is rather good. The accompanying cast of Marta Toren, William Conrad and the always excellent Dan Duryea are hard to resist. The final act contrasts of a baked Mexican pueblo back to a rain sodden nocturnal American city are extremely evocative. Ditching the Noir urban for a village, and redemption in the bucolic charms of country life is a novel take for a film of this genre.

Here's the kicker - very hard to find a 35mm converted version of this film, instead it is the horror of Blu ray / HD manipulations which are in ready supply, a technology which completely destroys old movies. The displaced filmic world, the wealth and grain of celluloid is replaced by shiny, immediate, clear cut images, completely erasing depth of field and the necessary suspension of disbelief - instead, constantly jolting the viewer out of absorption and into an over awareness of sets, props and the artifice of production.

When the film begins, a bitter doctor (James Mason) is helping out an injured man who is the member of a mob gang. He isn't doing this out of any sense of duty...he wants money and the mob has plenty after pulling off their latest caper. However, in a surprise twist, the Doc steals their $200,000...as well as the gangster boss' girlfriend! The pair run south to Mexico...and you know the crazed boss (Dan Duryea) will eventually come running after them.

In the meantime, the couple get stranded in the middle of no where in a small town after their airplane develops engine trouble. After a while, the pair grow to like the place and the bitter doctor eventually finds he's a beloved and important part of the the community. They also begin to care for each other. But, as I already mentioned, the gang boss isn't about to let the pair have a happy ending if he can help it! And the Doc considers returning the money with the hope that the evil boss will just let them go.

With gang members like Duryea, William Conrad and Jack Elam, the casting director did a nice job in picking up some nasty and menacing folks to play the baddies. The script and acting are also quite nice. What I also appreciated was that the film was tough and when the two characters became nicer...they still had a hard edge and weren't over-idealistically good. Entertaining from start to finish and well worth seeing if you love film noir.

This movie was a joy to watch and James Mason really shines in his role as well as Dan Duryea, and William Conrad. I loved every minute until the very end which to me was so senseless. I won't give it away but this film would have been a ten out of ten had it not been for this mistake. It is still a very entertaining film.