One Way Street (1950)

One Way Street (1950)

„One Way Street“ is a 1950 Black & White film-noir crime film directed by Hugo Fregonese from a story and screenplay by Lawrence Kimble.

working title: Death on a Side Street

Sirens shriek through the Los Angeles nightscape while, from the window of an apartment building, an elegant woman, Laura Thorsen, smokes as she stand at an apartment window, watching them disappear. Dr. Frank Matson is on a house call to gangster John Wheeler, who has just masterminded a bank robbery.

Matson gives Wheeler some pills for his headache, calmly picks up the medical bag containing the proceeds of the robbery and tells Wheeler that the pills he swallowed contain poison. After promising to telephone him with the antidote, Matson and WHeeler’s lover, Laura, drive away.

One of the gang, Arnie, is hiding in the back seat of the car, and demands the money. While Laura drives, Matson wrestles with Arnie and kills him. He then reveals that the pills he gave to Wheeler were harmless. Laura crashes the car. The police arrive. Matson claims Arnie was a hitchhiker killed during the accident.

Later, Matson and Laura buy a used car and continue toward Mexico, and hire a plane, which breaks down near a small village. A priest, Father Moreno, offers them food and scares off bandit brothers, Francisco and Antonio Morales.

Later, Capt. Rodriguez arrives with his men. Moreno takes Laura and Matson to a village where the pilot can buy the parts to fix the plane, and asks Matson to help a small sick girl. Matson reluctantly agrees, sparking a fight with medicine woman Catalina, but the girl is already dead. Matson tells Laura he unsuccessfully tried to save the life of a woman he loved.The girl’s brother, Santiago, says the village horse is sick. Matson volunteers to help. The ailing horse recovers and when the plane arrives, Matson bows to the pressure of Laura and the village children and stays behind, not traveling on to Mexico.

Later, one of Wheeler’s henchmen, Ollie, questions the pilot, who tells him that Laura and Matson went to Mexico City.

After several weeks, Rodriguez and Moreno arrive with supplies for the village hospital. The Morales brothers interrupt an operation. Santiago intervenes, one of the brothers shoots him, and is shot in turn by the soldiers. Matson decides to return the money, settle things with Wheeler, and promises to allow Moreno to conduct a private marriage ceremony when he returns.

Together Laura and Matson travel to California. Matson tells Laura how much he loves her and knowing her has made his life worthwhile. Matson learns that Ollie killed Wheeler, and now intends to kill Matson. Matson shoots Ollie, then returns to Laura, but is hit by a car and killed.

Cast:

• James Mason – Dr. Frank Matson
• Märta Torén – Laura Thorsen
• Dan Duryea – John Wheeler
• Basil Ruysdael – Father Moreno
• William Conrad – Ollie - Henchman
• Rodolfo Acosta – Francisco Morales
• King Donovan – Grieder
• Robert Espinoza – Santiago
• Tito Renaldo – Hank Torres
• Margarito Luna – Antonio Morales
• Emma Roldán – Catalina
• George J. Lewis – Capt. Rodriguez
• James Best – Driver
• Joe Dominguez – Bias
• Jack Elam – Arnie
• Paul Fierro – Bandit
• Nacho Galindo – Mexican Villager with Heartburn
• Rock Hudson – Truck Driver
• Freddie Letuli – A Weaver
• Margarita Martín – Frasca
• Julia Montoya – Juanita
• Howard Negley – Cop at First Accident Scene
• Steve Pendleton – Cop at First Accident Scene
• Julian Rivero – Mexican Villager with Horse
• Kenneth Tobey – Cop at Second Accident
• O.Z. Whitehead – Gas Station Proprietor

„One Way Street“ (dt.: Einbahnstraße) ist ein Kriminalfilm aus dem Jahr 1950 unter der Regie von Hugo Fregonese nach einer Geschichte und einem Drehbuch von Lawrence Kimble.

Sirenen schrillen durch die nächtliche Landschaft von Los Angeles, während eine elegante Frau, Laura Thorsen, rauchend am Fenster eines Apartmenthauses steht und das Verschwinden der Sirenen beobachtet. Dr. Frank Matson macht einen Hausbesuch bei dem Gangster John Wheeler, der gerade einen Banküberfall begangen hat.

Matson gibt Wheeler ein paar Kopfschmerztabletten, nimmt in aller Ruhe die Medizintasche mit dem Erlös des Raubüberfalls und erklärt Wheeler, dass die Tabletten, die er geschluckt hat, Gift enthalten. Nachdem er versprochen hat, ihm das Gegenmittel telefonisch mitzuteilen, fahren Matson und Wheelers Geliebte Laura davon.

Einer der Gangster, Arnie, versteckt sich auf dem Rücksitz des Wagens und verlangt das Geld. Während Laura fährt, ringt Matson mit Arnie und tötet ihn. Dann offenbart er, dass die Pillen, die er Wheeler gegeben hat, harmlos waren. Laura verunglückt mit dem Auto. Die Polizei trifft ein. Matson behauptet, Arnie sei ein Anhalter gewesen, der bei dem Unfall getötet wurde.