Johnny Apollo (1940)

Johnny Apollo (1940)

„Johnny Apollo“ is a 1940 Black & White film-noir crime film directed by Henry Hathaway. The screenplay by Philip Dunne and Rowland Brown is based on a story by Samuel G. Engel and Hal Long.

Bob Cain, Jr.’s stockbroker father, Robert „Pop“ Cain Sr., is sentenced to prison. The two were close, but Bob falls out with Pop over this situation. Bob quits college but unable to find a job due to his father’s notoriety.

Gangster Mickey Dwyer, sentenced on the same day as Pop, is granted parole. Bob, disgusted with his father’s lawyer, goes to see Dwyer’s attorney, an old former judge named Emmett T. Brennan. Waiting outside Brennan’s apartment, Bob, calling himself Johnny, meets the gangster’s girlfriend, Lucky Dubarry. They chat and she is immediately attracted to him. Brennan arrives. Lucky pretends she knows Bob, and he, not wanting to disclose his identify at all, when asked by Brennan tells them both his full name is Johnny Apollo (taking the surname from the neon sign marquee visible through the window on the dance-club across the street). Lucky leaves, and Bob inquires of Brennan how to get Pop paroled. With money, he is told.

Dwyer arrives and asks about Johnny. Brennan „vouches“ for him. Dwyer, not wanting to be anywhere near police, asks Bob to go bail out one of his crew, offering a hundred dollars to Bob. Bob accepts the task.

Soon, Dwyer offers Apollo employment. Apollo decides to work for the gangster to raise the dough he needs. They commit various criminal acts, and after accumulating much money, Bob visits his father in prison. They reconcile, and Bob talks of a forthcoming parole, so Pop is happy. But after he leaves, his father discovers from a guard that his son, „Johnny Apollo“, is now a criminal, and a disgusted Pop Cain wants nothing to do with him.

Brennan attempts to make a deal for Dwyer, offering the District Attorney evidence on all of his crew, if all pending charges against Dwyer are dropped. The D.A. does not accept, but makes a counteroffer. He will drop all pending charges against Apollo, in exchange for evidence on Dwyer. Brennan accepts, knowing Apollo is essentially a good man, and that Lucky is in love with him. He hands over damning evidence on Dwyer.

In retaliation, Dwyer murders Brennan. Bob, unaware and not believing Dwyer could murder the judge, with whom he was good friends, alibis Dwyer. Both he and Dwyer are sent to prison, using Brennan’s evidence, the D.A. ignoring the deal he had with Brennan, due to Bob’s recalcitrant attitude. A jailbreak is set in motion, but Lucky is able to sneak word of it to Pop, who prevents his son from getting involved. An angry Dwyer shoots Pop and knocks out Bob, but is then killed by guards.

Bob is blamed and faces a longer sentence, perhaps even execution. Pop recovers, however, and alibis his son. Bob serves his term, and on release finds his father waiting for him, along with Lucky.

Cast:

• Tyrone Power – Bob Cain
• Dorothy Lamour – „Lucky“ Dubarry
• Edward Arnold – Robert Cain Sr.
• Lloyd Nolan – Mickey Dwyer
• Charley Grapewin – Judge Emmett T. Brennan
• Lionel Atwill – Jim McLaughlin
• Marc Lawrence – Bates
• Jonathan Hale – Dr. Brown
• Harry Rosenthal – Piano Player
• Russell Hicks – District Attorney
• Fuzzy Knight – Cellmate
• Charles Lane – Assistant District Attorney
• Selmer Jackson – Warden
• Charles Trowbridge – Judge
• John Hamilton – Judge
• William Pawley – Paul
• Eric Wilton – Butler
• Gary Breckner – Announcer (voice)
• Harry Tyler – Trusty
• George Irving – Mr. Ives
• Eddie Marr – Harry, Henchman
• Anthony Caruso – Joe, Henchman
• Stanley Andrews – Welfare Secretary
• Wally Albright – Office Boy

„Johnny Apollo“ ist ein 1940 gedrehter Film-Noir-Krimi unter der Regie von Henry Hathaway. Das Drehbuch von Philip Dunne und Rowland Brown basiert auf einer Geschichte von Samuel G. Engel und Hal Long.

Bob Cain Jr.'s Vater, der Börsenmakler Robert „Pop“ Cain Sr. wird zu einer Gefängnisstrafe verurteilt. Die beiden standen sich nahe, aber Bob zerstreitet sich wegen dieser Situation mit Pop. Bob bricht das College ab, findet aber aufgrund der Bekanntheit seines Vaters keinen Job.

Der Gangster Mickey Dwyer, der am selben Tag wie Pop verurteilt wurde, kommt auf Bewährung frei. Bob, der von dem Anwalt seines Vaters angewidert ist, geht zu Dwyers Anwalt, einem alten ehemaligen Richter namens Emmett T. Brennan. Als er vor Brennans Wohnung wartet, lernt Bob, der sich Johnny nennt, die Freundin des Gangsters, Lucky Dubarry, kennen. Sie unterhalten sich, und sie fühlt sich sofort zu ihm hingezogen. Brennan trifft ein. Lucky gibt vor, Bob zu kennen, und dieser, der seine Identität nicht preisgeben will, sagt auf Brennans Frage hin, dass er mit vollem Namen Johnny Apollo heißt (der Nachname stammt von der Leuchtreklame, die durch das Fenster des Tanzclubs auf der anderen Straßenseite sichtbar ist). Lucky geht, und Bob erkundigt sich bei Brennan, wie er Pop auf Bewährung rausholen kann. Mit Geld, wird ihm gesagt.